Clare is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann , the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas . The constituency elects 4 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's boundaries have varied widely since its formation in 1921, but the boundaries in use for the 2016 general election span almost the entire area of the county, taking in Ennis , Shannon , Kilrush , Newmarket-on-Fergus and Ennistymon . A small part of the south-east of the county around Ballyglass is in the Limerick City constituency.[ 1]
Clare is historically a Fianna Fáil stronghold. The party founder, Taoiseach and President Éamon de Valera served the constituency for 38 years, from 1921 to 1959. His granddaughter, Síle de Valera , retired as TD for the area at the 2007 general election. Other notable former deputies include President Patrick Hillery , the long-serving Ceann Comhairle (chairman of the Dáil) Patrick Hogan and Moosajee Bhamjee who was the first Muslim TD.
The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013 defines the constituency as:
"The county of Clare, except the part thereof which is comprised in the constituency of Limerick City."
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 : Clare[ 37]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley
17.9
10,215
10,292
10,382
10,480
10,624
10,772
12,150
Independent
Michael Harty
15.1
8,629
8,812
8,978
9,065
9,840
10,360
10,688
10,843
11,962
Fine Gael
Pat Breen
11.5
6,583
6,621
6,640
6,857
7,337
7,420
7,512
7,537
7,815
7,910
8,292
10,088
Fine Gael
Joe Carey
10.7
6,071
6,115
6,148
6,195
6,778
6,894
7,032
7,062
7,422
7,535
7,931
9,915
Fianna Fáil
Michael McDonagh
8.3
4,726
4,749
4,764
4,954
4,997
5,056
5,497
5,887
6,139
6,229
6,929
7,762
Labour
Michael McNamara
7.8
4,472
4,516
4,587
4,672
4,896
5,347
5,498
5,569
5,955
6,090
6,844
Sinn Féin
Noeleen Moran
7.4
4,216
4,277
4,519
4,611
4,664
4,957
5,058
5,083
5,473
5,601
Independent
Anne Norton
3.9
2,240
2,321
2,442
2,521
2,686
2,982
3,152
3,205
Fianna Fáil
Clare Colleran Molloy
4.6
2,639
2,673
2,697
2,716
2,824
2,880
Green
Fergal Smith
3.0
1,700
1,764
2,092
2,144
2,193
Fine Gael
Mary Howard
3.6
2,053
2,076
2,098
2,119
Independent
Ian Lynch
2.6
1,494
1,535
1,575
Fís Nua
Niamh O'Brien
2.0
1,154
1,216
Independent
Richard Cahill
1.2
699
Independent
André Sibo Hakizimana
0.1
70
Independent
Dermot Mulqueen
0.1
39
Electorate: 83,660 Valid: 57,000 Spoilt: 407 (0.7%) Quota: 11,401 Turnout: 57,407 (68.6%)
2011 general election
2011 general election : Clare[ 36]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Fine Gael
Pat Breen
17.0
9,855
9,865
9,879
9,896
9,917
9,949
10,084
10,207
10,479
10,988
13,334
Labour
Michael McNamara
14.8
8,572
8,581
8,615
8,659
8,697
8,871
9,071
9,584
9,985
10,552
11,883
Fine Gael
Joe Carey
13.5
7,840
7,859
7,876
7,888
7,906
7,953
8,028
8,160
8,334
8,617
10,961
12,489
Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley
11.7
6,789
6,795
6,806
6,813
6,823
6,858
6,906
6,963
7,071
10,597
10,965
11,021
Independent
James Breen
11.2
6,491
6,546
6,583
6,599
6,662
6,795
7,029
7,136
7,678
8,732
9,354
9,520
Fine Gael
Tony Mulcahy
11.8
6,829
6,832
6,861
6,866
6,881
6,932
6,980
7,106
7,228
7,438
Fianna Fáil
John Hillery
10.4
6,015
6,020
6,044
6,053
6,066
6,093
6,161
6,242
6,468
Independent
Brian Markham
2.7
1,543
1,547
1,565
1,585
1,637
1,825
2,064
2,157
Green
Brian Meaney
2.0
1,154
1,158
1,163
1,172
1,187
1,266
1,339
Independent
Jim Connolly
1.7
978
1,002
1,015
1,031
1,075
1,216
Independent
Madeline McAleer
0.7
428
429
450
487
509
Independent
Ann Cronin
0.7
419
429
440
497
521
Independent
Gerry Walshe
0.6
328
332
340
352
Independent
Sarah Ferrigan
0.4
252
260
265
Independent
J. J. McCabe
0.4
248
252
Independent
Patrick Brassil
0.3
175
Electorate: 82,745 Valid: 57,916 Spoilt: 579 (1.0%) Quota: 11,584 Turnout: 58,495 (70.7%)
2007 general election
2007 general election : Clare[ 35]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley
19.1
10,791
11,013
11,273
11,634
Fianna Fáil
Tony Killeen
14.8
8,321
8,463
8,660
8,976
9,384
9,696
14,083
Fine Gael
Pat Breen
12.5
7,036
7,204
7,308
7,695
8,572
10,358
11,112
11,667
Fine Gael
Joe Carey
10.3
5,818
6,008
6,116
6,664
7,547
9,090
9,417
9,801
9,982
Independent
James Breen
9.3
5,218
5,340
5,689
6,481
6,876
7,451
8,203
9,334
9,526
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
10.1
5,712
5,870
5,993
6,089
6,278
6,807
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
6.4
3,592
3,719
3,887
4,419
5,170
Fine Gael
Tony Mulcahy
6.0
3,408
3,493
3,611
3,833
Green
Brian Meaney
5.1
2,858
3,163
3,605
Sinn Féin
Anna Prior
3.4
1,929
2,012
Labour
Pascal Fitzgerald
1.6
892
Progressive Democrats
Murt Collins
1.4
810
Electorate: 79,555 Valid: 56,385 Spoilt: 385 (0.7%) Quota: 11,278 Turnout: 56,770 (71.4%)
2002 general election
2002 general election : Clare[ 34]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Independent
James Breen
19.5
9,721
10,054
Fine Gael
Pat Breen
9.1
4,541
4,701
5,265
6,934
11,396
Fianna Fáil
Tony Killeen
16.3
8,130
8,252
8,640
9,064
9,482
Fianna Fáil
Síle de Valera
15.6
7,755
7,866
8,464
8,819
9,370
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
13.5
6,717
6,786
6,914
7,086
7,683
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
8.3
4,124
4,349
5,034
6,726
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
8.1
4,015
4,227
4,591
Green
Brian Meaney
5.8
2,903
3,508
Labour
Michael Corley
3.4
1,720
Christian Solidarity
Derek Whelan
0.4
176
Electorate: 80,412 Valid: 49,802 Spoilt: 539 (1.1%) Quota: 9,961 Turnout: 50,341 (62.6%)
1997 general election
1997 general election : Clare[ 33]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Tony Killeen
8,169
17.4
1
7
Fianna Fáil
Síle de Valera
8,025
17.1
2
7
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
7,781
16.6
3
7
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
7,420
15.8
4
9
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
6,325
13.5
Progressive Democrats
Mary Mannion
3,250
6.9
Green
Brian Meaney
1,682
3.6
Labour
Brídín Twist
1,684
3.6
National Party
Rita O'Connor
876
1.9
Independent
Brigid Makowski
944
2.0
Christian Solidarity
Joe Aston
499
1.1
Independent
Michael McInerney
234
0.5
Electorate: 71,491 Valid: 46,889 Spoilt: 477 (1.0%) Quota: 9,378 Turnout: 47,366 (66.3%)
1992 general election
1992 general election : Clare[ 32]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
6,567
14.7
1
7
Fianna Fáil
Tony Killeen
6,814
15.3
2
8
Labour
Moosajee Bhamjee
5,113
11.5
3
8
Fianna Fáil
Síle de Valera
6,752
15.1
4
8
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
5,940
13.3
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
4,873
10.9
Fianna Fáil
Colm Wiley
3,582
8.0
Progressive Democrats
Mary Mannion
3,112
6.9
Independent
Frankie Neylon
977
2.2
Sinn Féin
Mike McKee
459
1.0
Independent
Michael McInerney
419
0.9
Electorate: 66,042 Valid: 44,608 Spoilt: 537 (1.2%) Quota: 8,922 Turnout: 45,145 (68.4%)
1989 general election
1987 general election
1987 general election : Clare[ 30]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Síle de Valera
8,530
18.0
1
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
8,045
17.0
2
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
7,897
16.7
3
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
5,229
11.0
4
Fianna Fáil
Frank Barrett
4,799
10.1
Fianna Fáil
John O'Rourke
3,796
8.0
Progressive Democrats
David O'Keeffe
3,069
6.5
Progressive Democrats
Thomas Meaney
2,534
5.4
Independent
Thomas Brennan
2,230
4.7
Independent
Brigid Makowski
644
1.4
Labour
Thomas O'Shaughnessy
600
1.3
Electorate: ? Valid: 47,373 Quota: 9,475 Turnout:
November 1982 general election
November 1982 general election : Clare[ 29]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Sylvester Barrett
8,793
19.4
1
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
8,009
17.7
2
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
7,553
16.7
3
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
6,339
14.0
4
Fianna Fáil
Síle de Valera
6,471
14.3
Independent
Bill Loughnane
2,674
5.9
Labour
Agnes McCarthy
2,344
5.2
Fianna Fáil
Colm Wiley
2,133
4.7
Fine Gael
Séamus Durack
934
2.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 45,250 Quota: 9,051 Turnout:
February 1982 general election
February 1982 general election : Clare[ 28]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
22.5
9,819
Fianna Fáil
Bill Loughnane
20.3
8,840
Fianna Fáil
Sylvester Barrett
16.6
7,216
8,078
8,111
8,031
8,511
8,855
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
17.4
7,570
7,635
7,660
7,680
7,855
8,778
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor
15.2
6,602
6,718
6,729
6,741
6,952
7,662
Labour
Agnes McCarthy
4.5
1,957
1,985
2,001
2,048
2,214
Sinn Féin
Joe O'Connell
2.8
1,233
1,255
1,262
1,378
Irish Republican Socialist
Brigid Makowski
0.5
232
238
243
Independent Fianna Fáil
Frank McTigue
0.2
100
106
Electorate: 58,727 Valid: 43,569 Spoilt: 347 (0.8%) Quota: 8,714 Turnout: 43,916 (74.8%)
1981 general election
1981 general election : Clare[ 27]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Brendan Daly
10,896
24.0
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Sylvester Barrett
8,574
18.9
2
Fine Gael
Madeleine Taylor
5,881
13.0
3
Fianna Fáil
Bill Loughnane
4,444
9.8
4
Fine Gael
Donal Carey
5,203
11.5
Fine Gael
Michael Howard
2,818
6.2
Fianna Fáil
Bernard McNamara
2,676
5.9
Labour
Agnes McCarthy
2,471
5.5
Anti H-Block
Thomas McAllister
2,120
4.7
Independent
Desmond Crowley
106
0.2
Independent
Laurence Griffin
62
0.1
Independent
Gerard Nix
57
0.1
Independent
Hugh O'Brien
21
0.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 45,329 Quota: 9,066 Turnout:
1977 general election
1973 general election
1969 general election
1968 by-election
Following the death of Fine Gael TD William Murphy , a by-election was held on 14 March 1968. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Sylvester Barrett.
1965 general election
1961 general election
1959 by-election
Following the election of Éamon de Valera as President of Ireland , a by-election was held on 22 July 1959. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Seán Ó Ceallaigh.
1957 general election
1954 general election
1951 general election
1951 general election : Clare[ 17]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
13,850
33.4
1
1
Fine Gael
William Murphy
8,016
19.3
2
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Hillery
4,063
9.8
3
Labour
Patrick Hogan
5,213
12.6
4
Independent
Thomas Burke
4,031
9.7
Fianna Fáil
M. Considine
2,634
6.4
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
2,028
4.9
Fine Gael
Vincent McHugh
1,648
4.0
Electorate: ? Valid: 41,483 Quota: 8,297 Turnout:
1948 general election
1948 general election : Clare[ 15]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
12,574
30.3
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
3,020
7.3
2
Independent
Thomas Burke
4,576
11.0
3
Labour
Patrick Hogan
4,586
11.1
4
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Shanahan
3,235
7.8
Fine Gael
Charles Burke
2,854
6.9
Fianna Fáil
Seán Brady
2,697
6.5
Clann na Talmhan
Thomas Burke
2,042
4.9
Clann na Poblachta
Peter O'Loughlin
1,732
4.2
Clann na Poblachta
Thomas Lillis
1,612
3.9
Fine Gael
Austin Brennan
1,183
2.9
Clann na Poblachta
Timothy Smythe
851
2.1
Fine Gael
Edward Monahan
552
1.3
Electorate: ? Valid: 41,514 Quota: 8,303 Turnout:
1945 by-election
Following the death of Fine Gael TD Patrick Burke , a by-election was held on 4 December 1945. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Patrick Shanahan.
1944 general election
1943 general election
1943 general election : Clare[ 12]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
14,961
30.9
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
4,167
8.6
2
Fine Gael
Patrick Burke
4,926
10.2
3
Independent
Thomas Burke
4,637
9.6
4
Labour
Patrick Hogan
5,177
10.7
5
Fianna Fáil
Peter O'Loghlen
3,240
6.7
Independent
John Clancy
2,433
5.0
Independent
William Clune
1,832
3.8
Fine Gael
William Counihan
1,639
3.4
Independent
John Fahy
1,376
2.8
Fianna Fáil
Patrick McMahon
1,013
2.1
Independent
Stanislaus Burke
953
2.0
Fine Gael
Cormac Halpin
789
1.6
Independent
Seán Hogan
700
1.5
Labour
Joseph Hughes
543
1.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 48,386 Quota: 8,065 Turnout:
1938 general election
1938 general election : Clare[ 11]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
14,723
29.7
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
7,270
14.7
2
Fianna Fáil
Peter O'Loghlen
3,079
6.2
3
Independent
Thomas Burke
6,525
13.2
4
Fine Gael
Patrick Burke
6,280
12.7
5
Labour
Patrick Hogan
5,713
11.5
Fianna Fáil
Martin Sexton
4,305
8.7
Fine Gael
Edmund Carroll
1,686
3.4
Electorate: ? Valid: 49,581 Quota: 8,264 Turnout:
1937 general election
1937 general election : Clare[ 10]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
14,012
28.6
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
4,410
9.0
2
Fine Gael
Patrick Burke
6,327
12.9
3
Independent
Thomas Burke
6,333
12.9
4
Labour
Patrick Hogan
5,262
10.7
5
Fine Gael
Bartholomew Crowley
3,807
7.8
Independent
Patrick Houlihan
2,821
5.8
Fianna Fáil
Thomas Shalloo
2,555
5.2
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Keely
1,764
3.6
Fine Gael
William Murphy
1,747
3.6
Electorate: ? Valid: 49,038 Quota: 8,174 Turnout:
1933 general election
1933 general election : Clare[ 9]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
18,574
42.1
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Houlihan
3,289
7.5
2
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Burke
5,254
11.9
3
Labour
Patrick Hogan
4,307
9.8
4
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
3,079
7.0
5
National Centre Party
Patrick Baxter
4,041
9.2
Fianna Fáil
Martin Sexton
3,618
8.2
Cumann na nGaedheal
Thomas Flavey
1,993
4.5
Electorate: ? Valid: 44,155 Quota: 7,360 Turnout:
1932 general election
1932 general election : Clare[ 8]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
12,504
30.2
1
1
Labour
Patrick Hogan
5,701
13.8
2
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
4,002
9.7
3
Fianna Fáil
Martin Sexton
5,444
13.2
4
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Burke
5,254
12.7
5
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Kelly
4,301
10.4
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Houlihan
2,408
5.8
Cumann na nGaedheal
Hubert Hunt
1,783
4.3
Electorate: ? Valid: 41,397 Quota: 6,900 Turnout:
September 1927 general election
September 1927 general election : Clare[ 7]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
13,902
34.3
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Houlihan
3,003
7.4
2
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Kelly
5,646
13.9
3
Labour
Patrick Hogan
4,683
11.6
4
Fianna Fáil
Martin Sexton
3,506
8.7
5
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Burke
4,201
10.4
Farmers' Party
Thomas Falvey
2,481
6.1
Cumann na nGaedheal
Seán O'Dea
2,136
5.3
Fianna Fáil
John O'Dwyer
977
2.4
Electorate: ? Valid: 40,535 Quota: 6,756 Turnout:
June 1927 general election
June 1927 general election : Clare[ 6]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Éamon de Valera
13,029
33.8
1
1
Farmers' Party
Thomas Falvey
5,140
13.3
2
Labour
Patrick Hogan
4,147
10.8
5
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Kelly
3,612
9.4
3
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Houlihan
1,500
3.9
4
National League
Thomas O'Donnell
2,830
7.3
Cumann na nGaedheal
Hubert Hunt
2,382
6.2
Independent
Denis Healy
2,368
6.1
Sinn Féin
Brian O'Higgins
1,412
3.7
Cumann na nGaedheal
James O'Flynn
1,327
3.4
Fianna Fáil
Seán O'Grady
799
2.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 38,546 Quota: 6,425 Turnout:
1923 general election
1923 general election : Clare[ 5]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Republican
Éamon de Valera
17,762
45.0
1
1
Cumann na nGaedheal
Eoin MacNeill
8,196
20.8
2
1
Republican
Brian O'Higgins
114
0.3
3
12
Farmers' Party
Conor Hogan
1,914
4.9
4
14
Labour
Patrick Hogan
2,083
5.3
5
14
Labour
Patrick MacNamara
2,140
5.4
Cumann na nGaedheal
Michael Hehir
1,809
4.6
Farmers' Party
Batt Skehan
1,556
3.9
Farmers' Party
Patrick Ryan
1,313
3.3
Cumann na nGaedheal
James O'Regan
918
2.3
Cumann na nGaedheal
Patrick Kelly
588
1.5
Republican
Frank Barrett
482
1.2
Cumann na nGaedheal
Peter O'Loughlin
237
0.6
Republican
Michael Comyn
219
0.6
Republican
Thomas Honan
114
0.3
Electorate: 58,495 Valid: 39,445 Quota: 6,575 Turnout: 67.4%
1922 general election
1921 general election
See also
References
External links
52°50′N 9°00′W / 52.833°N 9.000°W / 52.833; -9.000