A well known dissident Republican politician has been re-elected in a ward that includes the area of Derry where journalist Lyra McKee was murdered.

Ms McKee was shot dead by a group calling itself the New IRA during riots in the Creggan area of Derry last month.

The murder sparked fresh talks aimed at ending the ongoing stalemate at Stormont =- and widespread calls for an end to sectarian violence in the North.

Speaking after he was officially re-elected in Derry and Strabane this morning, Gary Donnelly thanked his supporters.

“I am absolutely over the moon that I have retained my seat in the Moor Ward and I would like to thank each and every one of the voters who left their home and gave me their first preference,” he said.

“It is a huge endorsement of the work that I am doing in the Moor Ward.”

A former spokesman for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, Mr Donnelly was first elected in 2014.

The independent councillor was re-elected less than two weeks after a suspect device was left outside his home in Derry.

Ammunition technical officers attend a security alert at Iniscarn Road in Derry where a suspect device was found at the home of independent councillor Gary Donnelly, 21-04-2019. Image: Joe Boland/PA Wire/PA Images

The second day of counting is continuing in the North this afternoon – with some councils just beginning to start tallies while others are already finished.

As things stand, the DUP and Sinn Fein are holding their positions as the two largest parties.

The Alliance Party has seen major gains and has broken into new councils for the first time.

One major surprise was in Derry according to Alliance Party leader Naomi Long – with its first representative in the area in 38 years.

“The last time we had a councillor on Derry City Council was in 1981; I was still in primary school

“Just to have turned that around, it is the best feeling to know that we have got that.”

The DUP's first openly gay candidate, Alison Bennington, who has been elected to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, a returning officer said.

The story of the day yesterday came from the Antrim and Newtownabbey constituency, where the DUP – a party that vetoed same-sex marriage – had its first openly gay councillor elected.

Alison Bennington was elected to the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

DUP leader Arlene Foster told UTV: "She's a committed unionist and that's why she decided to put her name forward for the DUP, as many others did right across the country, and she was selected on that basis."

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she hopes next week's talks aimed at restoring powersharing will be bolstered by the fact the DUP and Sinn Fein appear to have retained their positions at the top.

“I know as well as your listeners know that the current stalemate we have is unacceptable,” she said.

“It is unsustainable so politics now needs to take a leap of faith and imagination to the next phase of the peace process.”

A total of 819 candidates were standing for 462 available seats across 11 council areas in Northern Ireland.