The outgoing MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Michelle Gildernew, has failed to win a seat in the European Parliament.

The Sinn Féin representative contested the European election in the Republic of Ireland’s Midlands-North-West constituency.

Ms Gildernew was in the running for the final seat but she lost out to Ciarán Mullooly, a former high profile news reporter with the Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

The Sinn Féin candidate did not attend the declaration of the final result just after 03:00 BST on Friday morning.

Last month, after the UK general election was called while she was a candidate in the European elections, Michelle Gildernew announced that she would not defend her seat in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

She said her “sole focus” was on the European campaign in the Republic.

Her failure to be elected as an MEP means she now holds no major elected position, after serving as an MLA or MP for around a quarter of a century.

In a double blow for Sinn Féin in Midlands-North West, which runs along the border, its outgoing MEP Chris McManus failed to retain his seat in the constituency.

The five seats in the constituency have been won by outgoing MEPs Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent, and Maria Walsh, Fine Gael, as well as newcomers Nina Carberry, a well known Irish jockey and Barry Cowen, a brother of the former taoiseach Brian Cowen, and Ciarán Mullooly.