How it started ...
There were 15 candidates under starter orders at Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell, but Limerick County was always going to be a three-horse race.
The three sitting TDs were expected to be re-elected.
From the first tally, it appeared a foregone conclusion.
The question was, who would be first past the post?
Fine Gael candidate and outgoing Minister for Higher Education Patrick O'Donovan topped the poll and was elected after the first count.
He was the second candidate to be elected in the whole country after his party colleague Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in Dún Laoghaire.
Mr O'Donovan thanked those who voted for him, saying "From the Shannon Estuary to the Galtee Mountains" his vote had gone up considerably.
The county saw a 59% turnout, but this was just over 5% less than in the last general election in 2020.
The Patrickswell venue has played host to many a race, but instead of a Royal Ascot sprint, it was more comparable to the Gold Cup at Cheltenham as vote counting continued.
It was not until the tenth count that Independent Ireland candidate Richard O'Donoghue was elected, retaining his seat after securing 11,468 votes.
Mr O'Donoghue left a wedding to attend the count centre and left the count centre to rejoin the wedding reception in a celebratory mood.
The remaining seat was filled by Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins when he reached the quota after the thirteenth and final count at 2am on Sunday.
The three outgoing TDs passed the post at Limerick Racecourse and will return to Dáil Éireann to represent the constituency of Limerick County.
How it ended ...
