Well, the people have spoken, now the airwaves are full of puzzled politicans and pundits trying to decide what they said.

The outcome was a suprise, especially in Galway West (where I live), for which I'm annoyed; as I said before, a poll would have been useful. Niall O'Brolcháin, said in the last poll in March to be likely to take a seat, came fairly off the mark, unfortunately.

Quick summary: The Irish Parliament (the Dáil) has 166 seats, so the majority is 83 (I seat goes to the Chair or Ceann Comhairle). In recent years, majorities of one or two seats are normal, so we all wait for the final seats to be decided before really knowing the outcome: The Bookmakers paid out for Bertie Ahern being the next Taoiseach by 9.30 AM yesterday, though technically the numbers could still add up for the alternative, Enda Kenny. We might not know until next week.