In one of the most dramatic moments in recent general election history, a sitting taoiseach today topped the poll in his constituency while his deputy, the Tánaiste and leader of the coalition party the Progressive Democrats, lost his seat and bowed out of public office.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern became the first TD elected in the RDS count centre shortly before 6.30pm when the returning officer announced the result of the first count in Dublin Central.
Mr Ahern polled 12,734 votes and was deemed elected with not far off twice the quota.
But Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell later conceded his seat to the Green Party's John Gormley, the man who eventually beat him in the 1997 general election after an exhausting week-long recount.
Mr McDowell was surrounded by a huge crush of photographers and reporters who almost struggled to stay on their feet in the push to get near him.
"First of all, I want to say that I've had information from the group of tally men and women who have been working here all day on my behalf and it's clear from the information they have given me that Dublin South East is going to be represented in the next Dáil by Chris Andrews, Lucinda Creighton, John Gormley and Ruairi Quinn and that I have lost my seat here in Dublin South East," he said.
Mr McDowell thanked the people of his constituency for giving him the "honour and privilege" of serving him. He said he respected, as a democrat, the choice of the electorate.
"I love my country, I am deeply ambitious for it. But at this point, I have to say that this outcome at this stage in my career makes it very very clear that as far as I am concerned, my period in public life as a public representative is over."
Mr McDowell said he believed a major resurgence of Fine Gael had left the PDs "stranded".
He was then heckled by a group of people in a situation that at one stage threatened to be nasty.
They, in turn were pushed away by other onlookers.
"Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio," they sang as he left the RDS.
The Minister's car was surrounded by photographers and his driver was forced to push through to get in and drive away.
The RDS count centre was designated to return TDs for Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central and Dublin South East.
By late evening, results began to trickle in, and the excitement of the big election count was evident.
Before Mr McDowell arrived, it had appeared there would be a rematch of the great 1997 battle between himself and John Gormley for the last seat.
One young woman, Nóra Ní Loinsigh, embraced two other women as Mr Gormley arrived at the centre. They said they were glad a candidate of the left had taken the seat.
Ms Ní Loinsigh said she had come home to Dublin from college at the University of Exeter especially to vote against Mr McDowell.
Earlier, party workers and supporters wearing McDowell stickers leaned over barriers around the wooden tables where local authority workers thumbed through ballot papers throughout the afternoon. The mood had become increasingly glum as it became clear the PD leader would not be elected and that Ruairi Quinn of the Labour Party, earlier believed to be in danger, was home.
Noel Ahern speaking to reporters in the RDS today. Photograph: Piaras Murphy Among the TDs present in the count centre this afternoon were Aongus O Snodaigh of Sinn Féin, independentTD Finian McGrath, and Seán Haughey of Fianna Fáil.
Mr McGrath will do battle for the final seat of three in a reduced Dublin North Central constituency. Preparing for a television interview, he gave a combination of thumbs-up and crossed-finger signals to a supporter below the podium.
Fianna Fáil TD Noel Ahern of Dublin North West arrived inside the main door of the massive hall at 3.45pm to cheers and a crush of reporters and photographers.
Chris Andrews of Fianna Fáil, elected in DublinSouth East on the third count, earlier posed for photographs with his family before his expected victory in the seat formerly held by MEP Eoin Ryan.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams also arrived at the count centre shortly after 5.30pm and admitted his party had been "squeezed" in the battle between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Every flurry of activity sent reporters bearing notebooks or microphones scurrying down stairs or dashing across the hall - only to find nothing much happening. But by late evening as a number of seats were declared, candidates were cheered and carried shoulder high, as is the count centre tradition. Among them was Richard Bruton of Fine Gael, who held his seat in the Dublin North Central constituency, which had been reduced to a three seater.
A woman bearing a "congratulations" balloon and flowers walks through - a pre-emptive gift for an as-yet unelected TD. Another young woman carries a rolled-up tricolour, ready to be unfurled victoriously later.