A notorious gangland figure caused pandemonium when he appeared at the Dublin count centre at the end of his unsuccessful bid to be elected to the Dail. Gerry Hutch is believed by police and Ireland’s Special Criminal Court to lead an international crime organisation, which is embroiled in a feud with the Kinahan gang that’s cost 18 lives so far.

The protracted process of sorting and counting votes in the general election has begun, with 174 TDs set to be elected across 43 constituencies over the coming days. We will have updates across the weekend as they happen.

The veteran criminal had opened up a seemingly unassailable lead over rival Marie Sherlock in Dublin Central by Sunday afternoon but there was to be a final twist in one of the stories of the general