Votes don’t travel from Kilkenny up to Carlow in large numbers. The only current Carlow TD, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, forms an extremely strong Fianna Fáil ticket with John McGuinness and former Kilkenny hurler Peter Cleere. Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion, a TD since 2016, was elected to the European Parliament in June.

Natasha Newsome Drennan, who lives on a suckler farm, and Áine Gladney Knox, have a battle on their hands to hold a seat.

Fine Gael, shorn of John Paul Phelan, runs David Fitzgerald, Michael Doyle and Carlow farmer Catherine Callaghan.

Green Party Minister of State Malcolm Noonan looks in decent shape to hold his seat.

The addition of an extra seat means opportunity knocks for almost all 20 candidates.

Fianna Fáil has an opportunity to consolidate its two seats, with outgoing TDs Robert Troy and Joe Flaherty standing alongside Dympna Cunniffe. Fine Gael also fields three, led by Minister of State Peter Burke.

Sinn Féin augments sitting TD Sorca Clarke with Barry Campion. Richard “Boxer” Moran, a little unlucky to lose out in 2020, will be in the final shake-up. He’s Athlone-based, whereas three of the four outgoing TDs (Troy, Burke and Clarke) are Mullingar-based. Joe Flaherty is Longford’s sole TD.

Former Sinn Féin candidate Paul Hogan stands for Independent Ireland this time.

This was the only constituency in the country to elect no-one from Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael in 2020. Denis Naughten is stepping down after 27 years as a TD.

The election is tinged with sadness, following the sad loss of Denis’s brother John, who had been selected to stand for Fine Gael. Senator Aisling Dolan is instead running alongside Dympna Daly-Quinn. Michael Fitzmaurice will be concerned at the loss of thousands of votes to Galway east, and the fact that Fianna Fail is standing Martin Daly from Ballygar.

Fianna Fáil senator Eugene Murphy is running as an independent. Claire Kerrane, Sinn Féin’s recent agriculture spokesperson Frenchpark base assists her chances to retain her seat. An absolute dogfight.

Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Kenny topped the poll here last time. Recent MEP Chris McManus is running alongside him, but two from four will be a challenge for any party. Independent Sligo-based Marian Harkin has been a proven vote-getter in Dáil and European elections.

Fianna Fáil has selected three candidates as it strives to retain the seat Marc MacSharry has vacated, including his cousin Edel, former TD Eamon Scanlon (both Sligo) and Carrigallen farmer Paddy O’Rourke. Fine Gael, in contrast, run just one candidate, sitting TD Frank Feighan.

Independent Ireland stands farmer, publican and councillor Michael Clarke in Sligo, a strong contender, alongside Caroline Corcoran.