With the by-elections today a thread on previous ones...
In 2009 as the crash took hold Fine Gael recruited then RTE Economics correspondent George Lee to run in the Dublin South by-election.
He topped the poll with over 53% of the vote.

In 2014 Paul Murphy caused a bit of a shock by winning the Dublin South West by-election.

In 1973 and 1974 The Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist) stood in Monaghan and Cork North East By-Elections. The message to the voters of Monaghan is great and a candidate hitch hiking around North East Cork with leaflets and a megaphone is unusual.

The 1996 Dublin West By-election , a 36 year old Brian Lenihan Junior winning the seat (by-election was caused by the death of his father) polling 6,995 votes and topping the poll. He held the seat until his passing on the 10th of June 2011

The 1973 message to the electors of Monaghan from David Vipond of The Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist Leninist)

Independent Jim Tallon stood in nine different by-elections over the years, polling from 12 to 80 votes.

A 1982 Dublin West By-Election leaflet from Liam Skelly of FG. Skelly surprisingly won.
After the Feb 1982 General Election, Charles Haughey was Taoiseach. It was a minority government and so as to get an extra FF seat, He appointied FG TD Dick Burke to the European Commission.

From the 1983 Dublin Central By-Election a leaflet from Tony Ryan of the Green Alliance. He polled 458 votes.
It was the first by-election contested by the Green Alliance (Green Party)

In 1979 Myra Barry was elected in the Cork North East by-election.
She then joined her father Dick in the Dail, making them the only Father and Daughter to sit together in the Dail.

The 2013 Meath East by-election signaled that Labour were in trouble as they finished behind Ben Gilroy of the DDI

The 2010 Donegal South West By-Election was the first (and only) by-election win by Sinn Féin in the Republic to date.

Enda Kenny was first elected to the Dail in the 1975 Mayo West By-Election, caused by the death of his father Henry Kenny . He was elected on the first count. Other former Taoiseach first elected in by-elections include Sean Lemass and Brian Cowen.

In 1995 Mildred Fox became the first female Independent TD elected to the Dail when she won a by-election in Wicklow.

In the 2005 Kildare North By-Election Catherne Murphy became the second ever female Independent candidate elected at a by-election.

The 1998 Dublin North By-Election saw Irish Unionist candidate John McDonald run. He polled 107 votes

The 1994 Dublin South Central by-election was won by Eric Byrne of Democratic Left (Their first by-election win). The by-election results during that Dail led to the numbers allowing the formation of the Rainbow Coalition after Labour left coalition with Fianna Fáil