Race to the Áras: The good, the bland and the controversial all on display as campaign heats up

This week marked the real start of the presidential campaign. Paul Hosford analyses each candidate's performance

Irish presidential candidates, from left, independent candidate Catherine Connolly, Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin, and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys, prior to the start of the first presidential debate on 'The Tonight Show' on Virgin Media.

In just over three weeks, we will know who will be the next president of Ireland.

If that date has snuck up on you, then you haven't been obsessing about the election, which makes you a normal human being.