One major talking point overshadowed everything else: the defeat of Tánaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Michael McDowell. The Minister for Justice was always in difficulty after polling 4,450 first-preference votes, 235 fewer than long-time constituency rival John Gormley of the Green Party, who eventually took the final seat.
McDowell conceded defeat before the fifth count result was announced in a dramatic speech at the doors of the RDS count centre, in which he also announced that he was retiring from politics.
He said it had not been a good day for the Progressive Democrats who had been squeezed by the move to the larger parties.
The increased support for the two main parties was evident as Chris Andrews of Fianna Fáil topped the poll with 6,600 first-preference votes and was elected on the third count.
He was closely followed by Lucinda Creighton of Fine Gael, who received 6,311 first preferences and comfortably won back the seat the party had lost in the constituency in 2002. Creighton was elected on the fifth count as was the former Labour Party leader and minister for finance Ruairí Quinn.
There had been speculation during the campaign that Quinn's seat might in jeopardy, but a strong first-preference vote of 5,636 saw him re-elected with relative ease.
The fourth and final seat went to Mr Gormley on the fifth count without reaching the quota.
Following the elimination of Jim O'Callaghan of Fianna Fáil, Gormley was left just over 300 votes ahead of McDowell, the only remaining candidate in the field.
Overall change: PD loss, FG gain
Outgoing TDs
Eoin Ryan FF
Michael McDowell PD
Ruairí Quinn Lab
John Gormley GP
