Cathal Berry and Patricia Ryan gracious as they lose Dáil seats

Two TDs who lost their seat in Kildare South were magnanimous in defeat in Punchestown.

An optimistic Dr Cathal Berry took his impending Dail exit on the cheek, and put it down to three reasons: boundary changes, the dilution of the independent vote, and the trend back to the traditional parties.

“Half of Portarlington went into Laois and half went back to Offaly,” he shrugged, accepting the geographic vagaries of politics.

“The main issue was the boundaries, last time I was in Kildare South, but I thought I try to have a go,” he said.

He spoke of his pride in serving the people of Kildare South.

“My conscience is completely clear, but I’m not finished and there’s plenty of other options,” said the former Army Ranger and doctor.

“The last five years have been unbelievably positive and it has been an extraordinary privilege,” he said.

“It’s not been my day today, but hopefully my distribution will put some good people in,” he said.

“And the Senate is only down the road!” he said with a smile.

Patricia Ryan always faced a battle to reclaim her seat after she ran as an Independent. However, it was still some shock to go from being poll topper in 2020 with over 10,000 votes to just 678 votes this time around.

The former Sinn Féin TD resigned from the party in acrimonious circumstances in October.

At the count hall on Saturday, Ms Ryan admirably was keeping things in perspective. She told the Kildare Nationalist that she had lost and won elections before and they were more important things in life.