One Mayo lady contributed more than her vote at a polling station yesterday.

She dropped a gold claddagh ring into the ballot box in Kiltimagh, but couldn't retrieve it because of rules surrounding the security of the votes.

Ballot box 154 was the subject of much attention today as the woman waited patiently to be reunited with the much loved ring.

It's the second time in recent years such an incident has happened - the last one involved a newlywed whose wedding ring slipped into a ballot box during a by-election in 2009.

Our reporter in Castlebar Andrea Gilligan says the owner of the ring kept a watchful eye this morning as box 154 was opened.