Northern Ireland has three women MEPs for the first time
Diane Dodds, DUP, was the first to be declared elected
Alliance's Naomi Long and Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson were both elected after five rounds of counting
Eleven candidates competed for NI's three seats in the European Parliament
DUP, Sinn Féin and UUP took NI seats at last European election in 2014
Voters went to polls on Thursday - 1,278,951 were eligible to vote
Turnout was just more than 45% - down 6% on 2014's poll
After a tense weekend, the results of Northern Ireland's European election were announced faster than many predicted.
It was an election marked by an upsurge in support for the Alliance Party, and is the first time three women have been elected to represent the region in the European Parliament.
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Image source, Darran Marshall
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI
Counting has ended for the NI results of the European elections, with three women elected as MEPs for the first time ever. Over in under 12 hours, this election brought with it surprises that few saw coming.
Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson topped the poll but her vote was down. She took the third and final seat.
The DUP’s Diane Dodds was the first elected, but it was Alliance leader Naomi Long who exceeded expectations. She took the second seat - and polled more than 170,000 votes - taking transfers from right across the spectrum.
The Ulster Unionists have some reflecting to do - they failed to retain the seat they’ve held for four decades, with Danny Kennedy only coming sixth.
Now the question is: How long will the three successful candidates be MEPs?
One hardy protester braved the rain to deliver a message to politicians leaving the count centre in Magherafelt.
MEPs make take their seats in Europe, but Stormont remains empty.
Making her victory speech, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said politicians need to "work more closely together to address the global challenges which face us all".
Image source, Pacemaker"I want to see, not a Brexit from the EU, but I want to see us work closely together with those within the EU in order that we can deliver better for the people we represent here."
On her pro-Remain position, she said her mandate is "from the people who voted for me in this election".
Making her victory speech, Diane Dodds said her increased mandate showed voters had "rejected calls for a border poll".
She said she planned to “be that voice for Northern Ireland, as I have done for the past 10 years”.
Image source, Pacemaker"As a DUP MEP I will continue to work with my colleagues in Westminster, and even our opponents will agree we have a pivotal role to play in our national debate as we go forward with leaving the European Union," she said.
EU election joy for Naomi Long and Martina Anderson
In her speech after being elected, Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson says “we went into this election with two goals, to top the poll and to reflect the voice of those who want to remain in the EU and therefore we need two Remainers returned.
Image source, pacemaker"That is what the people did."
BBC News NI's Political Editor Mark Devenport says that back in 1979, the then European Economic Community created a third seat for Northern Ireland because they were worried if it was only two, there would be no nationalist representatives.
"Now we're in the situation where we’ve got just one unionist MEP, one nationalist MEP and one MEP representing the centre ground."
Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson says she is "absolutely delighted" that Naomi Long has been elected.
She says it is "a great outcome for the north of Ireland" that two of the region's three MEPs are from the Remain ticket.
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI
All three EU seats for Northern Ireland have been declared, with three women taking the seats for the first time ever.
Diane Dodds of the DUP was the first over the quota to retain her seat.
Two pro-remain candidates have been returned, with Alliance leader Naomi Long recording a huge vote of more than 170,000. Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson took the final seat with more than 150,000 votes.
Counting has finished, wrapping up very quickly here in Magherafelt.
Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson has been elected at the fifth stage with 152,436.5 votes after transfers.
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long becomes an MEP, receiving 170,370 votes after transfers.
Naomi Long and Martina Anderson are both deemed elected after the fifth round of counting.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has congratulated his wife, Diane, on being the first elected in Northern Ireland.
“It doesn’t make for the most relaxed of weekends, but we are delighted at the outcome. We are very pleased at the fact that Diane has been the first elected here in Northern Ireland," he said.
"It is a tribute, I think, not just to the people of Northern Ireland, but also to her record as an MEP over the last 10 years."
Michael Long tells BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra he isn't too worried about possible future trips to Brussels, where his wife, Naomi, is likely to be based.
"We’ve had changes before, obviously Naomi was in Westminster for five years so we were in London and then she was back to the Assembly," he said.
Image source, Pacemaker"So we just have to get used to our different travel arrangements. I’m sure it’ll be exciting and a new challenge."
Diane Dodds, who has been returned as an MEP for the DUP, said the election shows her party is "by far the strongest voice of unionism".
"Remember we are now in a new phase of this, and we will go into months of negotiation and I’m thankful that people in Northern Ireland, unionists in Northern Ireland voted for us to go back to London, to go back to Brussels to be their voice, to be their strength," she said.