Clare (Dáil constituency)


Clare is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies. The method of election is the single transferable vote form of proportional representation.

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.
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 Patrick Hogan and Moosajee Bhamjee who was the first Muslim TD.
The Electoral Act 2013 defines the constituency as:

Since 2020

From the 2020 general election, the constituency spans the entire area of County Clare. The Electoral Act 2017 defines the constituency as:

TDs

Elections

2020 general election

2016 general election

2011 general election

2007 general election

2002 general election

1997 general election

1992 general election

1989 general election

1987 general election

November 1982 general election

February 1982 general election

1981 general election

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.

The surplus votes of the elected candidate were distributed after being declared elected because there was a possibility another candidate could have reached the threshold of a third of a quota which would have meant their election deposit was returned to them.

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

1948 general election

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

1938 general election

1937 general election

1933 general election

1932 general election

September 1927 general election

June 1927 general election

1923 general election

1922 general election

1921 general election