Donegal (Dáil Éireann constituency)

Donegal
Dáil Éireann
Parliamentary Constituency
Current constituency
Created 2016
Seats 5
TDs
County council Donegal County Council
EP constituency Midlands–North-West
Donegal
Former Dáil Éireann
Parliamentary Constituency
Former constituency
Created 1921
Abolished 1937
Seats 6 (1921–1923)
8 (1923–1937)
County council County Donegal
Donegal
Former Dáil Éireann
Parliamentary Constituency
Former constituency
Created 1977
Abolished 1981
Seats 5
County council County Donegal

Donegal is a parliamentary constituency which is represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, since the 2016 general election. The constituency elects 5 deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs). The method of election is the single transferable vote form of proportional representation (PR-STV).

History and boundaries

1921 to 1937

The Donegal constituency was created in 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, for the 1921 election to the House of Commons of Southern Ireland, whose members formed the 2nd Dáil. It elected 6 deputies in 1921, and again at the 1922 general election. It covered the whole territory of County Donegal in north-west Ireland.

Under the Electoral Act 1923, the constituency's boundaries remained unchanged, and were defined simply as "the administrative county of Donegal". However, its representation was increased from 6 to 8 seats.[1]

The Donegal constituency was abolished by the Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935, with effect from the 1937 general election. It was replaced by two new constituencies: the 4 seat Donegal East and the 3 seat Donegal West.[2]

1977 to 1981

A Donegal constituency was re-established under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1974, and first used at the 1977 general election to the 21st Dáil. The new 5 seat constituency did not cover all of County Donegal; an area in the south of the county, including the rural hinterland of Ballyshannon and the town of Bundoran, was included in the Sligo–Leitrim constituency.[3]

The revived constituency was short-lived, as under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980, it was replaced by two new 3 seat constituencies, Donegal North–East and Donegal South–West.[4]

Since 2016

The Constituency Commission proposed in its 2012 report that at the next general election a new constituency called Donegal be created.[5] The report proposed changes to the constituencies of Ireland so as to reduce the total number of TDs from 166 to 158.[6]

It was established by the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013.[7] It replaced the constituencies of Donegal North–East and Donegal South–West and comprises the county of Donegal except for the area south of Donegal town around Ballyshannon and Bundoran, which is in the Sligo–Leitrim constituency.[5]

The 2013 Act defines the constituency as:[7]

"The county of Donegal, except the part thereof which is comprised in the constituency of Sligo–Leitrim."

TDs

TDs 1921–1937

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Donegal 1921–1937[8]
DáilElectionDeputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)
2nd 1921[9] Joseph McGinley
(SF)		 Patrick McGoldrick
(SF)		 Joseph O'Doherty
(SF)		 Samuel O'Flaherty
(SF)		 Joseph Sweeney
(SF)		 Peter Ward
(SF) 		6 seats
1921–1923
3rd 1922[10] Joseph McGinley
(Pro-Treaty)		 Patrick McGoldrick
(Pro-Treaty)		 Joseph O'Doherty
(Anti-Treaty)		 Samuel O'Flaherty
(Anti-Treaty)		 Joseph Sweeney
(Pro-Treaty)		 Peter Ward
(Pro-Treaty)
4th 1923[11] Eugene Doherty
(CnaG)		 Patrick McGoldrick
(CnaG)		 Joseph O'Doherty
(Rep)		 Peadar O'Donnell
(Rep)		 Patrick McFadden
(CnaG)		 Peter Ward
(CnaG)		 James Myles
(Ind)		 John White
(FP)
1924 by-election[12] Denis McCullough
(CnaG)
5th 1927 (Jun)[13] Neal Blaney
(FF)		 Frank Carney
(FF)		 Daniel McMenamin
(NL)		 Michael Óg McFadden
(CnaG)		 Hugh Law
(CnaG)
6th 1927 (Sep)[14] Archie Cassidy
(Lab)
7th 1932[15] Daniel McMenamin
(CnaG)		 James Dillon
(Ind)		 Brian Brady
(FF)		 John White
(CnaG)
8th 1933[16] Hugh Doherty
(FF)		 Joseph O'Doherty
(FF)		 James Dillon
(NCP)		 Michael Óg McFadden
(CnaG)
9th 1937 Constituency abolished. See Donegal East and Donegal West

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

TDs 1977–1981

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Donegal 1977–1981[8]
DáilElectionDeputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)
21st 1977[17] James White
(FG)		 Neil Blaney
(IFF)		 Paddy Harte
(FG)		 Joseph Brennan
(FF)		 Hugh Conaghan
(FF)
1980 by-election[18] Clement Coughlan
(FF)
22nd 1981 Constituency abolished. See Donegal North–East and Donegal South–West

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

TDs since 2016

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Donegal 2016–
DáilElectionDeputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)		Deputy
(Party)
32nd 2016[19] Charlie McConalogue
(FF)		 Pearse Doherty
(SF)		 Pat the Cope Gallagher
(FF)		 Joe McHugh
(FG)		 Thomas Pringle
(Ind)

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Elections

2016 general election

2016 general election: Donegal[19]
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9Count 10Count 11Count 12Count 13
Fianna Fáil Charlie McConalogue   12,533                        
Sinn Féin Pearse Doherty   10,300 10,305 10,330 10,524 10,870 11,053 11,190 14,600          
Fianna Fáil Pat the Cope Gallagher   10,198 10,203 10,362 10,504 10,694 10,941 11,160 11,267 11,398 11,832 13,138    
Fine Gael Joe McHugh   8,412 8,414 8,443 8,704 8,795 8,965 11,016 11,040 11,061 11,784 12,469    
Independent Thomas Pringle   6,220 6,239 6,247 6,498 6,689 7,389 7,522 7,617 7,722 8,491 9,462 9,888 10,082
Sinn Féin Pádraig Mac Lochlainn   5,742 5,743 5,773 5,893 5,961 6,008 6,032 6,567 8,509 9,143 9,716 9,852 9,898
Independent Tim Jackson   3,580 3,585 3,601 3,752 4,034 4,319 4,524 4,650 4,790 5,864      
Independent Dessie Shiels   3,724 3,724 3,739 3,986 4,166 4,288 4,463 4,497 4,540        
Sinn Féin Gary Doherty   4,136 4,138 4,142 4,183 4,377 4,420 4,456            
Fine Gael Paddy Harte, Jnr   2,831 2,832 2,838 2,934 3,133 3,244              
Independent Niamh Kennedy   1,836 1,842 1,848 1,983 2,057                
Independent Frank McBrearty, Jnr   1,914 1,917 1,921 1,981                  
Independent Ian McGarvey   982 982 989                    
Green Party Paula Flanagan   428 442 443                    
Independent Michael Mooney   397 402 407                    
Fís Nua Cordelia Nic Fhearraigh   70                        
Electorate: 117,675   Valid: 73,303   Spoilt: 654   Quota: 12,218   Turnout: 73,957 (62.85%)

    1980 by-election

    A by-election was held on 6 November 1980 to fill the vacancy caused by the death on 13 July 1980 of the Fianna Fáil TD Joseph Brennan. It was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Clement Coughlan, who died in a road accident in early 1983, triggering a by-election in the Donegal South–West constituency.

    1980 by-election: Donegal[18]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Fianna Fáil Clement Coughlan 23,456 39.0 1
    Fine Gael Dinny McGinley 20,022 33.3
    Independent Fianna Fáil Patrick Kelly 14,198 23.6
    Sinn Féin (Workers' Party) Séamus Rodgers 2,401 4.0
    Electorate: 81,340   Valid: 60,077   Quota: 30,039   Turnout: 73.9%

    1977 general election

    1977 general election: Donegal[17]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Fine Gael James White 10,672 17.6 1 1
    Independent Fianna Fáil Neil Blaney 10,499 17.3 2 1
    Fine Gael Paddy Harte 8,483 13.9 3
    Fianna Fáil Joseph Brennan 6,448 10.6 4
    Fianna Fáil Hugh Conaghan 5,413 8.9 5
    Fianna Fáil Bernard McGlinchey 5,693 9.4
    Fianna Fáil Patrick Delap 4,583 7.5
    Independent Paddy Keaveney 3,325 5.5
    Fine Gael Séamus Gill 2,946 4.8
    Sinn Féin (Workers' Party) Séamus Rodgers 2,505 4.1
    Independent Charles Long 256 0.4
    Electorate: 77,813   Valid: 60,823   Quota: 10,138   Turnout: 78.2%

    1933 general election

    1933 general election: Donegal[16]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Independent James Myles 10,784 15.5 1 1
    Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Óg McFadden 4,725 6.8 2
    Cumann na nGaedheal Daniel McMenamin 5,261 7.6 3
    National Centre Party James Dillon 5,319 7.7 4
    Fianna Fáil Brian Brady 7,615 11.0 5
    Fianna Fáil Neal Blaney 7,310 10.5 6
    Fianna Fáil Joseph O'Doherty 7,384 10.6 7
    Fianna Fáil Hugh Doherty 7,055 10.1 8
    Fianna Fáil Archie Cassidy 6,036 8.7
    Cumann na nGaedheal Michael McGilligan 4,306 6.2
    Cumann na nGaedheal Eugene Doherty 3,779 5.4
    Electorate: 88,666   Valid: 69,574   Quota: 7,731   Turnout: 78.5%

    1932 general election

    1932 general election: Donegal[15]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Independent James Myles 10,077 15.6 1 1
    Independent James Dillon 7,645 11.8 2 1
    Fianna Fáil Neal Blaney 7,416 11.4 3 1
    Cumann na nGaedheal Daniel McMenamin 4,050 6.3 4
    Cumann na nGaedheal John White 4,654 7.2 5
    Cumann na nGaedheal Eugene Doherty 4,313 6.7 6
    Fianna Fáil Frank Carney 3,874 6.0 7
    Fianna Fáil Brian Brady 4,955 7.6 8
    Fianna Fáil Hugh Doherty 4,691 7.2
    Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Óg McFadden 3,737 5.8
    Fianna Fáil Patrick Doherty 3,370 5.2
    Cumann na nGaedheal Hugh Law 2,795 4.3
    Labour Party Archie Cassidy 2,506 3.9
    Labour Party Charles Sweeney 733 1.1
    Electorate: 87,413   Valid: 64,816   Quota: 7,202   Turnout: 74.1%

    September 1927 general election

    September 1927 general election: Donegal[14]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Independent James Myles 7,934 14.5 1 1
    Fianna Fáil Neal Blaney 6,877 12.6 2 1
    Cumann na nGaedheal Eugene Doherty 6,108 11.2 3 1
    Fianna Fáil Frank Carney 4,811 8.8 4
    Cumann na nGaedheal Hugh Law 5,224 9.6 5
    Labour Party Archie Cassidy 3,675 6.7 6
    Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Óg McFadden 4,740 8.7 7
    Farmers' Party John White 4,637 8.5 8
    Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGoldrick 3,889 7.1
    Fianna Fáil Patrick McGinley 2,463 4.5
    Cumann na nGaedheal Edward Kelly 2,067 3.8
    Fianna Fáil John O'Flaherty 1,973 3.6
    Independent Kate McCarry 164 0.3
    Electorate: 90,224   Valid: 54,552   Quota: 6,062   Turnout: 60.5%

    June 1927 general election

    June 1927 general election: Donegal[13]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Independent James Myles 7,557 15.1 1 1
    National League Party Daniel McMenamin 5,828 11.7 2 1
    Farmers' Party John White 5,031 10.1 3
    Fianna Fáil Neal Blaney 5,681 11.4 4
    Fianna Fáil Frank Carney 3,002 6.0 5
    Cumann na nGaedheal Eugene Doherty 4,005 8.0 6
    Cumann na nGaedheal Hugh Law 3,596 7.2 7
    Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Óg McFadden 3,105 6.2 8
    Fianna Fáil Seamus Monaghan 2,899 5.8
    Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGoldrick 2,750 5.5
    Labour Party Archie Cassidy 2,491 5.0
    Labour Party Denis Houston 2,005 4.0
    Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McFadden 1,975 3.9
    Electorate: 90,224   Valid: 49,925   Quota: 5,548[20]   Turnout: 55.3%

    1924 by-election

    A by-election was held on 20 November 1924 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation on 1 August 1924 of the Cumann na nGaedheal TD Peter Ward. There were only two candidates, and the winner was the Cumann na nGaedheal candidate Denis McCullough.

    1924 by-election: Donegal[12]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Cumann na nGaedheal Denis McCullough 24,919 57.6 1 1
    Republican Thomas Daly 18,371 42.4
    Electorate: 96,777   Valid: 43,290   Quota: 21,646   Turnout: 44.7%

    1923 general election

    The 1923 general election to the 4th Dáil was the first in the Donegal constituency where the number of candidates exceeded the number of seats. Under the Electoral Act 1923, Donegal's representation had been increased from six to eight seats, and these were contested by no less than 19 candidates.

    1923 general election: Donegal[11]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Independent James Myles 6,954 13.2 1 1
    Cumann na nGaedheal Peter Ward 5,513 10.5 2
    Cumann na nGaedheal Eugene Doherty 5,261 10.0 3
    Farmers' Party John White 3,673 7.0 4
    Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McFadden 3,492 6.6 5
    Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGoldrick 3,743 7.1 6
    Republican Peadar O'Donnell 3,621 6.9 7
    Republican Joseph O'Doherty 3,213 6.1 8
    Republican Brian Monaghan 3,678 7.0
    Labour Party Denis Houston 2,456 4.7
    Farmers' Party Hugh Law 1,718 3.3
    Republican Samuel O'Flaherty 1,647 3.1
    Cumann na nGaedheal H. J. O'Kelly 1,489 2.8
    Ratepayers' Association Michael McNelis 1,432 2.7
    Farmers' Party Neil Faulkner 1,209 2.3
    Farmers' Party Andrew Lowry 1,127 2.1
    Independent Daniel McMenamin 927 1.8
    Republican Edward Gallen 908 1.7
    Independent Henry McGowan 69 1.3
    Electorate: 96,977   Valid: 52,730   Quota: 5,859   Turnout: 54.4%

    1922 general election

    As at the 1921 general election, Sinn Féin stood one candidate for every seat, except those for two Dublin constituencies; the treaty had divided the party between 65 pro-treaty candidates, 57 anti-treaty and 1 nominally on both sides. Unlike the elections a year earlier, other parties stood in most constituencies forcing single transferable vote elections, with Sinn Féin losing 30 seats.

    In Donegal, Sinn Féin's six outgoing TDs from the 2nd Dáil were elected unopposed, Socialist Republican, Jack White having withdrawn his candidacy.[21] Two had opposed the treaty, and four supported it; they are listed here in alphabetical order

    1922 general election: Donegal[10]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Joseph McGinley Unopposed N/A 1
    Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Patrick McGoldrick Unopposed N/A 2
    Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty) Joseph O'Doherty Unopposed N/A 3
    Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty) Samuel O'Flaherty Unopposed N/A 4
    Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Joseph Sweeney Unopposed N/A 5
    Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Peter Ward Unopposed N/A 6

    1921 general election

    At the 1921 general election to the 2nd Dáil, no seats were contested in the 26 counties which became the Irish Free State. In Donegal, six Sinn Féin candidates were nominated for the constituency's eight seats. Major Robert L Moore, who had contested East Donegal in 1918, was selected as the Unionist candidate by 22 April 1921[22] but was described on 15 May 1921 as 'having at the last moment withdrawn'.[23][24] No ballot was needed, and all six candidates were elected unopposed after the close of nominations on 24 May 1921. The 6 TDs elected are listed here in alphabetical order:[8]

    1921 general election: Donegal[9]
    Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count
    Sinn Féin Joseph McGinley Unopposed N/A 1
    Sinn Féin Patrick McGoldrick Unopposed N/A 2
    Sinn Féin Joseph O'Doherty Unopposed N/A 3
    Sinn Féin Samuel O'Flaherty Unopposed N/A 4
    Sinn Féin Joseph Sweeney Unopposed N/A 5
    Sinn Féin Peter Ward Unopposed N/A 6

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Electoral Act, 1923: Eighth Schedule (Constituencies)". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
    2. ↑ "Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act, 1935: First Schedule (Revised constituencies)". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
    3. ↑ "Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1974: Schedule (Constituencies)". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
    4. ↑ "Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1980: Schedule (Constituencies)". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
    5. 1 2 "Constituency Commission Report 2012 – Donegal – Sligo – Leitrim – Cavan – Monaghan area" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
    6. ↑ "Constituency Commission Report 2012 – Introduction and summary of recommendation" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
    7. 1 2 "Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013: Schedule". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
    8. 1 2 3 Walker, Brian M, ed. (1992). Parliamentary election results in Ireland, 1918–92. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0-901714-96-8. ISSN 0332-0286.
    9. 1 2 "General election 1921: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
    10. 1 2 "General election 1922: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
    11. 1 2 "General election 1923: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    12. 1 2 "By-election 1924: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    13. 1 2 "General election June 1927: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    14. 1 2 "General election September 1927: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    15. 1 2 "General election 1932: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    16. 1 2 "General election 1933: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
    17. 1 2 "General election 1977: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    18. 1 2 "By-election 1980: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
    19. 1 2 "General election 2016: Donegal". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
    20. ↑ The sources disagree on the size of the quota. Walker (1992) lists it at 5,738 votes, but ElectionsIreland.org lists it at 5,548. The figure of 5,548 tallies with a calculation using the Droop quota#Formula.
    21. ↑ Arthur Mitchell, ‘White, James Robert (1879–1946)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
    22. ↑ The Evening Leader, Corning, NY, 22 April 1921, P2
    23. ↑ The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) May 15, 1921, Section One, Image 3
    24. ↑ New-York tribune., May 14, 1921, Page 2, Image 2, citing Associated Press

    External links

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