There was anticipation and nerves as the 34th Dáil held its first sitting. After a tough election year, many new TDs brought their families along to savour the moment.
Last month's election resulted in the biggest ever churn with 64 TDs being elected for the first time, meaning newbies make up more than a third of the House.
Here are some of the names you will be hearing a lot more of as the members settle into their Dáil seats.
The Baby of the House
Just five years ago, he was in secondary school and leading the charge of 500 pupils asking the government to rebuild a fire the fire-damaged Patrician Academy School Building in Mallow.
Now, at 24, Eoghan Kenny has become the youngest TD in the Dáil, in turn becoming 'The Baby of the House'. He also holds the honour of being the first TD born in the 21st century.
The Labour TD is a business and religion teacher and a keen sportsman who lives with his grandmother. He said "there’s a real need for a new generation of politicians in Leinster House" to drive issues such as housing.
In the run up to the election he posted on social media about suffering an epileptic seizure as he was about to go on air for a radio interview.
"It proves the point that people with medical conditions can go into the public eye and represent people," he said. "It’s a condition that I live with and a condition I am proud to live with."
In total there are 15 TDs in the new Dáil under the age of 35.
The Father of the House
The oldest TD in this Dáil is also one of its greatest comeback kids. Pat 'the Cope’ Gallagher who lost his seat in Donegal in the 2020 election is now back and, at 76, is the Father of the House.
The Fianna Fáil deputy first stepped foot inside the Dáil chamber in 1981. He recently describes himself as a "workaholic" who is always available to people.
"If they ring you on Christmas Day you have to be available to them," he said, which might be worrying news for the new group of Gen Z TDs.
Mr Gallagher is one of seven TDs in their seventies.
They include Mr Gallagher’s party colleague Willie O’Dea (72) from Limerick City, Sinn Féin’s Dessie Ellis (71) from Dublin North-West, Independents Marian Harkin (71) from Sligo-Leitrim and Danny Healy-Rae (70) from Kerry.
There are two other TDs in their 70s who also won back seats previously lost - Independent Seamus Healy (74) from Tipperary North and Fianna Fáil’s Eamon Scanlon (70) from Sligo-Leitrim.
The hattrick scorer
Joanna Byrne became the only female chairperson across all 20 League of Ireland clubs when she was appointed chairperson of Drogheda United in 2022 - a position held by her grandfather Mick in the 1980s.
Success on the football pitch was repeated on the political playing field when Ms Byrne ensured Sinn Féin held two seats in Louth and became one of a younger generation of TDs for the party.
"We had the FAI Cup win and took the silverware home for Drogheda United. We had the relegation battle the following week in Tallaght Stadium against Bray, which we won as well, and then the General Election so it was a nice hattrick for me personally," she told RTÉ News on the plinth.
Inside she made her maiden speech on the first sitting day, nominating Mary Lou McDonald as taoiseach, describing herself as "a young woman who prides herself on breaking down barriers for women in worlds traditionally dominated by men".
The Trailblazer
Speaking of breaking down barriers, Verona Murphy has become the first woman to take on the role of Ceann Comhairle, and if her opening day was anything to go by, she is determined to make her mark.
No one in Leinster House would doubt the ability of Ms Murphy.
One of 11 children, she left school at 15 and moved to England where she worked in a motor factory by day and McDonald’s by night.
She got her Leaving Cert in her 30s and went on to secure a BA in Law.
Meanwhile, she had bought her first refrigerated truck at 21 and ran a successful haulage company
She was elected president of the Irish Road Haulage Association which led her into politics, and despite being "cancelled" - as she put it - over comments about migrants and Islamic State, she went on to be elected as an Independent in 2020.
Taking the chair, she promised to be "fair and impartial, even handed and even tempered" and to brush up on her Gaeilge.
The Blast from the Past
The new Ceann Comhairle will have to have her wits about her with the man best known for his expletive-laden Dáil outburst back in the House. The former Green Party TD, Paul Gogarty, was elected in Dublin Mid-West and is back after 13 years - this time as an Independent.
Mr Gogarty was defending education cuts during the financial crash when he was heckled by a Labour TD, Emmet Stagg.
In what became one of the first viral internet moments in Irish politics, he replied: "With all due respect, in the most unparliamentary language, f*** you Deputy Stagg. F*** you!"
He has been working as a councillor since 2014 and has had a musical career under the stage name 'His Sweet Surprise'.
However now he is a TD in a technical group with the Healy Raes and Independent Ireland and, no doubt, will be watching his parliamentary language.
The dynasties
Another name familiar with that time is Noel Dempsey; a Fianna Fáil minister in the Brian Cowen government who infamously denied Ireland was getting a bailout when the troika had already pulled up at the Merrion Hotel.
Mr Dempsey was in the Dáil to accompany his daughter, Aisling Dempsey, as she signed the Register of Members - something the new Meath West TD described as a "full circle" moment.
"We got to see his name on the 25th roll from his first Dáil in 1987, they took it out for him to look at and that was really emotional," said said.
Don't call them 'nepo babies'. But there are a number of first time TDs whose parents or relatives held seats before them.
Among them, Ken O’Flynn of Independent Ireland who is the son of former Fianna Fáil TD, Noel O’Flynn.
However, he said regardless of people's family links to politics, they have to earn their way to the Dáil.
"I got involved in politics for one simple reasons: to change lives for the better."
He added: "Whether my father did it before me or not is entirely irrelevant I believe. So political dynasties? I won’t be resting on my name, I’ll be resting on my reputation and my hard work."
Fianna Fáil’s Catherine Ardagh took a seat in Dublin South-Central once held by her late father, Sean Ardagh.
Meanwhile, Grace Boland took a seat for Fine Gael in Dublin Fingal West. Her father, John Boland, served as a minister under Garret FitzGerald.
