Election 2024: Six things we learned on the campaign trail today
Damien Eagers With Dublin Street A Selfie On Hollywood Simon Poses In Harris Picture: Stephanie Baggot Taoiseach, For
There's a new Eoin Ó Broin in town. Yes, Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin is sharing not only the same name as a Social Democrats candidate but also the same constituency.
Thankfully, the candidate photos and party logos should clear up any confusion for voters tomorrow.
But, there was still the question of which one of them would appear first on the ballot.
Ó Broin (the SF one) gave us the details and according to him, the two names were put in a silver bowl - with the party name included to differentiate - and picked out.
Scroll for results in your area
And the bowl has decreed that the incumbent Ó Broin will be listed first.
One of the more bizarre encounters of the campaign took place on Thursday, as Tánaiste Micheál Martin canvassed in Greystones alongside Stephen Donnelly.
The Wicklow town is the turf of Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, with Fianna Fáil working to retain Mr Donnelly’s seat.
As the two TDs strolled into a Gino’s Gelato in the town, a commotion erupted, with a woman jumping forward and calling for the Fianna Fáil leader to be voted out of office.
Might this be a Sinn Féin voter? A People Before Profit voter? Not so.
This was a Fine Gaeler, who wanted Simon Harris to be returned to the Taoiseach’s office in the days ahead.
Shona Flynn, a Fine Gael member, was emphatic. She wanted Fianna Fáil out of office, describing that “all they care about is money”.
Ms Flynn disagreed that the most likely government would be Fine Gael alongside Fianna Fáil.
“Well, not really though. Not with Fianna Fáil. He [Harris] won’t be with Fianna Fáil,” she insisted.
A push by Fine Gael leader Simon Harris for voters to transfer among centrist parties like Fianna Fáil and Labour has been lambasted as “desperation” by Ivana Bacik.
The Labour Party leader criticised Mr Harris for the comments, setting out that she would first engage with other centre-left political parties to form a common negotiating bloc.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Harris said: "I'm asking people to vote Fine Gael in the election... But then I am asking people to transfer to other centrist parties.” He particularly highlighted both Fianna Fáil and Labour, saying that Fine Gael had worked well with both parties in the past.
Hitting out, Ms Bacik said: “I saw the Taoiseach’s comments today and frankly I think they smack of desperation in the last few days of this campaign.” She said any negotiating bloc must have Labour and green values, "because we want to ensure that that vision and those values will shape the next government”.
Mary Lou McDonald has said she is not making eyes at any party when it comes to considering potential coalition partners.
"I believe in absolute fidelity to my cause," the Sinn Féin leader said this morning as she headed out on the final day of canvassing.
"We're not at that flirtatious stage quite yet. We have to get to first base before we pass!"
For the first time, Ms McDonald signalled that Sinn Féin would be interested in working with the Social Democrats and People Before Profit as she urged party supporters to transfer left.
Ms McDonald was in high spirits as she set off to try and win some last minute votes around Dublin where she pulled pints in Grogans pub and enjoyed a song by Mary Coughlan.
She finished out her campaign by calling the numbers in her local bingo hall where she is apparently a regular.
While out and about in Dublin, Simon Harris ran into some DCU students enjoying their Christmas Day celebrations.
The two young lads, dressed in the requisite Christmas jumpers, spotted Mr Harris and decided to say hello.
In a show of respect for the outgoing Taoiseach, one of the students told him:
A good plan in theory but if you are trying to hide something it's probably not the best idea to nod to where it is sitting in plain sight on the ground beside you.
The effort was appreciated though as Mr Harris laughed along and told them to enjoy their festivities.
As Richard Bruton bids farewell to Dáil life, Fine Gael needed to find someone to fill his shoes when it comes to shirtless election campaign videos.
Mr Bruton sent X into a tizzy on more than one occasion when he bared his abs in an effort to attract some votes and now it seems Cork candidate Mark Stanton has volunteered as tribute.
This afternoon, a video of Mr Stanton was posted on the party's X account showing Mr Stanton braving the chilly November waters as he stripped off and jumped into the Atlantic Ocean while explaining Fine Gael's plan for the climate and the environment.
Holding up cards and explaining the policy, he has a group of fellow sea swimmers cheering him on in the background.
Thankfully, Mr Stanton is wrapped up in a coat and scarf by the end of the video.