Limerick East was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann , the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1948 to 2011. The method of election was the single transferable vote form of proportional representation (PR-STV).
History and boundaries
The constituency was created under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947 for the 1948 general election . It succeeded the constituency of Limerick , which was divided between Limerick East and Limerick West .
It encompassed the whole of Limerick City Council , together with the Castleconnell electoral area and part of the Bruff electoral area of Limerick County Council and the Ballyglass electoral area of Clare County Council . It was primarily an urban constituency but had a large rural hinterland, and contained small parts of County Clare .[ 1]
The constituency elected 4 deputies (Teachtaí Dála , commonly known as TDs) from 1948 to 1981, and 5 deputies from 1981 to 2011.
While support for left-wing parties has usually been strong in the city of Limerick, the constituency as a whole was long considered a stronghold of the Progressive Democrats (PD), supplying at least one PD TD in all general elections from 1987 until 2007.
The Constituency Commission published its final recommendations on 23 October 2007. As a result of population decline, Limerick East was replaced by a 4-seat constituency called Limerick City .[ 2] Most of the rural parts of Limerick East were transferred to the new Limerick constituency .[ 3]
Limerick East – Constituency boundaries
1948–1961
1961–1969
1969–1981
1981–2011
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
2007 general election
2007 general election : Limerick East[ 25]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
38.6
19,082
Fianna Fáil
Peter Power
7.2
3,569
8,669
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
15.2
7,507
8,484
Labour
Jan O'Sullivan
10.3
5,098
6,236
6,271
6,352
6,556
7,236
8,114
9,051
Fine Gael
Kieran O'Donnell
10.3
5,094
5,566
5,584
5,644
5,816
6,148
6,498
6,966
Progressive Democrats
Tim O'Malley
6.8
3,354
4,211
4,268
4,308
4,387
4,526
4,670
5,776
Fianna Fáil
Noreen Ryan
2.8
1,391
2,943
3,245
3,278
3,419
3,536
4,110
Sinn Féin
Maurice Quinlivan
4.2
2,081
2,480
2,494
2,513
2,686
2,839
Green
Trish Forde Brennan
2.6
1,296
1,420
1,425
1,432
1,619
Independent
John Devane
0.7
330
457
461
469
Independent
Cathal McCarthy
0.4
188
232
233
236
Independent
Denis Riordan
0.4
186
207
209
210
Christian Solidarity
Conor O'Donoghue
0.4
171
202
203
205
Independent
Patrick Moore
0.1
28
38
Electorate: 76,874 Valid: 49,375 Spoilt: 431 (0.9%) Quota: 8,230 Turnout: 49,806 (64.8%)
2002 general election
2002 general election : Limerick East[ 24]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
26.3
13,174
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
18.9
9,451
Fianna Fáil
Peter Power
7.8
3,881
5,838
5,879
5,969
6,007
6,080
6,253
6,425
6,851
9,491
Progressive Democrats
Tim O'Malley
9.8
4,885
5,327
5,415
5,490
5,506
5,631
5,782
5,872
6,324
6,953
7,723
Labour
Jan O'Sullivan
9.3
4,629
5,048
5,193
5,255
5,356
5,715
5,927
6,323
6,958
7,256
7,467
Fine Gael
Mary Jackman
8.9
4,468
4,712
5,409
5,497
5,529
5,657
5,842
5,979
6,569
6,986
7,162
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Wade
5.8
2,918
4,029
4,042
4,084
4,105
4,134
4,266
4,323
4,529
Independent
Patrick Kennedy
4.2
2,092
2,313
2,366
2,434
2,567
2,650
2,840
3,379
Independent
John Gilligan
2.3
1,176
1,315
1,333
1,379
1,576
1,680
1,920
Ind. Health Alliance
Tom Ryan
2.3
1,148
1,269
1,289
1,361
1,405
1,478
Green
Timothy Hourigan
1.8
917
970
985
1,053
1,077
Independent
Michael Kelly
1.3
677
736
751
764
National Party
Nora Bennis
1.0
479
536
545
Christian Solidarity
Conor O'Donoghue
0.2
86
95
96
Independent
Aidan Ryan
0.1
19
27
29
Electorate: 80,593 Valid: 50,000 Spoilt: 513 (1.0%) Quota: 8,334 Turnout: 50,513 (62.7%)
1998 by-election
Following the death of Labour Party TD Jim Kemmy , a by-election was held on 11 March 1998. The seat was won by the Labour Party candidate Jan O'Sullivan.
1997 general election
1997 general election : Limerick East[ 22]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
12,581
25.3
1
1
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
10,092
20.3
2
1
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Wade
4,798
9.7
3
8
Progressive Democrats
Desmond O'Malley
4,358
8.8
4
9
Labour
Jim Kemmy
2,702
5.4
5
11
Fine Gael
Mary Jackman
3,084
6.2
Democratic Left
John Ryan
3,403
6.9
Fianna Fáil
Peter Power
2,362
4.8
Labour
Jan O'Sullivan
1,866
3.8
Progressive Democrats
Eddie Creighton
1,817
3.7
National Party
Nora Bennis
1,533
3.1
Green
Eric Sheppard
802
1.6
Independent
Noel Hannon
195
0.4
Independent
Denis Riordan
108
0.2
Electorate: 76,705 Valid: 49,701 Spoilt: 348 (0.7%) Quota: 8,284 Turnout: 50,049 (65.3%)
1992 general election
1992 general election : Limerick East[ 21]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
10,990
22.7
1
1
Progressive Democrats
Desmond O'Malley
8,304
17.2
2
1
Labour
Jim Kemmy
8,262
17.1
3
1
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
5,437
11.2
4
11
Progressive Democrats
Peadar Clohessy
4,334
9.0
5
12
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Wade
3,637
7.5
Labour
Jan O'Sullivan
3,091
6.4
Fine Gael
Mary Jackman
3,084
6.2
Democratic Left
John Ryan
835
1.7
Independent
Joe Harrington
370
0.8
Independent
Augustine Moore
463
1.0
Sinn Féin
Tom Clancy
400
0.8
Independent
Jude Williams
118
0.2
Electorate: 71,136 Valid: 48,351 Spoilt: 721 (1.5%) Quota: 8,059 Turnout: 49,072 (69.0%)
1989 general election
1989 general election : Limerick East[ 20]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
9,658
20.8
1
1
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
9,168
19.8
2
1
Progressive Democrats
Desmond O'Malley
8,385
18.1
3
1
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
5,805
12.5
4
7
Progressive Democrats
Peadar Clohessy
4,233
9.1
5
8
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Wade
3,073
6.6
Fine Gael
Mary Jackman
2,715
5.9
Fianna Fáil
Anthony Brommel
2,298
5.0
Labour
Declan Leddin
1,006
2.2
Electorate: 66,471 Valid: 46,341 Spoilt: 499 (1.1%) Quota: 7,724 Turnout: 46,840 (70.5%)
1987 general election
1987 general election : Limerick East[ 19]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Progressive Democrats
Desmond O'Malley
12,358
24.9
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
9,268
18.7
2
1
Progressive Democrats
Peadar Clohessy
6,069
12.2
3
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
5,920
11.9
4
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
5,913
11.9
5
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
2,968
6.0
Labour
Frank Prendergast
2,201
4.4
Fianna Fáil
Richard O'Flaherty
2,111
4.3
Fianna Fáil
Michael Parkes
1,254
2.5
Sinn Féin
Pádraig Malone
565
1.1
Independent
Martin Nugent
353
0.7
Workers' Party of Ireland
Fergal Grant
246
0.5
Independent
Declan O'Lehane
241
0.5
Independent
Denis Riordan
87
0.2
Independent
John Donovan
59
0.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 49,613 Quota: 8,269 Turnout:
November 1982 general election
November 1982 general election : Limerick East[ 18]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
10,615
22.5
1
1
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
9,058
19.2
2
1
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
7,306
15.5
3
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
5,631
11.9
4
Labour
Frank Prendergast
4,793
10.2
5
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
4,125
8.7
Fianna Fáil
Michael Herbert
3,204
6.8
Fine Gael
John O'Sullivan
1,308
2.8
Fianna Fáil
John Bourke
859
1.8
Independent
Richard Power
177
0.4
Independent
Patrick Moore
145
0.3
Electorate: ? Valid: 47,221 Quota: 7,871 Turnout:
February 1982 general election
February 1982 general election : Limerick East[ 17]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
9,049
19.1
1
1
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
8,514
18.0
2
1
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
7,425
15.7
3
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
6,502
13.7
4
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
4,527
9.6
5
Fianna Fáil
Peadar Clohessy
4,947
10.5
Labour
Michael Lipper
2,684
5.7
Fine Gael
Patrick Kennedy
1,938
4.1
Independent
John Frawley
676
1.4
Independent
Win Harrington
516
1.1
Independent
John Gilligan
343
0.7
Independent
Joseph Harrington
215
0.5
Electorate: ? Valid: 47,336 Quota: 7,890 Turnout:
1981 general election
1981 general election : Limerick East[ 16]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
9,915
20.4
1
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
9,346
19.2
2
Fine Gael
Michael Noonan
4,311
8.9
3
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
4,190
8.6
4
Fianna Fáil
Peadar Clohessy
5,256
10.8
5
Fianna Fáil
Willie O'Dea
4,297
8.8
Labour
Michael Lipper
2,905
6.0
Labour
Frank Prendergast
2,840
5.8
Fine Gael
Richard Hourigan
2,184
4.5
Fianna Fáil
Éamonn Cregan
1,636
3.4
Independent
John Frawley
866
1.8
Independent
Joseph Harrington
844
1.7
Electorate: ? Valid: 48,590 Quota: 8,099 Turnout:
1977 general election
1977 general election : Limerick East[ 15]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
19.5
8,762
8,765
8,788
8,860
8,900
8,994
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
14.6
6,571
6,573
6,585
6,692
7,302
7,374
7,636
10,169
Independent
Michael Lipper
11.6
5,224
5,257
5,322
5,429
5,575
6,023
7,608
8,049
9,775
Fianna Fáil
Michael Herbert
14.0
6,293
6,306
6,321
6,377
6,405
6,474
6,640
6,786
7,105
7,342
Fianna Fáil
Peadar Clohessy
12.2
5,488
5,497
5,512
5,540
5,572
5,610
5,722
5,778
6,090
6,249
Labour
Stephen Coughlan
7.9
3,553
3,555
3,565
3,618
3,693
3,786
4,008
4,380
Fine Gael
Ted Russell
6.7
3,022
3,024
3,030
3,097
3,403
3,521
3,684
Democratic Socialist
Jim Kemmy
5.2
2,333
2,348
2,413
2,476
2,530
2,920
Independent
Michael Crowe
2.9
1,325
1,335
1,358
1,408
1,447
Fine Gael
Patrick Kennedy
2.9
1,302
1,303
1,307
1,357
Independent
Win Harrington
1.4
646
657
677
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party
Fergus Reynolds
0.6
262
280
Independent
Joseph Harrington
0.3
122
Electorate: 57,023 Valid: 44,903 Spoilt: 217 (0.5%) Quota: 8,981 Turnout: 45,120 (79.1%)[ 26]
1973 general election
1973 general election : Limerick East[ 14]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
7,806
21.0
1
1
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
6,841
18.4
2
Fianna Fáil
Michael Herbert
4,532
12.2
3
Labour
Stephen Coughlan
5,495
14.8
4
Fine Gael
Ted Russell
3,523
9.5
Labour
Michael Lipper
3,292
8.9
Fianna Fáil
Peadar Clohessy
3,242
8.7
Fine Gael
Patrick Kennedy
2,456
6.6
Electorate: ? Valid: 37,187 Quota: 7,438 Turnout:
1969 general election
1969 general election : Limerick East[ 13]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fine Gael
Tom O'Donnell
6,438
17.9
1
Labour
Stephen Coughlan
6,362
17.7
2
Fianna Fáil
Desmond O'Malley
5,960
16.6
3
Fianna Fáil
Michael Herbert
4,985
13.9
4
Independent
Hilda O'Malley
3,361
9.4
Labour
Michael Lipper
3,222
9.0
Fianna Fáil
Liam Hickey
2,838
7.9
Fine Gael
Patrick Kennedy
1,821
5.1
Fine Gael
Patrick Clancy
560
1.6
Labour
Anthony Pratschke
366
1.0
Electorate: ? Valid: 35,913 Quota: 7,183 Turnout:
1968 by-election
Following the death of Fianna Fáil TD Donogh O'Malley , a by-election was held on 22 May 1968. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Desmond O'Malley, nephew of the deceased TD.
1965 general election
1961 general election
1957 general election
1957 general election : Limerick East[ 9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Donogh O'Malley
7,501
20.7
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Paddy Clohessy
5,178
14.3
2
Independent
Ted Russell
5,623
15.5
3
Fine Gael
John Carew
4,193
11.6
4
Fianna Fáil
Patrick Maguire
3,455
9.5
Clann na Poblachta
Stephen Coughlan
3,395
9.4
Sinn Féin
Pádraig Ó Maolcathaigh
3,085
8.5
Labour
Christopher Keyes
2,098
5.8
Fine Gael
Patrick Donegan
1,690
4.7
Electorate: ? Valid: 36,218 Quota: 7,244 Turnout:
1954 general election
1954 general election : Limerick East[ 8]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fine Gael
John Carew
5,362
14.2
1
Fianna Fáil
Donogh O'Malley
6,860
18.1
2
Fianna Fáil
Tadhg Crowley
4,857
12.8
3
Labour
Michael Keyes
5,035
13.3
4
Clann na Poblachta
Stephen Coughlan
5,652
14.9
Fianna Fáil
Paddy Clohessy
4,458
11.8
Fine Gael
James Reidy
3,16
8.45
Fine Gael
Denis Quish
2,402
6.4
Electorate: ? Valid: 37,822 Quota: 7,565 Turnout:
1952 by-election
Following the death of Fianna Fáil TD Daniel Bourke , a by-election was held on 26 June 1952. The seat was won by the Fine Gael candidate John Carew.
1951 general election
1948 general election
1948 general election : Limerick East[ 5]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Daniel Bourke
8,128
22.0
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Robert Ryan
4,187
11.4
2
Fine Gael
James Reidy
4,496
12.2
3
Labour
Michael Keyes
5,756
15.6
4
Fianna Fáil
Timothy Crowley
3,420
9.3
Fine Gael
George C. Bennett
3,326
9.0
Clann na Poblachta
Ted Russell
2,777
7.5
Clann na Talmhan
Patrick Donegan
2,131
5.8
Clann na Poblachta
Seán Carroll
1,533
4.2
Clann na Poblachta
Thomas Malone
1,125
3.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 36,879 Quota: 7,376 Turnout:
See also
References
External links