Fine Gael looks set to fall four seats short of securing control of the 28-seat Clare Co Council.
Based on estimates from completed tallies across the four electoral areas, Fine Gael will end up with 11 seats with Fianna Fáil securing 10 seats and independents having seven seats.
The completed tally shows that Fine Gael have secured 37% of the vote with Fianna Fáil having 31% and independents on 22%.
In two of the four electoral areas, independents topped the poll with former TD James Breen topping the poll in Ennis and independent councillor Christy Curtin topping the poll for a 5th successive election in west Clare.
New faces include co-founder of the Clare Crusaders Clinic Ann Norton, who looks poised to grab a seat in Ennis, and Fine Gael’s Mary Howard in the same electoral area.