One of the public faces of dissident republicanism in Northern Ireland has topped the election poll in the Derry ward where journalist Lyra McKee was killed by the so-called New IRA during rioting last month.

Independent republican councillor Gary Donnelly polled 1,374 first-preference votes in the Moor district electoral area.

First elected to Derry City and Strabane District Council as an independent in 2014, his re-election came as Ms McKee was remembered during a May Day parade in Belfast.

Her shooting sparked outrage across the world as well as a swell of criticism for dissident republican violence in Northern Ireland.

Mr Donnelly said the journalist had died because of a “reckless” act. Writing on his Facebook page, he said: “This is wrong and my thoughts like the thoughts of this entire community are with her loved ones.

Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. See PA story . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots hijacked vehicles one fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Police conduct a crime scene search after shots where fired in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, following the death of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee who was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Brian Lawless PA

“I would plead with those behind this attack to desist from any further attacks and seriously consider the consequences of their action.”

Members from the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) paid a special tribute to Ms McKee at Belfast City Hall as the parade made its way through the city.

It was led by a new banner declaring “Workers’ Rights are Human Rights”, in tribute to the journalist and all workers facing violence and intimidation.

Members of the NUJ pause at Belfast City Hall to remember Lyra McKee on Saturday (PA)

Mr Donnelly’s Derry ward was just one of 462 seats up for grabs across 11 council areas in Northern Ireland, as counting continued in the local government elections on Saturday.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) won 24.1 per cent of first preference votes compared to Sinn Fein on 23.2 per cent, the BBC reported. The centrist party Alliance has seen its share of the vote rise from 6.7 per cent to 11.5 per cent.

Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, said she would examine any “bad behaviour” by members following comments made by former health minister Jim Wells about the party’s first openly gay councillor, Alison Bennington.

Mr Wells said his former leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, would be “aghast” at the decision to run a gay DUP candidate. Ms Bennington won an Antrim and Newtonabbey Council seat on Friday.

Ms Foster said Mr Wells should not have made those comments to the media. “We will look at all of those issues after the election … We will be looking at where we did very well and we will be looking at bad behaviour as well.”

Local elections: First ever openly gay DUP candidate Alison Bennington wins in Northern Ireland

Elsewhere, former Sinn Fein MP Barry McElduff won a seat on Fermanagh and Omagh Council. Mr McElduff, who was forced to resign his Westminster seat after posting a video of himself balancing a loaf of Kingsmill bread on the anniversary of the 1976 massacre near the village of Kingsmill in South Armagh, was elected on the fourth count.

The son of solicitor Pat Finucane, who was killed by loyalist paramilitaries, has said his father was in his thoughts as his election to Belfast City Council was confirmed. John Finucane was elected for Sinn Fein on the first count in the Castle district electoral area in north Belfast with 1,650 votes.

Earlier today it emerged a farmer who objected to how Rihanna was dressed as she filmed a music video in his field has lost his council seat.

The DUP’s Alan Graham made headlines after intervening as the singer wore a skimpy outfit while filming her 2011 hit “We Found Love”. He said at the time he did not “believe young ladies should have to take their clothes off to entertain”.