Live updates: Day two of the general election count in Donegal constituency

1:42am -  Charles Ward from the 100 Percent Redress Party has been elected, as has Charlie McConalogue

12:23am - 76-year-old Pat the Cope Gallagher of Fianna Fáil has reclaimed his Dáil seat after losing it in 2020

11:01pm - From Noel Jordan's votes, the beneficiary, as would've been expected was Thomas Pringle, with a huge lift of 2,147, which edges him in front of Charlie McConologue. Pringle's total is now 9,513, with McConologue on 9,172 following 14 counts. However, with the now eliminated Nikki Bradley's 6,176 votes up next, Pringle knows the lead is probably not enough. That would mean the final three seats will go to Pat the Cope Gallagher, Charles Ward and Charlie McConalogue.

10:35pm - With Noel Jordan gone on the 13th count, his 5,513 votes to be distributed are now going to play a massive part in who gets over the line. Pat the Cope Gallager is edging towards the quota of 12,771 but still has some work to do with 11,751 and not expected to make it in this count. Thomas Pringle (7,366) needs to make a move fast and will be hopeful of doing well out of Jordan's transfers, while Charles Ward is on 9,909.

8:10pm - With things back on track, from Mary T Sweeney's distribution proves a massive boost for Charles Ward. He picks up 1,318 votes, when he closest rival, Pat the Cope Gallagher, nets 372. John McNulty is eliminated. 

7.33pm - Aontú candidate Mary T Sweeney has been eliminated on the eleventh count in the Donegal constituency. Sweeney's team sought a recount but, as things stand, the 12th count - which involves the distribution of Sweeney's votes - is proceeding amid an air of confusion. Read more here

5:55pm -  Ten counts in and Donegal’s only elected representatives are Sinn Féin duo Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn, who both made it over the line last night.

Behind them, three seats remain, with seven candidates now remaining. At the minute, Pat the Cope Gallagher is leading the way towards that third seat. The experienced Fianna Fáil runner is looking to reclaim the seat he lost in 2020 and has made his way on 10,798.

There’s three into two then, with the transfers of Noel Jordan and John McNulty in particular, as well as Nikki Bradley and Mary T Sweeney, looking like they will be the making and breaking of Charlie McConalogue, Charles Ward and Thomas Pringle.

McConalogue, of Fianna Fáil, is now on 8,470 with the 100% Redress Party’s Ward on 7,868 and Pringle, Independent, sits on 6,179. With the quota at 12,771, Niall McConnell’s 2,185 will be distributed in the 11th count.

5:28pm - 10 in and Niall McConnell is gone

4:27pm - Following count nine, Nuala Carr and Carol Gallagher are now out

3:55pm - The eighth count sees Kim McMenamin eliminated

2:50pm - On the seventh count, Eamon McGee of the Irish Freedom Party, has been eliminated

2:10pm - Sixth count sees Gerry McKeever exit the race

13:22pm - Frank O'Donnell, on the fifth count, has been eliminated 

12:37pm - Following the fourth count, Claudia Kennedy has been eliminated

12:05pm - Here's where the 324 surplus from MacLochlainn went

11:39am -  Following the third count, nobody new has reached the quota. It was the distribution of Padraig MacLochlainn's surplus of 324, which sprinkled a handful of candidates, his Sinn Féin colleague Noel Jordan picked up 215. Thomas Pringle moved up 27 more and the only other two candidates to get double figures were Pat the Cope Gallagher (13) and Charlie McConalogue (10).

Arthur McGuinness (35) and Vincent J Bradley (116) are now eliminated and their votes are next to be counted. 

11:07am - That came after Pearse Doherty was the first home

11:05am - Here's the reaction from Pádraig MacLochlainn getting over the line from the early hours

10:50am - The situation that looks most likely - although things can always change - is that Pat the Cope Gallagher of Fianna Fáil will get the third seat, leaving a three-way tussle for the remaining two, between Charlie McConalogue of Fianna Fáil; 100% Redress' Charles Ward and Independent Thomas Pringle.

10:35am - Here is the situation in Donegal as it stands. Pearse Doherty topped the polls - as he did in 2020 - to take the first seat, with 18,898 first preference votes, exceeding the quota of 12,771. He was followed by Sinn Féin colleague Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, who was elected at about 1:45am, with 9,799 first preferences and 3,296 transfers from Doherty, enough to get over the line. 

10:27am - Counting was adjourned just shy of 2am at the Aura Centre in Letterkenny, with things back underway to see who will join Pearse Doherty and  Pádraig Mac Lochlainn for the remaining three seats in the Donegal constituency