Day 19: Taoiseach finally meets a voter

IT finally happened in Carlow’s Potato Market at 12.41pm on day 19 of the campaign – An Taoiseach risked meeting a random voter at last.

After a national tour more tightly choreographed than Riverdance, Brian Cowen’s inner Michael Flattery was allowed to fly free of the carefully selected safe groups of supporters he has so far almost exclusively encountered across the country on this most peculiar electoral trail.

As the Premier and the unpredictable punter faced each other, Mr Cowen moved in for what’s known in the trade as the grip and grin.