A FORMER high profile Belfast councillor topped the Dublin Mid-West constituency poll to be elected to the Dáil.
Eoin Ó Broin, who stood unsuccessfully in Dáil elections in 2007 and 2011, served on Belfast City Council between 2001-2004.
Among the other newcomers to the Dáil is the feminist who proposed to her wife live on air as Ireland voted for same-sex marriage.
New Dublin South West TD Katherine Zappone popped the question to partner Ann Louise Gilligan on RTÉ last year as the senator was discussing the historic Yes vote.
The human rights campaigner has joined a swathe of new independent voices outside the major parties in the Dáil.
The Green Party's deputy leader Catherine Martin became the first representative elected in Dublin Rathdown since the grouping's Dáil wipe-out in 2011 after sharing power with Fianna Fail and supporting the bank bailout. She was a teacher and strong advocate of education.
Gino Kenny was returned for the Anti Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit in Dublin Mid-West. The community carer has campaigned against water charges for decades and described himself as a "revolutionary socialist".
Independent Sean Canney from Galway told the Galway East electorate "your issues are my policies" in what critics would describe as a parish pump refrain common to many independents. He topped the poll. The former mayor of Co Galway has signed up to the Independent Alliance's Charter for Change aimed at rooting out political cronyism.
Denis Naughten left Fine Gael in 2011 in opposition to a government decision to downgrade services at Roscommon Hospital. He was elected as an independent in Roscommon-Galway.
Fellow health campaigner Dr Michael Harty is a long-serving general practitioner based in Kilmihil near Ennis in Co Clare. He contested this election as part of the No Doctor, No Village campaign, which sought to restore rural GPs' income to pre-austerity levels. He described the 80 per cent turnout in his home village as humbling.
Independent county councillor Michael Collins was returned in Cork South West. The supporter of community voluntary services pledged to keep jobs in West Cork.
