This day last year was count day in #GE20.

Bleary eyed, we sat in the RDS inputting numbers & refreshing screens. I remember eating next to nothing with nerves, and drinking anything sugary to stay awake.

Against all the odds, we had helped elect 6 @socdems TDs.

Not a single expert predicted us to get more than 3; indeed, many said we were finished.

We overcame those odds through the Dáil work and leadership of @RoisinShortall and @CathMurphyTD, the hard work of all 20 candidates and their teams, and an effective national campaign.

As a small party there wasn’t much of a media focus on our campaign either during it or after it. I was interviewed for one of the few pieces - https://www.thejournal.ie/social-democrats-election-result-cork-holly-leader-5006160-Feb2020/

I read an odd tweet yesterday from someone in the party saying the SocDems shouldn’t be running candidates for the sake of it. We didn’t. All 20 people who ran for us did themselves proud. We had very limited resources to support them, not to mention a skeleton staff.

The Soc Dems are indebted to those 20 candidates, to the hundreds of people who campaigned for them, and to the volunteers who organise the party and the campaign. It’s v difficult for those outside to realise just how hard it is to even be able to contest at a decent level.

The past year hasn’t been easy in terms of scaling up the party; there are always political and organisational challenges. But the success of #GE20 gives us the platform to build. There’s a lot to do politically and internally but at least we have the chance to do it now.

For myself, there was no chance to celebrate - straight into school the morning after the RDS, then to Wicklow to see @WhitmoreJen elected, and some mop up work as the week went on. And soon after the coronavirus ended any chance of having a pint or even a coffee.

The kids in school welcomed me back after two weeks off with this card but I kept thinking they had names like Aontú and Cork North West.

Perhaps my strongest memory of the day was at its end - about 3am, refreshing the Cork South West results constantly, to see @HollyCairnsTD do it - again, a result we hoped for but no one gave us a chance with.

There might be more to celebrate next time.

Meanwhile, some pics.