By Cathy Grieve BBC News Online in Dublin

Ireland's general election campaign was dull, really dull. It had failed to catch the public's imagination and the highlight was a few custard pie throwers engaging with party leaders.

Everyone thought the results would be equally dull. But we all got that wrong.

The election results were the most exciting for an Irish general election in years, with the pain of rejection visible on the faces of many long-term career politicians.

The warnings for outgoing coalition partner Mary Harney and her Progressive Democrat (PD) colleagues had been ominous. Political commentators had predicted that party members would have great difficulty in holding on to their seats and that Mary Harney herself could have been in trouble.

The predictions proved completely unfounded. Her party had its best-ever showing, securing eight seats. The losers here were those who had predicted her downfall.

Bertie Ahern is a happy man too. Although he failed to secure an overall majority, the party secured an increase in vote across the country.

But his party was not without its high profile casualities.

Ministers out

Long-serving minister and deputy party leader Mary O'Rourke lost her seat to a fellow Fianna Fail candidate in her home constituency of Westmeath.

It was a surprise to many, and the high-profile minister will have to get used to life off the national political stage.

Mrs O'Rourke is a member of one of Ireland's famous political families, the Lenihans. Her two nephews were re-elected for Dublin constituencies so the family name lives on in the new parliament.

Dick Spring was the highest-profile casualty

Another famous face to be rejected by the electorate is Nora Owen, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael and one-time minister.

She described the loss of her seat as devastating. Ms Owen is a great-niece of one of Ireland's famous patriots, Michael Collins, and her two sisters have also previously served as politicians.

This would appear to be the end for this political dynasty in the national parliament.

Fine Gael suffered the most humiliating defeat of the election.

They lost former leader Alan Dukes, front bench spokesmen Alan Shatter and Jim Higgins, and deputy leader Jim Mitchell.

Labour had an average showing at the polls.

In Dublin West the previously defeated junior minister Joan Burton regained her seat. Party leader Ruairi Quinn had a worrying time during the count but managed to hold on to his seat.

The biggest name on Labour's losers' list was former party leader and former minister for foreign affairs Dick Spring. Mr Spring had played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace talks during his terms in office.

In a cruel twist, he lost out to Sinn Fein's former gunrunner Martin Ferris.

Search for leader

Fine Gael party leader Michael Noonan resigned following the poor vote for his party.

It was a short lived leadership for him. Although he held his seat he will be disappointed at having to relinquish a leadership role he challenged for only a few short months ago.

The leadership campaign is already under way, with contenders manoeuvring for pole position.

The likely candidates will be Enda Kenny, who challenged for the position last time round; Gay Mitchell, brother of former deputy Jim Mitchell; and Denis Naughten, one of the younger generation of deputies.

But having watched former leader John Bruton win his seat in Meath, I wouldn't be surprised if he threw his hat back into the leadership ring. Watch this space.