There were growing indications of a historic low turnout in the presidential election.
The final voter turnout for polling stations across the country was below 40 per cent in many areas but an official figure will not be known until Saturday.
By teatime, some centres were reporting fewer people had voted at that stage than had done in the last presidential election in 2018.
There was no marked surge in the late evening before stations closed at 10pm, so it looks likely that the national turnout will be a historic low for such an election, below the 43.9 per cent recorded for the 2018 election, seven years ago.
RM Block
In the home counties of the two presidential candidates of Galway and Monaghan, turnout was reportedly much higher than other parts of the country.
In the Roscommon-Galway constituency, the turnout ranged from 30.8 per cent in Ballaghaderreen to 55.36 per cent in South Roscommon.
Dublin City’s turnout of the electorate was as low as 38.12 per cent.
Kerry’s final voter turnout ranged from 33 per cent in Listowel to 48 per cent in Killarney
In rural areas such as Birr in the Offaly constituency, the voter turnout was as low as 26 per cent. Similarly at Drumgallagh National School in Co Mayo, where only 16 per cent of the electorate voted.
Meanwhile, Darver in Co Louth had one of the highest turnouts across the country with 73 per cent of the electorate voting in the presidential election.
By 6pm polling stations in many counties had recorded turnout in the low to mid-20s, with Kildare North one of the few constituencies reporting a turnout of close to 30 per cent.
[ Two women allegedly assaulted on Catherine Connolly canvass in DublinOpens in new window ]
Turnout in Mayo and Donegal was struggling to break 20 per cent in some rural areas. In contrast, boxes in Galway City and Co Monaghan, the bases of the two candidates, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, showed strong voting patterns.
Ms Connolly cast her vote in Claddagh National School in Galway city on Friday morning, alongside her son Stephen.
In a message posted on social media, she said every vote carried the same weight.
“The choice is now in your hands. Use that power. Don’t leave it to others to decide the kind of Ireland we will be,” she said.
Ms Humphreys voted, along with her granddaughter Charlotte, at Killeevan National School in Co Monaghan.
In a post on X she said: “Job done. Thank you to my little granddaughter Charlotte for the help and thank you to all working so hard today in polling stations across the country.”
President Michael D Higgins cast his vote alongside his wife Sabina Higgins, at St Mary’s Hospital in Dublin.
The chief executive of An Coimisiún Toghcháin said he hoped turnout would match the 43.9 per cent of 2019.
Art O’Leary said he hoped it would be “no less than the presidential election turnout the last time”. He appealed to voters to exercise their franchise.
Separately, gardaí were called after Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and a team of canvassers were verbally abused and harassed by a man who repeatedly threatened to hit the canvassers including Ms McDonald.
A video of the incident was posted on social media by the man who shouted abusive language and threats at the group, which included at least one child. It occurred at the North Strand Road in Dublin 1.
Gardaí were called to the incident, and to a report of assaults on at least one woman, at about 4pm.
