Senator Kelly received 64,000 first preference votes or 12.9 per cent.
Independent candidate and outgoing MEP, Kathy Sinnott conceded the final seat to Sen Kelly at around 9pm.
Sinn Fein’s Toiréasa Ferris was eliminated at the seventh count.
Fianna Fail’s Brian Crowley was the first to exceed the quota securing his seat and his return to Brussels.
Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly the former GAA boss secured the second seat with 134,712 votes.
European Election
How they polled
South : Candidate Summary               Â
                                   1st       %
Name           Party   Sitting  Pref      Votes    Elected
CROWLEY, Brian     FF     Yes   118,258   23.70%      Yes
KELLY, Seán        FG            92,579   18.60%      Yes
FERRIS, Toiréasa     SF            64 671  13.00%  Â
KELLY, Alan        LAB            64,152  12.90%      Yes
SINNOTT, Kathy     IND     Yes    58,485  11.70%  Â
BURKE, Colm       FG     Yes    53,721  10.80%  Â
O’KEEFFE, Ned      FF            16,596   3.30%  Â
BOYLE, Dan        GP            15,499   3.10%  Â
STAFFORD, Alexande INDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11,692Â Â Â 2.30%Â Â Â
SEXTON, Maurice    IND                    2,474   0.50%     Â
Number of Seats: 3
Quota: 124,532
Candidates: 10
Electorate: 861,727
Turnout: 59.2%
Valid Poll: 498,127
Spoilt Votes: 11836 (2.3)%