Sinn Féin breakthrough in Upper Bann

SINN FÉIN has two MLAs in Upper Bann for the first time ever with the election of John O'Dowd and Catherine Seeley.

After a tense and nail-biting count the long-awaited final result was announced shortly before 5pm on Saturday afternoon – the last constituency to declare a result.

The election of Catherine Seeley signals a breakthrough for Sinn Féin in the constituency, doubling the party's representation in the area.

The young teacher and current deputy Mayor of Craigavon received 6,164 first preference votes while John O'Dowd  secured 5,209.

In 2014 Catherine was teaching in the Belfast Boys’ Model Secondary School in north Belfast when she was targeted in an online, sectarian hate campaign primarily through a Facebook page run by the Protestant Coalition that led to death threats.

Within two weeks (and despite the courageous public support of her students, their families and trade unions) she had little option but to give up the job she loved at the state-run secondary.

Ms Seeley's election follows her strong performance in last years Westminster election.

Both had to wait until the final count, stage 11, to be elected at the Banbridge leisure centre.

In doing so they saw off a challenge from former SDLP deputy leader Delores Kelly.

The election of Catherine Seeley and John O'Dowd bring Sinn Féin's total to 28 seats in the Assembly.