Garda officer, Ronan Steede (R) and Presiding officer, Caroline Sharkey (L) escort the ballot box on the ferry from the mainland to Gola Island where there are 31 registered voters, off the Donegal coast of western Ireland, as voting in the Irish general election takes place on November 29, 2024. Ireland began voting Friday in a closely-fought general election with the incumbent coalition neck-and-neck with opposition party Sinn Fein after a campaign marked by rancour over housing and cost-of-living crises. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)