The candidates and stories to watch out for in the General Election

Political comebacks, a surge against the Healy-Raes, the Harris hop and the fate of the far right

Rory Hearne will be looking to gain votes as the Social Democrats candidate in Dublin North West.

The General Election formally gets underway on Friday with candidates up and down the country beginning in earnest to canvas the public for the votes they need to send them to Leinster House.

Amid the 43 constituencies, what are the stories and who are the candidates to keep an eye on as the campaign trundles on?