Voters in Ireland were more than usually busy in 2024, casting their ballot in five different polls – for two referenda in March, local and European ballots in June and a general election in November.
The country’s political comings and goings were further punctuated by an emotional announcement in March from former premier Leo Varadkar that he was resigning as taoiseach and Fine Gael leader. He was succeeded the following month in both roles by Simon Harris.
But the year had so much more to offer than just politics, and PA news agency photographers were on hand to capture some of the highlights.
Hundreds of people took part in the annual New Year’s Day charity swim on Bray seafront in Co Wicklow (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire
A dog called Buster joined protesters from the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign on a march in O’Connell Street, Dublin, in January (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire
Former taoiseach John Bruton died aged 76 following a long illness in February (Damien Storan/PA)PA Wire
Sleet and snow led to travel disruption in parts of Ireland in early March (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire
Leo Varadkar made a visit to the US for St Patrick’s Day in the same month he announced he was stepping down as taoiseach and resigning as leader of Fine Gael (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
Simon Harris left the Dail after a vote by Irish parliamentarians electing him as the youngest taoiseach in the country’s history in April (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
Thousands of people gathered for the Bealtaine Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath in May (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
Count staff sorted ballots at Nemo Rangers GAA club in Cork during the European elections in June (Jonathan Brady/PA)PA Wire
Natasha O’Brien, who was assaulted by a serving Irish soldier, told a rally in Dublin in June that she would keep up pressure on politicians to tackle violence against women (Gareth Chaney/PA)PA Wire
Football fans gathered outside Croke Park in July before the All-Ireland Football final between Armagh and Galway (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire
A mural of athlete Rhasidat Adeleke was created in Waterford after she made history becoming the first Irish woman to run in an Olympic sprint final during the Paris Olympics (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire
The Ploughing Championships in Co Laois in September saw visitors and competitors basking in temperatures above 20C (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
Actor Colin Farrell ran the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in October to raise money for people living with Epidermolysis Bullosa, a rare genetic skin condition (Damien Storan/PA)PA Wire
Politicians Micheal Martin, left to right, Mary Lou McDonald and Simon Harris took part in a final TV leaders’ debate on November 26, days before the General Election (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
A woman cast her vote at Deaf Village Ireland in Dublin as voters went to the polls in the General Election on November 29 (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire
Garda graduates celebrate at the Garda College graduation ceremony at McCan Barracks in Templemore, Co Tipperary, on December 12 (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire