By all accounts it was a low-key local government election campaign - but the results were far from dull.
And no doubt the seat tallies, percentage shares and vote transfers will be painstakingly dissected by parties for weeks to come as they decide their next moves.
Sinn Féin was the runaway winner. It became the largest party at council level for the first time as predicted, but 144 seats and almost 31% of first-preference votes surpassed all expectations.
