Michael D Higgins has been re-elected as Irish president after receiving 56% of the country's election vote.
Businessman Peter Casey came second with 23.1%, while none of the other four candidates polled more than 10%.
Earlier on Saturday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was "disappointed" the party's candidate had not polled better.
Voters also supported the proposal to remove blasphemy as an offence from the Constitution, with 64.85% voting yes.
Michael D Higgins is re-elected as Irish president for a second term
BBC News
28 October 2018
Michael D Higgins has been re-elected as Irish president after receiving 56% of the country's election vote.
Businessman Peter Casey came second with 23.1%, while none of the other four candidates polled more than 10%.
Earlier on Saturday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was "disappointed" the party's candidate had not polled better.
Voters also supported the proposal to remove blasphemy as an offence from the Constitution, with 64.85% voting yes.
Mr Higgins, the first incumbent in 50 years to face a challenge in his bid for a second term, won with 822,566 votes.
Londonderry businessman Peter Casey took significantly more votes than the final opinion polls of the campaign had predicted. His final tally was 342,727.
Ms Ní Riada got 93,987 votes - 6.4% of the total votes polled.
Michael D Higgins received more than half the votes cast in the election
The result was confirmed at a declaration at Dublin Castle on Saturday evening.
Speaking after his win Mr Higgins said he accepted his mandate with "humility, determination and excitement".
"People are interested in ideas that are sincere and constructive," he said.
"For words matter, words can hurt, words can heal, words can empower, words can divide.
"And the words and ideas I have used in this campaign reflect a vision for Ireland based on four strands.
"Equal and together, strong sustainable communities, sharing history - shaping the future and Ireland's voice matters."
Peter Casey is a former Dragons' Den investor
Low turnout
Taking to the podium after Mr Higgins, second placed Mr Casey said the last time he had stood in an election to the Irish Senate he got just 14 votes.
"Somebody worked it out there - it's about 23,000 per cent improvement," he joked.
Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ni Riada said she hoped it was the last Irish presidential election in which people in Northern Ireland could not vote.
Turnout was reported to be low in many areas of the country.
More than 3.2 million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the election and referendum.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar congratulated Mr Higgins on his predicted win on Saturday morning.
Leo Varadkar ✔
@campaignforleo
Congratulations @MichaelDHiggins. Really happy that you will continue to be our President for the next 7 years
10:17 AM - Oct 27, 2018
3,990 Likes 490 people are talking about this
Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada applauds Michael D Higgins on his win
Voters received two ballot papers at polling stations.
They were given a white ballot paper for the presidential election and a green ballot paper for the referendum on blasphemy.
Many were unaware there was such an offence until a member of the public referred controversial remarks made by the actor and writer Stephen Fry on an RTÉ programme to An Garda Siochana (Irish police).
Mr Fry spoke about what he regarded as God's cruelty during the programme.
But the matter was dropped when gardai (police officers) could find no-one who was offended.
The last person to be prosecuted for blasphemy was in 1855 when the British ruled Ireland.
The Irish Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, welcomed the result of the referendum.
Minister Flanagan said: "It has always been my view that there is no room for a provision such as this in our constitution. Ireland is rightly proud of our reputation as a modern, liberal society."
In addition to the removal of the word "blasphemous" from Article 40.6.1 of the constitution, the minister will now also move to repeal sections 36 and 37 of the Defamation Act 2009.
Blasphemy was defined as publishing or uttering something "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion".
The president is Ireland's "first citizen", but has limited power - the role is mainly symbolic and he or she cannot get involved in daily politics.
Irish Presidential Election result
Valid votes cast: 1,473,900
Michael D Higgins 822,566
Peter Casey 342,727
Seán Gallagher 94,514
Liadh Ní Riada 93,987
Joan Freeman 87,908
Gavin Duffy 32,198
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45999270
Businessman Peter Casey came second with 23.1%, while none of the other four candidates polled more than 10%.
Earlier on Saturday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was "disappointed" the party's candidate had not polled better.
Voters also supported the proposal to remove blasphemy as an offence from the Constitution, with 64.85% voting yes.
Michael D Higgins is re-elected as Irish president for a second term
BBC News
28 October 2018
Michael D Higgins has been re-elected as Irish president after receiving 56% of the country's election vote.
Businessman Peter Casey came second with 23.1%, while none of the other four candidates polled more than 10%.
Earlier on Saturday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was "disappointed" the party's candidate had not polled better.
Voters also supported the proposal to remove blasphemy as an offence from the Constitution, with 64.85% voting yes.
Mr Higgins, the first incumbent in 50 years to face a challenge in his bid for a second term, won with 822,566 votes.
Londonderry businessman Peter Casey took significantly more votes than the final opinion polls of the campaign had predicted. His final tally was 342,727.
Ms Ní Riada got 93,987 votes - 6.4% of the total votes polled.
Michael D Higgins received more than half the votes cast in the election
The result was confirmed at a declaration at Dublin Castle on Saturday evening.
Speaking after his win Mr Higgins said he accepted his mandate with "humility, determination and excitement".
"People are interested in ideas that are sincere and constructive," he said.
"For words matter, words can hurt, words can heal, words can empower, words can divide.
"And the words and ideas I have used in this campaign reflect a vision for Ireland based on four strands.
"Equal and together, strong sustainable communities, sharing history - shaping the future and Ireland's voice matters."
Peter Casey is a former Dragons' Den investor
Low turnout
Taking to the podium after Mr Higgins, second placed Mr Casey said the last time he had stood in an election to the Irish Senate he got just 14 votes.
"Somebody worked it out there - it's about 23,000 per cent improvement," he joked.
Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ni Riada said she hoped it was the last Irish presidential election in which people in Northern Ireland could not vote.
Turnout was reported to be low in many areas of the country.
More than 3.2 million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the election and referendum.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar congratulated Mr Higgins on his predicted win on Saturday morning.
Leo Varadkar ✔@campaignforleo
Congratulations @MichaelDHiggins. Really happy that you will continue to be our President for the next 7 years
10:17 AM - Oct 27, 2018
3,990 Likes 490 people are talking about this
Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Riada applauds Michael D Higgins on his win
Voters received two ballot papers at polling stations.
They were given a white ballot paper for the presidential election and a green ballot paper for the referendum on blasphemy.
Many were unaware there was such an offence until a member of the public referred controversial remarks made by the actor and writer Stephen Fry on an RTÉ programme to An Garda Siochana (Irish police).
Mr Fry spoke about what he regarded as God's cruelty during the programme.
But the matter was dropped when gardai (police officers) could find no-one who was offended.
The last person to be prosecuted for blasphemy was in 1855 when the British ruled Ireland.
The Irish Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, welcomed the result of the referendum.
Minister Flanagan said: "It has always been my view that there is no room for a provision such as this in our constitution. Ireland is rightly proud of our reputation as a modern, liberal society."
In addition to the removal of the word "blasphemous" from Article 40.6.1 of the constitution, the minister will now also move to repeal sections 36 and 37 of the Defamation Act 2009.
Blasphemy was defined as publishing or uttering something "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion".
The president is Ireland's "first citizen", but has limited power - the role is mainly symbolic and he or she cannot get involved in daily politics.
Irish Presidential Election result
Valid votes cast: 1,473,900
Michael D Higgins 822,566
Peter Casey 342,727
Seán Gallagher 94,514
Liadh Ní Riada 93,987
Joan Freeman 87,908
Gavin Duffy 32,198
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45999270
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