The first anti-austerity TD to be elected outside Dublin — winning the seat at the expense of Labour junior minister Kathleen Lynch — has vowed to bring his constituents’ desire for radical change to Dáil Éireann.

History was made in Cork South West with the election of the constituency’s first female TD, with Margaret Murphy O’Mahony’s win also matching the national pattern of a resurgent Fianna Fáil vote.

A three-seat constituency that has only ever returned Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs stayed true to form, despite a dramatic late twist which nearly provided a Lazarus-like comeback for an Independent candidate.

Fine Gael candidates ignored a proposed voting pact with Labour in last-minute leaflet drops — only urging votes for Fine Gael.

Although the outcome of the general election has yet to be decided with counts beginning today, another group are now looking to a different election.

“I was happy to be moved by the tears of the Magdalene women.”

Breandán Ó hEithir, thou should be living at this hour. The man who wrote The Begrudger’s Guide To Irish Politics, the greatest work ever composed on that topic, would have revelled in the election campaign which has just finished, writes Michael Moynihan

Nama was the €72bn missing elephant of the election campaign, writes Political Editor

A number of polling stations for today’s general election are not wheelchair accessible, voters with mobility issues have been warned.

Partners in power Enda Kenny and Joan Burton shared an early morning parting cuppa yesterday but whether they remain at the same table after the election is anyone’s guess.

I realise that my writing on the Irish political system to date has been pretty damning.

Against the wider trend, Longford-Westmeath is one area where the Government stronghold is likely to remain.

Reduced from a five-seater to four, Dublin South-Central has lost a population of more than 9,600 from Terenure and close to 3,000 in Kimmage.

The Garda College needs significant investment in facilities and training staff to meet election promises of 600 to 700-plus recruits a year as it is already operating at “maximum” with 450 recruits.

For a party trying to woo young voters, the welcome Sinn Féin’s leader received on Dublin’s O’Connell St was almost too good to believe.

There appears to be a certain overall illogicality at play here that simply defies explanation, writes Alison O’Connor

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has accepted responsibility for a series of “mistakes” which have blighted Fine Gael’s stuttering general election campaign.

For some it’s too little, too late. For others, it has been too much.

Labour leader Joan Burton has declined to say whether Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s TV leaders’ debate admission he was responsible for a key “cronyism” appointment in 2014 will damage the coalition’s re-election bid.

Enda Kenny said he takes responsibility for the appointment of John McNulty — but says he had no role in appointing him to the Irish Museum of Modern Art board.