# Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)

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:

## TDs
### TDs 1961–1969

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Donegal South-West 1961–1969 :
| Key to parties  FF = Fianna Fáil  FG = Fine Gael ||||||||
| Dáil | Election | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) |
| 17th | 1961 | | Joseph Brennan (FF) | | Cormac Breslin (FF) | | Patrick O'Donnell (FG) |
| 18th | 1965 | | Joseph Brennan (FF) | | Cormac Breslin (FF) | | Patrick O'Donnell (FG) |
| 19th | 1969 | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim | Constituency abolished. See Donegal–Leitrim |
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

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Donegal South-West 1981–2016 :
| Key to parties  FF = Fianna Fáil  FG = Fine Gael  SF = Sinn Féin  Ind = Independent ||||||||
| Dáil | Election | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) |
| 22nd | 1981 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Clement Coughlan (FF) | | James White (FG) |
| 23rd | 1982 (Feb) | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Clement Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 24th | 1982 (Nov) | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Clement Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 24th | 1983 by-election | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Cathal Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 25th | 1987 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 26th | 1989 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 27th | 1992 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 28th | 1997 | | Tom Gildea (Ind) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 29th | 2002 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 30th | 2007 | | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 30th | 2010 by-election | | Pearse Doherty (SF) | | Mary Coughlan (FF) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 31st | 2011 | | Pearse Doherty (SF) | | Thomas Pringle (Ind) | | Dinny McGinley (FG) |
| 32nd | 2016 | Constituency abolished. See Donegal | Constituency abolished. See Donegal | Constituency abolished. See Donegal | Constituency abolished. See Donegal | Constituency abolished. See Donegal | Constituency abolished. See Donegal |
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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 | 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. 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. 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.
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. 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. The writ was moved the following day. Doherty was successful in the by-election.
2010 by-election: Donegal South-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 | 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%) ||||||||||
* ↑ Independent Fianna Fáil was an unregistered political party and did not appear on the ballot.

### 1992 general election

1992 general election: Donegal South-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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. On 19 April 1983, the writ of election to fill the vacancy was issued. 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.
Cathal Coughlan died on 21 June 1986. On 22 October 1986, a motion to issue the writ was rejected by a vote of 81 to 82.
1983 by-election: Donegal South-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 | 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%) |||||||
* ↑ Independent Fianna Fáil was an unregistered political party and did not appear on the ballot.

### 1981 general election

1981 general election: Donegal South-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 | 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%) ||||||||
* ↑ Independent Fianna Fáil was an unregistered political party and did not appear on the ballot.

### 1965 general election

1965 general election: Donegal South-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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% |||||||