Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency) Dáil constituency (1961–1969, 1981–2016)
Donegal South-West was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann , the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas , from 1961 to 1969 and from 1981 to 2016. The constituency elected 3 deputies (Teachtaí Dála , commonly known as TDs). The method of election was proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
History and boundaries
The constituency was first created for the 1961 general election . At the 1969 general election it was abolished and largely succeeded by the Donegal–Leitrim constituency. It was recreated for the 1981 general election . It was located in the southern and western parts of County Donegal , it included the towns of Lifford , Donegal , Ballyshannon , Killybegs and Gweedore . It was abolished again at the 2016 general election , and was succeeded by the Donegal constituency.
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 defined the constituency as:[ 1]
"The county of Donegal, except the part thereof which is comprised in the constituency of
Donegal North-East ."
TDs
TDs 1961–1969
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 1981–2016
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
^ *: Outgoing TD
2011 general election
2011 general election : Donegal South-West[ 16]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Sinn Féin
Pearse Doherty [*]
33.0
14,262
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
19.9
8,589
9,128
9,287
10,587
11,369
Independent
Thomas Pringle
13.5
5,845
7,031
7,364
9,139
10,175
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
11.5
4,956
5,172
5,259
5,655
Fianna Fáil
Brian Ó Domhnaill
11.1
4,789
5,147
5,236
5,724
8,834
Labour
Frank McBrearty Jnr
5.1
2,209
2,882
3,003
Independent
Stephen McCahill
4.2
1,831
2,037
2,141
Green
John Duffy
1.2
527
668
New Vision
Anne Sweeney[ a]
0.6
255
382
Electorate: 64,568 Valid: 43,263 Spoilt: 332 (0.8%) Quota: 10,816 Turnout: 43,595 (67.5%)
^ New Vision was an electoral alliance of independent non-party candidates and did not appear on the ballot.
2010 by-election
On 5 June 2009, Fianna Fáil TD Pat "the Cope" Gallagher was elected to the European Parliament , vacating his seat in the Dáil.[ 17] On 2 July 2009, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF) proposed that the writ of election be issued to fill the vacancy. This motion was rejected by a vote of 69 to 72.[ 18] On 5 May 2010, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin proposed again that the writ be issued. This motion was died, with 76 to 76, and was defeated on the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle .[ 19]
On 12 July 2010, Pearse Doherty , a Sinn Féin senator, was granted leave to bring judicial review against the government seeking a declaration that due to the length of the vacancy in Donegal South-West, the government was under a duty not to oppose a motion for a writ. On 29 September 2010, Enda Kenny , leader of Fine Gael , proposed that the writ of election be issued (as well as the writ for two other vacancies). This motion was rejected by a vote of 77 to 81.[ 20] On 3 November 2010, Nicholas Kearns , president of the High Court , made a declaration that there has been an unreasonable delay in moving the writ for the by-election in Donegal South-West.[ 21] The writ was moved the following day.[ 22] Doherty was successful in the by-election.[ 23]
2010 by-election : Donegal South-West[ 15]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Sinn Féin
Pearse Doherty
39.85
13,719
13,736
15,188
16,897
Fianna Fáil
Brian Ó Domhnaill
21.33
7,344
7,358
7,636
8,069
Fine Gael
Barry O'Neill
18.66
6,424
6,442
7,313
8,182
Independent
Thomas Pringle
9.99
3,438
3,491
3,763
Labour
Frank McBrearty Jnr
9.78
3,366
3,375
Independent
Anne Sweeney
0.39
133
Electorate: 62,299 Valid: 34,424 Spoilt: 484 Quota: 17,213 Turnout: 57.39%
2007 general election
2007 general election : Donegal South-West[ 14]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
26.4
10,530
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
24.1
9,606
9,976
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
23.0
9,167
9,249
10,281
Sinn Féin
Pearse Doherty
21.2
8,462
8,551
9,263
Labour
Séamus Rodgers
2.8
1,111
1,120
Green
Seán Ó Maolchallann
1.5
589
596
Independent
John Doherty
1.0
388
397
Electorate: 60,829 Valid: 39,853 Spoilt: 421 (1.1%) Quota: 9,964 Turnout: 40,274 (66.2%)
2002 general election
2002 general election : Donegal South-West[ 13]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
21.7
7,740
7,843
7,960
8,202
8,502
9,281
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
20.4
7,257
7,380
7,465
7,547
8,335
8,757
8,932
Fine Gael
James White
13.1
4,680
4,720
4,740
4,822
5,161
5,385
5,402
5,930
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
12.3
4,378
4,484
4,512
4,797
5,216
5,921
6,002
7,370
Independent
Joe Kelly
8.7
3,091
3,174
3,219
3,329
3,796
Sinn Féin
Pearse Doherty
7.6
2,697
2,771
3,571
3,720
4,166
5,170
5,269
Independent
Thomas Pringle
7.4
2,630
2,887
2,908
3,078
Sinn Féin
Tom Dignam
3.2
1,133
1,148
Labour
Séamus Rodgers
3.0
1,079
1,199
1,205
Independent
Gwen Breslin
2.6
951
Electorate: 54,789 Valid: 35,635 Spoilt: 500 (1.4%) Quota: 8,909 Turnout: 36,135 (65.9%)
1997 general election
1997 general election : Donegal South-West[ 12] [ 24]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
20.3
6,597
6,620
6,877
7,192
7,548
8,203
Fianna Fáil
Enda Bonner
17.7
5,742
5,751
5,832
5,946
6,000
6,745
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
17.5
5,679
5,695
5,973
6,222
7,434
8,165
Independent
Tom Gildea
17.3
5,592
5,651
5,925
6,370
6,489
7,983
Independent Fianna Fáil
Paddy Kelly[ a]
12.7
4,123
4,175
4,250
4,415
4,515
Fine Gael
Frank O'Kelly
5.5
1,774
1,783
1,873
2,053
Green
Elizabeth Cullen
4.2
1,366
1,387
1,643
Labour
Manus Brennan
4.2
1,361
1,367
Independent
Tom Kennedy
0.6
206
Electorate: 51,479 Valid: 32,440 Spoilt: 454 (1.4%) Quota: 8,111 Turnout: 32,894 (63.9%)
1992 general election
1992 general election : Donegal South-West[ 11] [ 25]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
26.4
7,870
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
22.3
6,639
6,915
6,962
7,033
7,178
7,317
7,624
Fine Gael
Jim White
19.3
5,745
5,762
5,792
5,836
5,966
6,009
6,379
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
18.5
5,504
5,564
5,576
5,731
5,855
5,937
6,588
Democratic Left
Séamus Rodgers
6.1
1,825
1,863
1,881
1,974
2,058
2,201
Independent
Benny Mooney
2.4
700
705
711
765
Sinn Féin
Anna Rose Doherty
1.9
577
583
828
855
905
Independent
Fred Coll
1.8
539
551
557
Sinn Féin
John McCluskey
1.4
409
412
Electorate: 48,528 Valid: 29,808 Spoilt: 688 (2.3%) Quota: 7,453 Turnout: 30,496 (62.8%)
1989 general election
1989 general election : Donegal South-West[ 10] [ 26]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
28.9
8,332
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan [*]
26.3
7,592
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
24.8
7,160
7,534
Workers' Party
Séamus Rodgers
9.6
2,768
3,338
Fine Gael
Frank O'Kelly
8.6
2,493
2,573
Independent
Tom Kennedy
1.8
521
612
Electorate: 47,027 Valid: 28,866 Quota: 7,217 Turnout: 61.4%
1987 general election
1987 general election : Donegal South-West[ 9] [ 27] [ 28]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Fianna Fáil
Mary Coughlan
30.7
9,698
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
27.5
8,686
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
20.1
6,331
6,811
7,008
7,158
9,821
Fine Gael
Francis O'Kelly
9.7
3,072
3,452
3,505
3,614
Workers' Party
Séamus Rodgers
8.0
2,512
3,030
3,465
4,085
4,344
Sinn Féin
Eamonn Monaghan
4.0
1,276
1,702
1,809
Electorate: 45,871 Valid: 31,575 Quota: 7,894 Turnout: 68.8%
1983 by-election
Fianna Fáil TD Clement Coughlan died on 1 February 1983.[ 29] On 19 April 1983, the writ of election to fill the vacancy was issued.[ 30] The by-election was held on 13 May 1983. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Cathal Coughlan , brother of the deceased TD.[ 31]
Cathal Coughlan died on 21 June 1986.[ 32] On 22 October 1986, a motion to issue the writ was rejected by a vote of 81 to 82.[ 33]
1983 by-election : Donegal South-West[ 8] [ 28]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
Fianna Fáil
Cathal Coughlan
56.6
17,960
Fine Gael
J. J. Reid
31.1
9,870
10,512
10,731
Workers' Party
Séamus Rodgers
9.4
2,992
4,021
4,435
Independent
Eamon Ó Gallachoir
1.7
530
802
Independent
Leo Armstrong
1.2
373
490
Independent
Jim Tallon
0.1
37
55
Electorate: 45,823 Valid: 31,762 Quota: 15,882 Turnout: 69.3%
November 1982 general election
November 1982 general election : Donegal South-West[ 7] [ 34]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Fianna Fáil
Clement Coughlan [*]
29.5
9,483
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley [*]
26.5
8,544
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
25.4
8,165
Fine Gael
Francis O'Kelly
12.5
4,035
4,815
5,270
5,290
Workers' Party
Séamus Rodgers
6.1
1,972
2,625
2,664
2,759
Electorate: 45,334 Valid: 32,199 Quota: 8,050 Turnout: 71.0%
February 1982 general election
February 1982 general election : Donegal South-West[ 6] [ 35]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
Fianna Fáil
Clement Coughlan [*]
25.1
8,321
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher [*]
22.9
7,576
8,011
8,270
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley
21.6
7,160
7,419
10,925
Fine Gael
J J Reid
12.4
4,113
4,300
Independent Fianna Fáil
Patrick Kelly[ a]
11.7
3,868
4,877
5,036
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party
Séamus Rodgers
3.2
1,056
Independent
Daniel Harkin
3.1
1,013
Electorate: 44,860 Valid: 33,107 Spoilt: 253 (0.8%) Quota: 8,277 Turnout: 33,360 (74.4%)
1981 general election
1981 general election : Donegal South-West[ 5] [ 36]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Fianna Fáil
Clement Coughlan [*]
26.9
9,341
Fine Gael
James White [*]
23.4
8,117
8,167
12,271
Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
18.5
6,433
6,969
7,348
7,762
Independent Fianna Fáil
Patrick Kelly[ a]
16.2
5,626
5,684
6,197
7,038
Fine Gael
Dinny McGinley
14.9
5,199
5,216
Electorate: 44,860 Valid: 34,716 Spoilt: 335 (0.9%) Quota: 8,680 Turnout: 35,051 (78.1%)
1965 general election
1965 general election : Donegal South-West[ 4] [ 37]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
Fianna Fáil
Joseph Brennan [*]
27.3
7,020
Fine Gael
Patrick O'Donnell [*]
26.1
6,691
Fianna Fáil
Cormac Breslin [*]
24.3
6,240
6,804
Fine Gael
James White
16.7
4,298
4,326
Fine Gael
Frank Reid
5.6
1,432
1,439
Electorate: 35,828 Valid: 25,681 Quota: 6,421 Turnout: 71.7%
1961 general election
1961 general election : Donegal South-West[ 3] [ 37]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
Fianna Fáil
Joseph Brennan [*]
29.8
7,045
Fine Gael
Patrick O'Donnell [*]
23.3
5,512
5,546
6,030
Fine Gael
Christopher Gallagher
19.5
4,599
4,660
4,864
Fianna Fáil
Cormac Breslin [*]
19.2
4,536
5,552
5,927
Sinn Féin
Séamus Rodgers
8.2
1,930
1,958
Electorate: 36,231 Valid: 23,622 Quota: 5,906 Turnout: 65.2%
References
^ Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 , Schedule (No. 4 of 2009, Schedule ). Enacted on 24 February 2009. Act of the Oireachtas . Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 29 September 2010.
^ a b Walker, Brian M, ed. (1992). Parliamentary election results in Ireland, 1918–92 . Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0-901714-96-8 . ISSN 0332-0286 .
^ a b "General election 1961: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2010 .
^ a b "General election 1965: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2010 .
^ a b "General election 1981: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2010 .
^ a b "General election February 1982: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2010 .
^ a b "General election November 1982: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2010 .
^ a b "By-election 1983: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2009 .
^ a b "General election 1987: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2010 .
^ a b "General election 1989: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2010 .
^ a b "General election 1992: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2009 .
^ a b "General election 1997: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 5 September 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2009 .
^ a b "General election 2002: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2009 .
^ a b "General election 2007: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2009 .
^ a b "By-election 2010: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2010 .
^ a b "General election 2011: Donegal South–West" . ElectionsIreland.org . Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2011 .
^ "Introduction of New Members" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 684 No. 1 . 9 June 2009.
^ "Issue of Writ: Donegal South-West By-election" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 687 No. 1 . 2 July 2009.
^ "Issue of Writ: Donegal South-West By-election" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 708 No. 1 . 5 May 2010.
^ "Issue of Writs: Dublin South, Waterford and Donegal South-West By-elections" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 716 No. 1 . 29 September 2010.
^ Doherty v. Government of Ireland [2010] IEHC 369 , [2011] 2 IR 222 (3 November 2010), High Court
^ "Issue of Writ: Donegal South-West By-election" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 721 No. 1 . 4 November 2010.
^ "Introduction of New Member" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 723 No. 3 . 30 November 2010.
^ Government of Ireland (1998). 28th Dáil General Election June, 1997 Election Results and Transfer of Votes . Stationery Office, Government of Ireland.
^ Government of Ireland (1993). Dáil General Election November, 1992 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in the General Election for the Twenty-Seventh Dáil . Stationery Office, Government of Ireland.
^ "26th Dáil 1989 general election results" (PDF) . Houses of the Oireachtas . January 1990. Retrieved 25 October 2023 .
^ "Donegal South-West: 1987 general election" . IrelandElection.com . Retrieved 17 August 2023 .
^ a b "25th Dáil 1987 general election results" (PDF) . Houses of the Oireachtas . July 1987. Retrieved 26 August 2023 .
^ "Death of Member. - Expression of Sympathy" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 339 No. 6 . 1 February 1983.
^ "Issue of Writ: Donegal South-West By-Election" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 341 No. 6 . 19 April 1983.
^ "Return to Writ: Donegal South West. - Introduction of New Member" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 342 No. 8 . 18 May 1983.
^ "Death of Member. - Expression of Sympathy" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 368 No. 5 . 24 June 1986.
^ "Issue of Writ: Donegal South-West By-Election" . Dáil Debates – Vol. 369 No. 1 . 22 October 1986.
^ "24th Dáil November 1982 general election results" (PDF) . Houses of the Oireachtas . August 1983. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ "23rd Dáil February 1982 general election results" (PDF) . Houses of the Oireachtas . August 1982. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ "22nd Dáil 1981 general election results" (PDF) . Houses of the Oireachtas . September 1981. Retrieved 15 October 2023 .
^ a b Gallagher, Michael (2009). Irish Elections 1948–77: Results and Analysis Sources for the Study of Irish Politics 2 . Routledge. ISBN 9781138973343 .
External links