Some of the stand-out moments during the campaign to elect the State's ninth president
2010
October 28th: Michael D Higgins announces that he wants the Labour Party nomination for the presidency.
2011
April 2nd: Pat Cox, Progressive Democrat founder and former president of the European Parliament, considers running. Ten weeks later, he says he is seeking the Fine Gael nomination.
August 2nd: Senator David Norris drops ambitions to become Ireland's first openly gay head of state after admitting he wrote clemency letters to Israeli authorities on behalf of a former lover convicted of statutory rape.
September 7th: Gay Mitchell gets the Fine Gael nomination amid doubts he has the full support of the party.
September 12th: Sean Gallagher and Special Olympics boss Mary Davis are officially candidates with the support of four councils.
September 16th: After days of rumour, Sinn Féin endorses Martin McGuinness as their man for the Aras. Later that night Mr Norris tells the Late, Late Show he wants to re-enter the race.
September 19th: Dana Rosemary Scallon pleads for TDs and Senators to be given a free vote on nominations as she enters the race.
September 22nd: Tough questioning of Mr McGuinness begins and the former IRA commander denies ever killing anyone.
September 27th: Dana easily secures a nomination for the presidency from four county councils while Senator Norris's hopes are saved by an 11th hour vote in Dublin City.
September 28th: The record seven candidates are officially confirmed. On the same day, Senator Norris claims legal advice prevents him publishing the clemency letters in full.
October 3rd: Ms Davis admits earning €390,632 serving on six state and commercial boards since 2000, while rival Mr Gallagher has earned €41,550 since 2008.
October 5th: Mr Norris defends receiving tens of thousands of euro in disability allowance from Trinity College after stepping down as a lecturer but continuing work as a senator after contracting hepatitis from drinking water in central Europe in 1994.
October 7th: Irish-American Dana denies covering up her dual nationality, insisting it will be an advantage to the country if elected.
October 8th: Mr Gallagher reveals that he was involved with Fianna Fáil up to nine months ago and only officially resigned from the party's National Executive last January.
October 10th: The son of an Irish solider killed during an IRA shoot-out confronts Mr McGuinness while canvassing in Athlone, Co Westmeath. David Kelly accuses him of being on the IRA army council and of being a liar.
October 12th: Dana drops a bombshell at the end of a Prime Time debate, claiming "false and malicious allegations" are being made about her family but refusing to divulge them.
October 13th: Mr Gallagher distances himself from Fianna Fáil less than 24 hours after refusing to blame the party for mishandling the economy.
October 14th: Dana appears on TV3 for a dramatic interview and confirms she will stay in the race for the Áras amid massive controversy linked to a bitter family row over copyright ownership.
October 16th: Opinion polls reveal a huge surge in support for Mr Gallagher, up 18 to 39 per cent, with Mr Higgins sliding to second place.
October 19th: Dana claims she is lucky to be alive while campaign team members allege that someone tried to kill her after the car they were in suffers a motorway blow-out.
October 20th: The widow of Det Gda Jerry McCabe, shot dead by the IRA, maintains that Mr McGuinness is not a suitable candidate, while Mr Higgins describes the model represented by independent candidate Mr Gallagher as "ethically vacuous".
October 20th: Controversy surrounds an €82,829 director's loan to Mr Gallagher, which he claims was an accounting error.
October 23rd: With polling five days away, Mr Gallagher has what appears to be an unassailable lead with opinion polls showing him 15 per cent ahead of Mr Higgins.
October 24th: The presidential front-runner is forced to come clean on his fundraising for Fianna Fáil. He admits asking convicted fuel smuggler Hugh Morgan for €5,000 after being hit by an onslaught on TV by Mr McGuinness.
October 25th: Mr Gallagher maintains he was ambushed live on air after calling for anyone with information on the IRA killing of Det Gda McCabe to come forward.
October 27th: About 1.5 million voters go to the polls to elect Ireland's ninth president.
October 28th: Within an hour of ballot boxes being opened opinion polls have been turned on their head, with Mr Higgins taking a commanding lead. By lunchtime he is all but formally declared Ireland's president-elect.