- List of Irish by-elections
-
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This is a list of all by-elections to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament (Oireachtas) since 1923. By-elections in Ireland occur to fill vacant seats which can be caused by the death, resignation or expulsion of a sitting Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament).
There have been 125 by-elections since 1923, to fill 127 vacancies. 90 of these were caused by the death of a sitting Teachta Dála (TD). There has been one by-election during the lifetime of the 31st Dáil. There were no by-elections during the 1st,[n 1] 2nd,[n 1] 3rd, 7th, 9th, 11th, 22nd, 25th and 26th Dála. The longest period without a by-election was almost 10 years between 1984 and 1994. The largest number of by-elections on one day was on 11 March 1925, when seven constituencies filled nine vacancies caused by the National Party's split from Cumann na nGaedheal. Those seven by-elections included two which filled two vacancies, via the single transferable vote. All the other 123 by-elections have used its single-winner analogue, the alternative vote.
There have been 22 TDs who were first elected at a by-election and never subsequently re-elected at a general election. The only person twice elected at by-elections was Thomas Hennessy.
Contents
List
- Note: The entries for by-elections in which seats changed hands are shown in italics
Winner Party Constituency Date Dáil Outgoing Party Reason for vacancy Hugh Kennedy[n 2] CnaG Dublin South 27 October 1923 4th Dáil Michael Hayes CnaG Hayes was elected in two constituencies and opted to represent the NUI[1] Patrick McGilligan CnaG NUI 3 November 1923 4th Dáil Eoin MacNeill CnaG MacNeill was elected in two constituencies and opted to represent Clare.[2] James O'Mara[n 2] CnaG Dublin South 12 March 1924 4th Dáil Philip Cosgrave CnaG Death of Philip Cosgrave Batt O'Connor CnaG Dublin County 19 March 1924 4th Dáil Michael Derham CnaG Death of Michael Derham Richard O'Connell CnaG Limerick 28 May 1924 4th Dáil Richard Hayes CnaG Resignation of Richard Hayes Michael Noonan[n 2] CnaG Cork East 18 November 1924 4th Dáil Thomas O'Mahony CnaG Death of Thomas O'Mahony Seán Lemass Rep Dublin South 18 November 1924 4th Dáil Hugh Kennedy CnaG Appointment of Hugh Kennedy as Chief Justice John Madden Rep Mayo North 18 November 1924 4th Dáil Henry Coyle CnaG Disqualification of Henry Coyle Michael Egan CnaG Cork Borough 19 November 1924 4th Dáil Alfred O'Rahilly CnaG Resignation of Alfred O'Rahilly Denis McCullough[n 2] CnaG Donegal 20 November 1924 4th Dáil Peter J. Ward CnaG Resignation of Peter J. Ward Thomas Bolger[n 2] CnaG Carlow–Kilkenny 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Seán Gibbons CnaG Resignation of Seán Gibbons John Joe O'Reilly CnaG Cavan 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Seán Milroy CnaG Resignation of Seán Milroy Patrick Leonard CnaG Dublin North[n 3] 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Francis Cahill CnaG Resignation of Francis Cahill on 30 October 1924 Oscar Traynor Rep Dublin North[n 3] 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Seán McGarry CnaG Resignation of Seán McGarry on 30 October 1924 Thomas Hennessy CnaG Dublin South 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Daniel McCarthy CnaG Resignation of Daniel McCarthy Samuel Holt Rep Leitrim–Sligo[n 3] 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Thomas Carter CnaG Resignation of Thomas Carter on 30 October 1924 Martin Roddy CnaG Leitrim–Sligo[n 3] 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Alexander McCabe CnaG Resignation of Alexander McCabe Michael Tierney CnaG Mayo North 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Joseph McGrath CnaG Resignation of Joseph McGrath on 29 October 1924 Martin Conlon CnaG Roscommon 11 March 1925 4th Dáil Henry Finlay CnaG Resignation of Henry Finlay William Norton Lab Dublin County 18 February 1926 4th Dáil Darrell Figgis Ind Death of Darrell Figgis James Dwyer CnaG Leix–Offaly 18 February 1926 4th Dáil Seán McGuinness Rep Disqualification of Seán McGuinness Gearóid O'Sullivan CnaG Dublin County 24 August 1927 5th Dáil Kevin O'Higgins CnaG Assassination of Kevin O'Higgins Thomas Hennessy CnaG Dublin South 24 August 1927 5th Dáil Constance Markievicz FF Death of Constance Markievicz Denis Gorey CnaG Carlow–Kilkenny 3 November 1927 6th Dáil W. T. Cosgrave CnaG Cosgrave was elected in two constituencies and opted to represent Cork Borough[3] Vincent Rice CnaG Dublin North 3 April 1928 6th Dáil James Larkin IWL Disqualification of James Larkin due to bankruptcy Thomas F. O'Higgins CnaG Dublin North 14 March 1929 6th Dáil Alfred Byrne Ind Election of Alfred Byrne to Seanad Éireann Seán Mac Eoin CnaG Leitrim–Sligo 7 June 1929 6th Dáil Samuel Holt FF Death of Samuel Holt James Geoghegan FF Longford–Westmeath 13 June 1930 6th Dáil James Killane FF Death of James Killane Thomas Finlay CnaG Dublin County 9 December 1930 6th Dáil Bryan Cooper CnaG Death of Bryan Cooper Thomas Harris FF Kildare 29 June 1931 6th Dáil Hugh Colohan Lab Death of Hugh Colohan Robert Rowlette[n 2] Ind University of Dublin 13 October 1933 8th Dáil James Craig Ind Death of James Craig Cecil Lavery FG Dublin County 17 June 1935 8th Dáil Batt O'Connor FG Death of Batt O'Connor Eamon Corbett FF Galway 19 June 1935 8th Dáil Martin McDonogh FG Death of Martin McDonogh Martin Neilan[n 2] FF Galway 13 August 1936 8th Dáil Patrick Hogan FG Death of Patrick Hogan Denis Allen FF Wexford 17 August 1936 8th Dáil Osmond Esmonde FG Death of Osmond Esmonde John McCann FF Dublin South 6 June 1939 10th Dáil James Beckett FG Death of James Beckett John J. Keane[n 2] FF Galway West 30 May 1940 10th Dáil Seán Tubridy FF Death of Seán Tubridy Donal O'Donoghue[n 2] FF Kerry South 10 November 1944 12th Dáil Fionán Lynch FG Appointment of Fionán Lynch as a Judge Patrick Shanahan[n 2] FF Clare 4 December 1945 12th Dáil Patrick Burke FG Death of Patrick Burke Vivion de Valera FF Dublin North–West 4 December 1945 12th Dáil Seán T. O'Kelly FF Election of Seán T. O'Kelly as President Honor Crowley FF Kerry South 4 December 1945 12th Dáil Frederick Crowley FF Death of Frederick Crowley Bernard Commons CnaT Mayo South 4 December 1945 12th Dáil Micheál Clery FF Appointment of Micheál Clery as County Registrar of Dublin Brendan Corish Lab Wexford 4 December 1945 12th Dáil Richard Corish Lab Death of Richard Corish Patrick McGrath FF Cork Borough 14 June 1946 12th Dáil William Dwyer Ind Resignation of William Dwyer Seán MacBride CnaP Dublin County 29 October 1947 12th Dáil Patrick Fogarty FF Death of Patrick Fogarty Patrick Kinane CnaP Tipperary 29 October 1947 12th Dáil William O'Donnell CnaT Death of William O'Donnell John Ormonde FF Waterford 29 October 1947 12th Dáil Michael Morrissey FF Death of Michael Morrissey Neil Blaney FF Donegal East 7 December 1948 13th Dáil Neal Blaney FF Death of Neal Blaney William J. Murphy[n 2] Lab Cork West 15 June 1949 13th Dáil Timothy J. Murphy Lab Death of Timothy J. Murphy Patrick O'Donnell FG Donegal West 16 November 1949 13th Dáil Brian Brady FF Death of Brian Brady John Carew FG Limerick East 26 June 1952 14th Dáil Daniel Bourke FF Death of Daniel Bourke Phelim Calleary FF Mayo North 26 June 1952 14th Dáil P. J. Ruttledge FF Death of P. J. Ruttledge William Kenneally FF Waterford 26 June 1952 14th Dáil Bridget Redmond FG Death of Bridget Redmond Thomas Byrne Ind Dublin North–West 12 November 1952 14th Dáil Alfred P. Byrne Ind Death of Alfred P. Byrne Richard Barry FG Cork East 18 June 1953 14th Dáil Seán Keane Lab Death of Seán Keane Mark Deering FG Wicklow 18 June 1953 14th Dáil Thomas Brennan FF Death of Thomas Brennan Robert Lahiffe FF Galway South 21 August 1953 14th Dáil Frank Fahy FF Death of Frank Fahy Stephen Barrett FG Cork Borough 3 March 1954 14th Dáil Thomas F. O'Higgins FG Death of Thomas F. O'Higgins George Coburn FG Louth 3 March 1954 14th Dáil James Coburn FG Death of James Coburn Michael Colbert FF Limerick West 13 December 1955 15th Dáil David Madden FG Death of David Madden Kathleen O'Connor[n 2] CnaP Kerry North 29 February 1956 15th Dáil Johnny Connor CnaP Death of Johnny Connor Patrick Byrne Ind Dublin North–East 30 April 1956 15th Dáil Alfred Byrne Ind Death of Alfred Byrne Kieran Egan FF Leix–Offaly 30 April 1956 15th Dáil William Davin Lab Death of William Davin John Galvin FF Cork Borough 2 August 1956 15th Dáil Patrick McGrath FF Death of Patrick McGrath Martin Medlar FF Carlow–Kilkenny 14 November 1956 15th Dáil Thomas Walsh FF Death of Thomas Walsh Noel Lemass, Jnr FF Dublin South–West 14 November 1956 15th Dáil Peadar Doyle FG Death of Peadar Doyle Frank Sherwin Ind Dublin North–Central 14 November 1957 16th Dáil Colm Gallagher FF Death of Colm Gallagher Anthony Millar FF Galway South 30 May 1958 16th Dáil Patrick Beegan FF Death of Patrick Beegan Patrick Cummins FF Dublin South–Central 25 June 1958 16th Dáil Jack Murphy Ind Resignation of Jack Murphy Seán Ó Ceallaigh FF Clare 22 July 1959 16th Dáil Éamon de Valera FF Election of Éamon de Valera as President Richie Ryan FG Dublin South–West 22 July 1959 16th Dáil Bernard Butler FF Death of Bernard Butler Henry Johnston[n 2] FF Meath 22 July 1959 16th Dáil James Griffin FF Death of James Griffin Patrick Teehan[n 2] FF Carlow–Kilkenny 23 June 1960 16th Dáil Joseph Hughes FG Death of Joseph Hughes Joseph McLoughlin FG Sligo–Leitrim 1 March 1961 16th Dáil Stephen Flynn FF Death of Stephen Flynn Paddy Belton FG Dublin North–East 30 May 1963 17th Dáil Jack Belton FG Death of Jack Belton Sheila Galvin[n 2] FF Cork Borough 19 February 1964 17th Dáil John Galvin FF Death of John Galvin Terence Boylan FF Kildare 19 February 1964 17th Dáil William Norton Lab Death of William Norton Joan Burke FG Roscommon 8 July 1964 17th Dáil James Burke FG Death of James Burke John Donnellan FG Galway East 3 December 1964 17th Dáil Michael Donnellan CnaT Death of Michael Donnellan Eileen Desmond Lab Cork Mid 10 March 1965 17th Dáil Dan Desmond Lab Death of Dan Desmond John O'Leary FF Kerry South 7 December 1966 18th Dáil Honor Crowley FF Death of Honor Crowley Fad Browne FF Waterford 7 December 1966 18th Dáil Thaddeus Lynch FG Death of Thaddeus Lynch Seán French FF Cork Borough 9 November 1967 18th Dáil Seán Casey Lab Death of Seán Casey Gerry Collins FF Limerick West 9 November 1967 18th Dáil James Collins FF Death of James Collins Sylvester Barrett FF Clare 14 March 1968 18th Dáil William Murphy FG Death of William Murphy Godfrey Timmins FG Wicklow 14 March 1968 18th Dáil James Everett Lab Death of James Everett Desmond O'Malley FF Limerick East 22 May 1968 18th Dáil Donogh O'Malley FF Death of Donogh O'Malley Seán Sherwin[n 2] FF Dublin South–West 4 March 1970 19th Dáil Seán Dunne Lab Death of Seán Dunne Patrick Malone FG Kildare 14 April 1970 19th Dáil Gerard Sweetman FG Death of Gerard Sweetman Patrick Cooney FG Longford–Westmeath 14 April 1970 19th Dáil Patrick Lenihan FF Death of Patrick Lenihan Patrick Delap[n 2] FF Donegal–Leitrim 2 December 1970 19th Dáil Patrick O'Donnell FG Death of Patrick O'Donnell Larry McMahon FG Dublin County South 2 December 1970 19th Dáil Kevin Boland FF Resignaton of Kevin Boland Gene Fitzgerald FF Cork Mid 2 August 1972 19th Dáil Paddy Forde FF Death of Paddy Forde Brendan Toal[n 2] FG Monaghan 27 November 1973 20th Dáil Erskine H. Childers FF Election of Erskine H. Childers as President Seán Brosnan FF Cork North East 13 November 1974 20th Dáil Liam Ahern FF Death of Liam Ahern Michael P. Kitt FF Galway North East 4 March 1975 20th Dáil Michael F. Kitt FF Death of Michael F. Kitt Máire Geoghegan-Quinn FF Galway West 4 March 1975 20th Dáil Johnny Geoghegan FF Death of Johnny Geoghegan Enda Kenny FG Mayo West 12 November 1975 20th Dáil Henry Kenny FG Death of Henry Kenny Paddy Keaveney[n 2] IFF Donegal North East 10 June 1976 20th Dáil Liam Cunningham FF Death of Liam Cunningham Brendan Halligan[n 2] Lab Dublin South–West 10 June 1976 20th Dáil Noel Lemass, Jnr FF Death of Noel Lemass, Jnr Liam Burke FG Cork City 7 November 1979 21st Dáil Patrick Kerrigan Lab Death of Patrick Kerrigan Myra Barry FG Cork North East 7 November 1979 21st Dáil Seán Brosnan FF Death of Seán Brosnan Clement Coughlan FF Donegal 6 November 1980 21st Dáil Joseph Brennan FF Death of Joseph Brennan Liam Skelly FG Dublin West 25 May 1982 23rd Dáil Richard Burke FG Resignation of Burke on appointment as EU Commissioner Noel Treacy FF Galway East 20 July 1982 23rd Dáil Johnny Callanan FF Death of Johnny Callanan Cathal Coughlan[n 2] FF Donegal South–West 13 May 1983 24th Dáil Clement Coughlan FF Death of Clement Coughlan Tom Leonard FF Dublin Central 23 November 1983 24th Dáil George Colley FF Death of George Colley Brian Cowen FF Laois–Offaly 14 June 1984 24th Dáil Bernard Cowen FF Death of Bernard Cowen Eric Byrne DL Dublin South–Central 9 June 1994 27th Dáil John O'Connell FF Resignation of John O'Connell Michael Ring FG Mayo West 9 June 1994 27th Dáil Pádraig Flynn FF Resignation of Pádraig Flynn on appointment as EU Commissioner Kathleen Lynch DL Cork North–Central 10 November 1994 27th Dáil Gerry O'Sullivan Lab Death of Gerry O'Sullivan Hugh Coveney FG Cork South–Central 10 November 1994 27th Dáil Pat Cox PD Resignation of Pat Cox after election as MEP Mildred Fox Ind Wicklow 29 June 1995 27th Dáil Johnny Fox Ind Death of Johnny Fox Cecilia Keaveney FF Donegal North–East 2 April 1996 27th Dáil Neil Blaney IFF Death of Neil Blaney Brian Lenihan, Jnr FF Dublin West 2 April 1996 27th Dáil Brian Lenihan, Snr FF Death of Brian Lenihan, Snr Jan O'Sullivan Lab Limerick East 11 March 1998 28th Dáil Jim Kemmy Lab Death of Jim Kemmy Seán Ryan Lab Dublin North 11 March 1998 28th Dáil Ray Burke FF Resignation of Ray Burke Simon Coveney FG Cork South–Central 23 October 1998 28th Dáil Hugh Coveney FG Death of Hugh Coveney Mary Upton Lab Dublin South–Central 27 October 1999 28th Dáil Pat Upton Lab Death of Pat Upton Séamus Healy Ind Tipperary South 22 June 2000 28th Dáil Michael Ferris Lab Death of Michael Ferris Tom Hayes FG Tipperary South 30 June 2001 28th Dáil Theresa Ahearn FG Death of Theresa Ahearn Catherine Murphy Ind Kildare North 11 March 2005 29th Dáil Charlie McCreevy FF Resignation of Charlie McCreevy on appointment as EU Commissioner Shane McEntee FG Meath 11 March 2005 29th Dáil John Bruton FG Resignation of John Bruton on appointment as EU Ambassador to the United States George Lee[n 2] FG Dublin South 5 June 2009 30th Dáil Séamus Brennan FF Death of Séamus Brennan Maureen O'Sullivan Ind Dublin Central 5 June 2009 30th Dáil Tony Gregory Ind Death of Tony Gregory Pearse Doherty SF Donegal South–West 25 November 2010 30th Dáil Pat the Cope Gallagher FF Election of Pat the Cope Gallagher to the European Parliament Patrick Nulty Lab Dublin West 27 October 2011 31st Dáil Brian Lenihan, Jnr FF Death of Brian Lenihan, Jnr Footnotes
- ^ a b The First Dáil and Second Dáil were revolutionary parliaments of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic, and as such by-elections were both unnecessary and impractical.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v TDs who were never subsequently re-elected.
- ^ a b c d A single by-election to fill two vacancies in the same constituency.
References
- Walker, Brian M, ed (1992). Parliamentary election results in Ireland, 1918–92. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0 901714 96 8. ISSN 0332-0286.
- "Dáil by-elections 1918–2005". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/results/general/byelectiondail.cfm. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database
Notes
Elections and referendums in the Republic of IrelandGeneral elections Presidential elections Referendums 1937 · 1959 · 1968 · 1972 (May) · 1972 (Dec) · 1979 · 1983 · 1984 · 1986 · 1987 · 1992 (Jun) · 1992 (Nov) · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2001 · 2002 (Mar) · 2002 (Oct) · 2004 · 2008 · 2009 · 2011European elections Local elections *UncontestedCategories:- By-elections in the Republic of Ireland
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