What we got was a snapshot of how the electorate feels in the here and now, along with a vivid picture of democracy in all its flawed brilliance.

There were those left reeling — Sinn Féin and French president Emmanuel Macron among them — and others left roiling, especially Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo. Mr De Croo lost out in the country’s triple election, which saw his Flemish Liberals and Democratic party (Open VLD) lose out to right-wing and far-right opposition. 

The predictions that populist parties would sweep the European Parliament elections fell short of the mark and, despite gains in Austria, Germany, and Italy — as well as France, were they polled so well Mr Macron called a snap general election — they fell short in Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, and Hungary, thus boosting the chances of Ursula von der Leyen gaining a second term.

RESULTS: GENERAL ELECTION 2024

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Cork East

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Kerry

Clare

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Waterford

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Critically for her, the centre-right European People’s Party — which she represents — gained ground. This prompted its leader and German Christian Democrat, Manfred Weber, to declare the European People’s Party was now the “stabilising force” in European politics.

At home, it is back to the drawing board for Sinn Féin after their performance in both the local and European elections.

The gains predicted for the party in the polls simply did not happen and, rather than giving it momentum ahead of a general election, the result will only put its leadership under the spotlight.

While Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will have been satisfied with their respective party performances, it remains to be seen if their renewed confidence will translate into an early general election. 

Mr Harris has remained firm that such would not be the case, but he and his coalition partners must surely be tempted to go to the well again — sooner than later — to try and exploit any perceived weakness in their rivals.

Strange silence about Brexit in Britain

In another election campaign not so far away, one of the most startling things going on in Britain — apart altogether from the expected gaffe-strewn Conservative effort to cling on to power — is the complete absence on debate of the effects of Brexit on the economy there.

History will undoubtedly show that the legacy of all the other scandals Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Michael Gove, Jacob Rees-Mogg, et al inflicted on the country and its parliament will pale by comparison with what they achieved by persuading their electorate it was a good idea to leave the EU.

While the Tories most certainly don’t want to talk about it, it is notable that none of the other big political players do either. In last week’s televised debate between former Brexit cheerleader and current party leader Rishi Sunak, and Labour leader Keir Starmer — a staunch ‘remainer’ in his time — the matter was never raised once.

Even the Reform Party, a growing thorn in the side of the Tories and now led by arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage, doesn’t want to talk about it. Having been such an agent provocateur in the Brexit debate, he has not yet been asked in this campaign to answer for its consequences.

It is understandable for the Labour leader to not want to rile party supporters in working-class areas of the midlands and the north of the country who voted to leave the EU but who are now essential to ousting the Tories.

But for him to vaguely blather on about creating a warmer relationship with Britain’s neighbours and watering down aspects of the disastrous departure deal, is callow and dishonest — and especially if his real intention is to go right back to his European colleagues begging for forgiveness as soon as he gets those keys.

Sure, there is a lot going on — a frayed civil service, a shredded NHS, immigration, water issues, schools, courts, prisons, and so forth — but for the main players to ignore the biggest problem of the lot seems downright careless.

Next stop Paris for Irish athletes

Camogie training notwithstanding, Ciara Mageean’s gold medal performance in the 1500m at Rome’s European Athletics Championships on Sunday, following on from Friday’s golden display by the mixed 4x400m relay team, as well as Rhasidat Adeleke’s 400m silver medal on Monday night, has vaulted Irish athletics to an unprecedented peak.

That the 32-year-old Mageean professed to having to recall the hurly-burly of camogie games of her youth in having to muscle past two Britons on the final bend to secure her brilliant win provided a uniquely Irish slant to proceedings, as she powered to victory in a week of outstanding effort by the men and women in green.

As a nation we have only rarely been exposed to top-level track and field success thanks to athletes such as Pat O’Callaghan, Bob Tisdall, Ronnie Delany, Eamonn Coghlan, and Sonia O’Sullivan, but this is a unique period of sustained success and hope on the track.

The sizzling mixed 4x400 relay win by Chris O’Donnell, Adeleke, Thomas Barr, and Nenagh’s Sharlene Mawdsley was truly joyful, while Mageean’s 1500m and Adeleke’s 400m successes also highlighted Ireland’s growth as an inclusive nation. 

These are days this country has waited a long time for, but they have only whetted the appetite for the Paris Olympics, which start next month and where our track stars will be joined by our rowers, boxers, sailors, and equestrian teams. Hopefully they will provide us with even greater joys.