Louth is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. 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
The constituency was created under the terms of the Electoral Act 1923, and first used at the 1923 general election. It was a 3-seat constituency from 1923 until 1977, when it was increased to 4 seats. The boundaries were last amended in October 2007 to include an area of County Meath known as East Meath adjacent to the town of Drogheda.[1]
The Report on Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies 2007 outlined "by extending the constituency southwards from, and in the environs of, Drogheda and taking in electoral divisions which have extensive linkages with the town. This will allow the inclusion of the town of Drogheda and hinterland areas in a single constituency."
The constituency spans the entire area of the smallest county in Ireland and East Meath, taking in Dundalk, Drogheda, Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington and Ardee.[2]
At the 2011 general election the number of seats was increased to 5.[3][4]
The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013 defines the constituency as:[5]
- "The county of Louth;
- and, in the county of Meath, the electoral divisions of:
- Julianstown, St. Mary’s (part), in the former Rural District of Meath."
TDs
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: Louth[36] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 | Count 7 | Count 8 | Count 9 | Count 10 | Count 11 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Declan Breathnach |
13.47% |
9,099 |
9,146 |
9,220 |
9,609 |
9,931 |
12,192 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Gerry Adams |
15.79% |
10,661 |
10,774 |
10,826 |
10,908 |
11,096 |
11,278 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Imelda Munster |
13.07% |
8,829 |
9,061 |
9,103 |
9,224 |
9,356 |
9,563 |
9,712 |
9,995 |
10,992 |
13,029 |
|
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
10.09% |
6,814 |
6,838 |
6,943 |
7,271 |
7,418 |
7,586 |
7,680 |
8,115 |
8,827 |
9,124 |
9,256 |
|
Fine Gael |
Peter Fitzpatrick |
9.49% |
6,408 |
6,417 |
6,591 |
6,693 |
6,969 |
7,113 |
7,206 |
7,977 |
8,231 |
8,931 |
9,132 |
|
Labour Party |
Ged Nash |
7.32% |
4,945 |
4,976 |
5,293 |
5,472 |
5,593 |
5,760 |
5,895 |
6,715 |
7,888 |
8,454 |
8,746 |
|
AAA–PBP |
Garrett Weldon |
5.13% |
3,462 |
3,644 |
3,690 |
3,816 |
4,468 |
4,586 |
4,675 |
5,588 |
6,290 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Kevin Callan |
5.24% |
3,541 |
3,683 |
3,701 |
4,030 |
4,388 |
4,592 |
4,779 |
5,224 |
|
|
|
|
Green Party |
Mark Dearey |
4.72% |
3,187 |
3,225 |
3,363 |
3,530 |
4,099 |
4,327 |
4,517 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Emma Coffey |
5.07% |
3,422 |
3,442 |
3,496 |
3,622 |
3,819 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Maeve Yore |
4.07% |
2,746 |
2,814 |
2,953 |
3,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Renua Ireland |
Michael O'Dowd |
3.10% |
2,095 |
2,219 |
2,242 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Mary Moran |
1.77% |
1,198 |
1,211 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Democracy |
Anthony Connor |
1.00% |
676 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
David Bradley |
0.47% |
319 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Democracy |
Pat Greene |
0.19% |
127 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 104,696 Valid: 79,273 Spoilt: 749 Quota: 11,255 Turnout: 68,278 (65.22%) |
2011 general election
2011 general election: Louth[35] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 | Count 7 | Count 8 | Count 9 | Count 10 | Count 11 | Count 12 | Count 13 |
|
Ceann Comhairle |
Séamus Kirk |
Automatically returned |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Gerry Adams |
21.7 |
15,072 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
20.2 |
13,980 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Ged Nash |
12.6 |
8,718 |
8,942 |
8,948 |
8,984 |
8,998 |
9,037 |
9,098 |
9,404 |
9,821 |
10,480 |
10,658 |
14,620 |
|
|
Fine Gael |
Peter Fitzpatrick |
11.3 |
7,845 |
7,998 |
8,002 |
8,052 |
8,069 |
8,130 |
8,177 |
8,475 |
8,982 |
9,930 |
10,626 |
11,770 |
12,323 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
James Carroll |
8.2 |
5,681 |
5,749 |
5,751 |
5,759 |
5,774 |
5,792 |
5,803 |
5,987 |
6,481 |
6,769 |
10,711 |
11,185 |
11,388 |
|
Labour Party |
Mary Moran |
6.6 |
4,546 |
4,738 |
4,742 |
4,747 |
4,748 |
4,808 |
4,908 |
5,124 |
5,436 |
6,430 |
6,974 |
|
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Declan Breathnach |
7.5 |
5,177 |
5,245 |
5,245 |
5,247 |
5,263 |
5,285 |
5,297 |
5,373 |
5,603 |
6,001 |
|
|
|
|
Green Party |
Mark Dearey |
4.7 |
3,244 |
3,358 |
3,362 |
3,366 |
3,374 |
3,421 |
3,506 |
3,672 |
3,939 |
|
|
|
|
|
New Vision |
Thomas Clare |
3.2 |
2,233 |
2,318 |
2,324 |
2,328 |
2,390 |
2,456 |
2,569 |
3,024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Fred Matthews |
1.4 |
957 |
1,004 |
1,013 |
1,015 |
1,024 |
1,089 |
1,207 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
0.8 |
649 |
714 |
727 |
731 |
754 |
781 |
829 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Robin Wilson |
0.3 |
536 |
592 |
597 |
598 |
610 |
692 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Luke Martin |
0.3 |
224 |
289 |
293 |
293 |
300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Gerry Crilly |
0.3 |
222 |
252 |
254 |
254 |
267 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
David Bradley |
0.3 |
174 |
211 |
215 |
215 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Robert Glynn |
0.1 |
61 |
65 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 99,530 Valid: 69,319 Spoilt: 871 (1.2%) Quota: 13,864 Turnout: 70,190 (70.5%) |
2007 general election
2007 general election: Louth[34] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
18.5 |
10,190 |
10,225 |
10,400 |
10,457 |
11,696 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
18.1 |
9,982 |
10,020 |
10,375 |
10,500 |
11,321 |
|
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
15.2 |
8,387 |
8,421 |
8,738 |
10,208 |
11,036 |
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Arthur Morgan |
15.0 |
8,274 |
8,385 |
8,596 |
8,836 |
8,989 |
10,556 |
|
Fine Gael |
Mairead McGuinness |
9.5 |
5,199 |
5,228 |
6,240 |
6,503 |
6,550 |
8,847 |
|
Green Party |
Mark Dearey |
7.6 |
4,172 |
4,296 |
4,711 |
5,118 |
5,225 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Frank Maher |
5.5 |
3,009 |
3,031 |
3,045 |
3,287 |
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Ged Nash |
5.0 |
2,739 |
2,786 |
2,856 |
|
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Jim D'Arcy |
4.7 |
2,573 |
2,596 |
|
|
|
|
|
Workers' Party |
Peter Short |
0.4 |
193 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fathers Rights |
Luke Martin |
0.3 |
169 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Dermot Duke |
0.2 |
127 |
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 86,007 Valid: 55,014 Spoilt: 592 (1.1%) Quota: 11,003 Turnout: 55,606 (64.7%) |
2002 general election
2002 general election: Louth[33] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 | Count 7 | Count 8 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
20.2 |
9,603 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
11.6 |
5,505 |
5,540 |
5,686 |
5,688 |
6,098 |
6,346 |
7,740 |
10,175 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
13.6 |
6,495 |
6,561 |
6,768 |
6,811 |
6,993 |
7,644 |
7,960 |
9,987 |
|
Sinn Féin |
Arthur Morgan |
14.9 |
7,121 |
7,275 |
7,488 |
7,495 |
7,805 |
8,474 |
8,992 |
9,477 |
|
Fine Gael |
Terry Brennan |
8.7 |
4,130 |
4,207 |
4,442 |
4,449 |
4,670 |
5,394 |
6,046 |
6,133 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Frank Maher |
9.8 |
4,653 |
4,668 |
4,807 |
4,811 |
4,946 |
5,018 |
5,643 |
|
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
6.7 |
3,185 |
3,237 |
3,388 |
3,391 |
3,732 |
4,117 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Mary Grehan |
5.0 |
2,384 |
2,496 |
3,021 |
3,030 |
3,521 |
|
|
|
|
Green Party |
Bernadette Martin |
4.2 |
1,979 |
2,109 |
2,306 |
2,309 |
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Martin Bellew |
2.7 |
1,307 |
1,410 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
1.0 |
473 |
502 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Aidan Mahon |
0.6 |
294 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Liam Ó Gogain |
0.5 |
239 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Workers' Party |
Peter Short |
0.4 |
176 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christian Solidarity |
Michael Maguire |
0.2 |
79 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 81,952 Valid: 47,623 Spoilt: 651 (1.4%) Quota: 9,525 Turnout: 48,274 (58.9%) |
1997 general election
1997 general election: Louth[32] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
10,192 |
22.6 |
1 |
1 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
5,667 |
12.6 |
2 |
9 |
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
4,346 |
9.7 |
3 |
12 |
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
4,725 |
10.5 |
4 |
12 |
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
4,486 |
10.0 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Terry Brennan |
3,723 |
8.3 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Owen Hanratty |
2,760 |
6.1 |
|
|
|
Progressive Democrats |
Mary Grehan |
2,395 |
5.3 |
|
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Maria O'Brien Campbell |
2,151 |
4.8 |
|
|
|
Green Party |
Neil McCann |
1,403 |
3.1 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
1,037 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Maeve Healy |
891 |
2.0 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Michael Salter |
686 |
1.5 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Brian Doyle |
475 |
1.1 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Dessie Taaffe |
71 |
0.2 |
|
|
Electorate: 71,086 Valid: 45,008 Spoilt: 603 (1.3%) Quota: 9,002 Turnout: 45,611 (64.2%) |
1992 general election
1992 general election: Louth[31] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
9,608 |
22.1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
7,704 |
17.7 |
2 |
8 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
6,602 |
15.2 |
3 |
9 |
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
6,672 |
15.4 |
4 |
9 |
|
Fine Gael |
Henry Mountcharles |
4,161 |
9.6 |
|
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Tommy Murphy |
3,853 |
8.9 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Thomas Bellew |
1,603 |
3.7 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Seán Kenna |
1,289 |
3.0 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Maimie Ahern |
1,017 |
2.3 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Tommy Murtagh |
416 |
1.0 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Dessie Taaffe |
296 |
0.7 |
|
|
|
Workers' Party |
Peter Short |
249 |
0.6 |
|
|
Electorate: 65,896 Valid: 43,470 Spoilt: 928 (2.1%) Quota: 8,695 Turnout: 44,398 (67.4%) |
1989 general election
1989 general election: Louth[30] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
8,375 |
19.2 |
1 |
|
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
7,812 |
17.9 |
2 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
6,892 |
15.8 |
3 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
5,924 |
13.6 |
4 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Jimmy Mulroy |
6,052 |
13.9 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Arthur Morgan |
2,291 |
5.3 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Bernard Markey |
2,217 |
5.1 |
|
|
|
Progressive Democrats |
Frank Aiken |
2,146 |
4.9 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Richard Brannigan |
1,744 |
4.0 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Ronald Smith |
159 |
0.4 |
|
|
Electorate: ? Valid: 43,612 Quota: 8,723 Turnout: |
1987 general election
1987 general election: Louth[29] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
5,319 |
11.4 |
1 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
7,156 |
15.3 |
2 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Dermot Ahern |
5,822 |
12.4 |
3 |
|
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
6,205 |
13.3 |
4 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Jimmy Mulroy |
5,492 |
11.7 |
|
|
|
Progressive Democrats |
Frank Aiken |
5,219 |
11.2 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Joseph Lennon |
3,560 |
7.6 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Thomas Bellew |
2,709 |
5.8 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Arthur Morgan |
2,599 |
5.6 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Fergus O'Dowd |
1,941 |
4.2 |
|
|
|
Workers' Party |
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill |
570 |
1.2 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Ronald Smith |
86 |
0.2 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Charles Ross |
66 |
0.2 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Barbara Hyland |
65 |
0.1 |
|
|
Electorate: ? Valid: 46,809 Quota: 9,362 Turnout: |
November 1982 general election
November 1982 general election: Louth[28] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Pádraig Faulkner |
6,793 |
15.6 |
1 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Séamus Kirk |
6,066 |
13.9 |
2 |
|
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
5,269 |
12.1 |
3 |
|
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
6,435 |
14.7 |
4 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Thomas Bellew |
5,966 |
13.7 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Bernard Markey |
4,745 |
10.9 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Thomas Donegan |
4,737 |
10.9 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Micheal O'Donnell |
1,915 |
4.4 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
951 |
2.2 |
|
|
|
Workers' Party |
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill |
671 |
1.5 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Aíne Ní Ghidhir |
129 |
0.3 |
|
|
Electorate: ? Valid: 43,677 Quota: 8,736 Turnout: |
February 1982 general election
February 1982 general election: Louth[27] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Pádraig Faulkner |
18.6 |
8,083 |
8,492 |
9,016 |
|
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Bernard Markey |
18.2 |
7,928 |
8,237 |
8,543 |
8,562 |
10,197 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Thomas Bellew |
14.5 |
6,305 |
6,427 |
7,143 |
7,219 |
7,961 |
8,050 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Eddie Filgate |
14.1 |
6,109 |
6,204 |
6,862 |
7,055 |
7,391 |
7,428 |
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
12.2 |
5,311 |
5,406 |
5,629 |
5,635 |
6,001 |
7,177 |
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
8.0 |
3,474 |
4,422 |
4,928 |
4,947 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin |
Francis Browne |
8.5 |
3,714 |
4,117 |
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
3.8 |
1,662 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sinn Féin (Workers' Party) |
Donnchadha Mac Raghnaill |
1.7 |
742 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Helen Corcoran |
0.4 |
183 |
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 57,075 Valid: 43,511 Spoilt: 451 (1.0%) Quota: 8,703 Turnout: 43,962 (77.0%) |
1981 general election
1981 general election: Louth[26] |
Party | Candidate | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 | Count 7 |
|
Ceann Comhairle |
Pádraig Faulkner |
N/A |
Automatically returned |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Bernard Markey |
10.3 |
4,694 |
4,810 |
5,007 |
5,258 |
8,316 |
8,513 |
13,315 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Eddie Filgate |
12.7 |
5,823 |
5,914 |
7,235 |
7,308 |
7,553 |
11,076 |
11,325 |
|
Anti H-Block |
Paddy Agnew |
18.3 |
8,368 |
8,846 |
8,998 |
9,525 |
9,841 |
10,409 |
10,814 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
John Connor |
10.7 |
4,920 |
5,276 |
6,047 |
6,791 |
6,812 |
8,190 |
8,829 |
|
Fine Gael |
Dick Branigan |
9.6 |
4,372 |
4,624 |
4,687 |
5,548 |
6,463 |
6,651 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Thomas Bellew |
11.6 |
5,314 |
5,413 |
5,672 |
5,794 |
6,059 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Brendan McGahon |
10.1 |
4,612 |
4,723 |
4,770 |
4,932 |
|
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Michael Bell |
5.5 |
2,515 |
3,128 |
3,147 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Nicholas McCabe |
6.1 |
2,804 |
2,887 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
2.6 |
1,210 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sinn Féin (Workers' Party) |
Donnchadha Mac Raghnaill |
1.7 |
785 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labour Party |
James McArdle |
0.8 |
346 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electorate: 57,075 Valid: 45,763 Spoilt: 514 (1.1%) Quota: 11,441 Turnout: 46,277 (81.1%) |
1977 general election
1977 general election: Louth[25] |
Party |
Candidate |
1st Pref |
% |
Seat |
Count |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Pádraig Faulkner |
10,244 |
24.0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Fine Gael |
Paddy Donegan |
9,455 |
22.2 |
2 |
1 |
|
Fianna Fáil |
Eddie Filgate |
5,954 |
14.0 |
3 |
|
|
Fianna Fáil |
Joseph Farrell |
5,402 |
12.7 |
4 |
|
|
Independent |
James Bellew |
2,523 |
5.9 |
|
|
|
Sinn Féin (Official) |
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill |
1,894 |
4.4 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Bernard Markey |
1,718 |
4.0 |
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Fergus O'Dowd |
1,289 |
3.0 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Hugh McGahon |
1,252 |
2.9 |
|
|
|
Fine Gael |
Joseph Lennon |
1,241 |
2.9 |
|
|
|
Labour Party |
Frank Carney |
908 |
2.1 |
|
|
|
Independent |
Frank Godfrey |
751 |
1.8 |
|
|
Electorate: ? Valid: 42,631 Quota: 8,527 Turnout: |
1973 general election
1969 general election
1965 general election
1961 general election
1957 general election
1954 general election
1954 by-election
Following the death of Fine Gael TD James Coburn, a by-election was held on 3 March 1954. The seat was won by the Fine Gael candidate George Coburn, son of the deceased TD.
1951 general election
1948 general election
1944 general election
1943 general election
1938 general election
1937 general election
1933 general election
1932 general election
September 1927 general election
June 1927 general election
1923 general election
See also
References
External links