Braying Blueshirt barristers, taciturn Fianna Fáil farmers, Shinners with secret histories known only to God, leftie teachers, West Brits, centrist dads, pious pro-lifers, trans activists, eco-headbangers, immigrants, emigrants, socialists, nationalists, landlords and tenants, cops and robbers – whoever wins the election when the votes are counted today will have to be a president for all of them, and all of us.

This is the transition that must take place over the next three weeks before the presidential inauguration on November 11th – from the candidate of one faction to president of all.

Not an easy shift in mindset. The campaign has been bruising and divisive, as all campaigns are.

Jim Gavin, a widely respected figure with great achievements to his name, crumbled under the weight of the demands of political campaigning and one past mistake.

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