This is an election Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will wish to forget, and one a united left is already preparing to build on.

Jim Gavin and Heather Humphreys were poor candidates and failed to ignite voters. But the real issue was that these two big parties campaigned as though it was 2011.

They were unable to break out of traditional media set pieces, built around candidates who seemed as though they belonged to another era. Both parties will have to seriously reflect on the events of the past few weeks, and the bind they created for themselves.

At the outset of Catherine Connolly’s campaign, she spoke about a movement – if this idea initially felt hypothetical, it became real. The movement was authentic and organic. Connolly’s calmness and depth appealed to voters far beyond those very invested in the campaign.

While some commentators insisted it was an uninspiring campaign, many people – especially younger people – were clearly inspired and motivated by Connolly’s candidacy and approach. The energy they brought gave........

© The Irish Times