Jubilation was more than justified this evening has Sinn Féin took the lead with 20 candidates declared elected, compared to just one for the other main parties.

In Dublin Mid-West, a second count even brought a second seat for the party, with Mark Ward following Eoin O Broin to re-election.

Large surpluses were secured across Dublin and even in what were considered backwaters for the party around the country.

The results recalled the surge of support for republicanism last seen in 1918.

Despite the extraordinary developments, the outgoing Fine Gael Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted he will not be speaking to Sinn Féin with a view to forming a coalition after the election.

Asked if the result marked a revolution in Irish politics, radiant Sinn Féin president, Mary Lou McDonald said: "Yes, you could call it that for sure."

She said she had been in touch with the Greens, Social Democrats and People Before Profit to discuss the prospect of them joining her party in government.

"It’s been an election about change," she said.

McDonald added: "The extraordinary thing is that it seems that the political establishment – and by that I mean Fianna Fail and Fine Gael – are in a state of denial. They are still not listening to what the people have said."

Sinn Féin are expected to top the poll in 26 out of the 39 constituencies.

Counting is expected to last at least two days.