SF's Gould wins first Cork city council seat; rules out mayoral pact

He topped the poll in Cork North Central with 1,828 votes ahead of 2009 poll topper, Cllr Mick Barry of the Anti Austerity Alliance, who was also elected on the first count.

Mr Gould has already ruled out a mayoral pact with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

"I'd love to be Lord Mayor. I think it would be a great honour., but we're not elected for prestige or position," he said.

"People have asked us to do a job. We are not going to be worried about chains. We're going to fulfil the policies people asked us to do. We'll do everything we can to make a difference."

Mr Gould, who got the first tally results this morning after attending his daughter Aoife's communion, said he was deeply moved by the huge support from the electorate.

"It's unbelievable really. To be honest, I'm very moved. For so many people to give me a number one is a real honour," he said.

In the Cork North East ward, 21-year-old UCC student Stephen Cunningham has topped the poll, with 971 votes, and Workers Party Cllr Ted Tynan, with 962 votes, has also been elected on the first count.