How it started ...
Meath East elected three incumbent TDs and one new first-time Independent TD after two lengthy days of counting in Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA club.
On Saturday night, Fine Gael's deputy leader Helen McEntee topped the poll to take the first seat.
Counting was adjourned for the night and Sinn Féin's Darren O’Rourke was the second TD elected shortly after lunchtime on Sunday.
The count was expected to wrap up around teatime, but Aontú candidate Emer Tóibín called for a full recount after the twelfth count.
It was not granted. She was concerned that she was just 16 votes behind Fine Gael candidate Sharon Tolan.
Ms Tóibín was in sixth place and Ms Tolan was in fifth place at the time, with both candidates some considerable distance from the 9,997 vote quota.
After consultation between the Returning Officer Kevin Martin and the remaining candidates it was agreed to have a "limited recheck" of the votes of the two lowest placed candidates - Ms Tóibín and Ms Tolan.
After an hour and a half, the re-check of votes found there was no material change to the count, so it proceeded.
At 11.30pm and almost 24-hours after the election of Ms McEntee to the first seat, the two final seats were filled by Fianna Fáil’s Thomas Byrne and Independent Gillian Toole.
Mr Byrne got 10,525 votes to go above the quota on the back of 860 transfers following the exclusion of Ms Tóibín.
Ms Toole was elected on 8,953 votes without reaching the quota.
How it ended ...
