Although there will be at least 15 new faces on the 48-member Cork County Council, the balance of power on the State's largest local authority has changed little with the only net change being a Labour loss and a Progressive Democrats gain.
Fine Gael was the largest party on the outgoing council with 21 seats and although it lost three seats in various electoral areas, it returns with the same number following gains in other areas.
Fianna Fail had 19 seats on the outgoing council and while, like Fine Gael, it lost some notable performers, it also returns with 19 seats while Labour came back with four seats as opposed to five in the outgoing council.
With 11 of the outgoing council standing down, new faces were expected in County Hall but no one could have predicted some of the casualties.
The cause of the biggest surprise - and genuine regret on all sides of the chamber - was the loss by Fianna Fail veteran and leader on the council, Mr Jack Roche of his seat in Kanturk.
Generally accepted as one of the best performers on the council, Mr Roche was the surprise loser with party colleague, Mr Michael Donegan taking his seat.
The surprise winner in Kanturk was 29-year-old Fine Gael newcomer, Mr Patrick Buckley who topped the poll with 2,154 votes and was declared elected on the third count.
Outgoing councillors, Mr Laurence Kelly (FF) and Mr Billy Biggane (FG) also lost their seats.
Another notable casualty was Labour councillor Ms Sheila O'Sullivan in the Blarney area, who lost to Glanmire rival, Mr Gerry Kelly of Fine Gael.
Elsewhere, newly-elected Cork South Central TD, Mr Simon Coveney, romped home in the new seven-seat Carrigaline area with 3,933 giving him almost a 1,500 surplus but it failed to carry through to party colleague Mr Braham Brennan who lost. Cork South Central TD, Mr Batt O'Keeffe, was joined by Mr Barry Cogan and newcomer Ms Deirdre Forde, while Ms Paula Desmond held her Labour seat. Mr Derry Canty, a former member of the Progressive Democrats, held his seat for Fine Gael and the PDs took their only seat thanks to newcomer, Mr Peter Kelly.
West Cork also saw some changes with veteran Fine Gael councillor, Mr Jim O'Sullivan, losing the seat formerly held by his late father, Mr John L. O'Sullivan, but Ms Maura McCarthy holding the seat held by her late husband, Mr John Cal McCarthy.
For Mr Christy O'Sullivan - also running in the six-seat Skibbereen area - there was much satisfaction. He failed to get the Fianna Fail nomination but ran as an independent and was elected.
Elsewhere Fine Gael backbench TD, Mr P.J. Sheehan, who has served 32 years on the council, was returned for the Bantry electoral area while former Cork East Labour TD, Mr John Mulvihill, topped the poll in the Midleton area.
Fine Gael TDs, Mr Paul Bradford and Mr Michael Creed were elected in Mallow and Macroom, while the ex-Democratic Left Senator, Mr Joe Sherlock, held his seat in Mallow for Labour while and Mr Kevin O'Keeffe (Fianna Fail) retained the seat in the new Fermoy area.
