Taoiseach Enda Kenny took his longest tea break in months this morning after casting his vote just after 10am in his home town of Castlebar in Co Mayo.
Along with his wife, Fionnuala, he chatted with Mayo returning officer Fintan Murphy and others for up to half an hour in a private area at St Anthony’s National School on the outskirts of the town.
Earlier Fionnuala and then Mr Kenny voted with the Taoiseach patting the ballot box as afterwards, a habit of his on polling day.
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As he exited the voting area to a waiting group of photographers and reporters Mr Kenny was asked: “Job done?”
“Well”, Mr Kenny mused in reply, “two votes cast there. I just hope that everyone around the country accepts their responsibility and goes out to vote and do their constitutional duty.”
After voting Mr Kenny spoke briefly to Bridget McLoughlin an 88-year-old local woman. “Oh Jesus”, Ms McLoughlin said repeatedly as the media scrum tightened around her and Mr Kenny.
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