ELECTION POSTERS ARE an unmissable part of the Irish political landscape. And for that reason, our politicians have become masters of the art of election literature. Here we present the greatest moments in the history of Irish election posters (and leaflets, and maildrops, and publicity handouts…)

1. This undefeatable election slogan

Twitter Twitter

2. This homage to the X Factor

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

3. This future minister recalling her favourite chat-up line and calling Brian Cowen a sexy beast

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

4. Kenny (now Kenneth) Egan pledging to keep it real

TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

5. Eamon Gilmore, shortly after flunking his role as Michael Douglas’s co-star in Wall Street

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

6. Ming Flanagan firing up an enormous bifta 

@cawley_m @cawley_m

(It’s actually a cable tie.)

7. The Progressive Democrats

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

8. Ming taking personal command of Roscommon’s entire EU lapel quota

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

9. Dan McCarthy’s dogs being totally unimpressed

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

10. This

Facebook Facebook

11. Jackie Healy-Rae setting up his Bebo (probably)

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

BRB, on the super info highway.

12. Sean Clerkin outlining the two options for youth

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

13. This man’s invincible moustache

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

14. Alan Shatter’s record

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

15. Alan Shatter’s balls

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

16. Alan Shatter’s Star Trek rig-out

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

17. Mrs Sweeney inviting everyone for tea in Donegal

Irish Election Literature Irish Election Literature

18. This man

Imgur Imgur

19. This inexplicable abomination

The Edition The Edition

And the greatest Irish election poster of all time.

TinyPic TinyPic

Thanks to Irish Election Literature for their help compiling this article. You can see many of the leaflets from this post, and many more, in the current exhibition What You Maybe Meant To Keep at the National Print Museum in Dublin. The exhibition runs until May 27 and is co-curated by Alan Kinsella of Irish Election Literature and Dr Ciarán Swan of The Irish Left Archive.

On The Trail: 7 odd, weird and wonderful things from Election 2014>