THE EXIT POLL indicated we’d be talking about Sinn Féin throughout count day but it didn’t point to the absolutely huge first preference votes its candidates would get across the country. 

The party has topped polls in multiple constituencies, with popular sitting TDs, deputies who had feared for their seats and unknown names who came from seemingly nowhere. 

Storm Ciara brought turbulence in more ways than one. We know a number of ministers will lose their seats, with Shane Ross the first formally eliminated in the fifth count in Dublin Rathdown. 

What else has been happening and what should we expect today?

TheJournal.ie‘s reporters across count centres and in the newsroom spoke with The Explainer podcast throughout the night to bring you up to speed. 

 
https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/whats-happened-so-far-in-the-general-election-count

This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, producer Aoife Barry, assistant producer and technical operator Nicky Ryan, and executive producer Christine Bohan. Guests were Christine Bohan, Gráinne Ní Aodh, Christina Finn, Seán Murray, Stephen McDermott, Rónán Duffy and Dominic McGrath. Design by Palash Somani.