Gary Donnelly celebrates his election with his parents.
Prominent dissident republican supporter Gary Donnelly has been elected onto the Derry-Strabane “super council.”
Mr Donnelly, a prominent member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, topped the poll in the Moor District Electoral Area (DEA).
The 43-year-old, who stood as an Independent candidate, was elected after the first count.
His success is expected to result in the SDLP losing yet another seat in Derry – having already lost seats in Ballyarnett and Foyleside.
Sinn Fein Cllr Kevin Campbell is just 39 votes short of being elected and is expected to do so in stage two of the count process.
Also expected to be elected are Sinn Fein’s Patricia Logue and Colly Kelly.
SDLP Cllr Sean Carr, father of Jimmy Carr who failed to get elected in the Ballyarnett DEA after losing the support of the SDLP only two days before the election, is expected to take the fifth and final seat in The Moor ahead of party colleague and first time candidate Emmet Doyle.
First preference votes in The Moor
Quota 1143
Campbell, Kevin (Sinn Fein) 1104
Carr, Sean (SDLP) 841
Donnelly, Gary John (Independent) 1154
Doyle, Emmet (SDLP) 676
Friel, Liam (Sinn Fein) 654
Henderson, Dermott Sean (SDLP) 542
Kelly, Colly (Sinn Fein) 775
Logue, Patricia (Sinn Fein) 997
Mellon, Patrick (Independent) 113
Tags: