# Limerick West (Dáil constituency)

Limerick West was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1948 to 2011. 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 created under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947 for the 1948 general election. It succeeded the constituency of Limerick, which was divided between Limerick West and Limerick East. It was located in the western and southern part of County Limerick. It was a rural constituency, including the towns of Abbeyfeale, Askeaton, Newcastle West and Rathkeale.
In some elections, such as in 1981 and 1982, only Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael candidates appeared on the ballot. A Progressive Democrats candidate was elected in 1987; this was the only time a candidate from a party other than Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael was elected in the constituency. No candidate from a left-wing party was ever elected there.
At the 2011 general election the constituency was replaced by the constituencies of Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick. The western part of the constituency became part of Kerry North–West Limerick, while the remainder, along with most of the rural parts of Limerick East, was transferred to the Limerick constituency.

## TDs

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Limerick West 1948–2011 :
| Key to parties  FF = Fianna Fáil  FG = Fine Gael  PDs = Progressive Democrats ||||||||
| Dáil | Election | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) |
| 13th | 1948 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | David Madden (FG) |
| 14th | 1951 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | David Madden (FG) |
| 15th | 1954 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | David Madden (FG) |
| 15th | 1955 by-election | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | Michael Colbert (FF) |
| 16th | 1957 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 17th | 1961 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 18th | 1965 | | James Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 18th | 1967 by-election | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Donnchadh Ó Briain (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 19th | 1969 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 20th | 1973 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | Denis Jones (FG) |
| 21st | 1977 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | William O'Brien (FG) |
| 22nd | 1981 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | William O'Brien (FG) |
| 23rd | 1982 (Feb) | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | William O'Brien (FG) |
| 24th | 1982 (Nov) | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | William O'Brien (FG) |
| 25th | 1987 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | John McCoy (PDs) |
| 26th | 1989 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | Michael Finucane (FG) |
| 27th | 1992 | | Gerry Collins (FF) | | Michael J. Noonan (FF) | | Michael Finucane (FG) |
| 28th | 1997 | | Michael Collins (FF) | | Dan Neville (FG) | | Michael Finucane (FG) |
| 29th | 2002 | | Michael Collins (FF) | | Dan Neville (FG) | | John Cregan (FF) |
| 30th | 2007 | | Niall Collins (FF) | | Dan Neville (FG) | | John Cregan (FF) |
| 31st | 2011 | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick | Constituency abolished. See Limerick and Kerry North–West Limerick |
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 West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Niall Collins | 25.7 | 10,396 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | John Cregan | 21.5 | 8,701 | 8,823 | 10,355 |
| | Fine Gael | Dan Neville | 20.6 | 8,314 | 8,504 | 10,018 |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 19.4 | 7,839 | 7,975 | 9,027 |
| | Labour | James Heffernan | 5.6 | 2,277 | 2,687 | |
| | Progressive Democrats | Michael Brennan | 4.8 | 1,935 | 1,993 | |
| | Green | James Nix | 2.4 | 969 | | |
| Electorate: 58,712 Valid: 40,431 Spoilt: 381 (0.9%) Quota: 10,108 Turnout: 40,812 (69.5%) |||||||

### 2002 general election

In the final count Dan Neville beat Michael Finucane by only one vote to win the last seat.
2002 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Fianna Fáil | John Cregan | 30.3 | 10,823 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Collins | 23.1 | 8,236 | 9,526 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Dan Neville | 20.9 | 7,446 | 7,678 | 7,862 | 8,564 |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 20.8 | 7,410 | 7,684 | 7,867 | 8,563 |
| | Green | Marcus Briody | 2.7 | 948 | 1,002 | 1,138 | |
| | Independent | Mike MacDomhnaill | 1.9 | 662 | 710 | 789 | |
| | Christian Solidarity | Patrick O'Riordan | 0.4 | 144 | 151 | 177 | |
| Electorate: 53,879 Valid: 35,669 Spoilt: 476 (1.3%) Quota: 8,918 Turnout: 36,145 (67.1%) ||||||||

### 1997 general election

1997 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Fine Gael | Dan Neville | 20.9 | 7,026 | 7,062 | 7,265 | 7,672 | 8,253 | 8,601 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Collins | 20.8 | 6,985 | 7,029 | 7,357 | 7,519 | 8,236 | 11,692 | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 16.3 | 5,476 | 5,523 | 5,679 | 6,170 | 6,673 | 6,923 | 7,330 |
| | Fianna Fáil | John Clifford | 11.7 | 3,921 | 3,953 | 4,255 | 4,337 | 4,937 | | |
| | Independent | Michael Brennan | 10.9 | 3,661 | 3,695 | 3,890 | 4,067 | 4,946 | 5,474 | 6,583 |
| | Independent | John Gallahue | 10.0 | 3,355 | 3,413 | 3,521 | 3,689 | | | |
| | Labour | Mary Kelly | 4.2 | 1,418 | 1,478 | 1,584 | | | | |
| | Progressive Democrats | Jeanette McDonnell | 4.2 | 1,406 | 1,444 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Mike MacDomhnaill | 1.1 | 366 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 47,859 Valid: 33,614 Spoilt: 365 (1.1%) Quota: 8,404 Turnout: 33,979 (71.0%) |||||||||||

### 1992 general election

1992 general election: Limerick 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 | Gerry Collins | 34.3 | 10,913 | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 16.2 | 5,164 | 5,420 | 5,448 | 5,481 | 5,584 | 6,187 | 7,600 |
| | Fine Gael | Dan Neville | 14.6 | 4,657 | 4,807 | 4,831 | 4,842 | 4,941 | 5,582 | 6,631 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 13.1 | 4,173 | 6,288 | 6,313 | 6,417 | 6,636 | 7,123 | 7,990 |
| | Labour | Mary Kelly | 10.8 | 3,447 | 3,668 | 3,700 | 3,801 | 3,892 | 4,494 | |
| | Progressive Democrats | Seán Liston | 7.4 | 2,343 | 2,476 | 2,493 | 2,521 | 2,589 | | |
| | Independent | Bridget Randles | 2.0 | 645 | 682 | 688 | 709 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Colreall Mac Curtain | 1.1 | 346 | 365 | 370 | | | | |
| | Independent | John Basil Fitzgibbon | 0.4 | 129 | 156 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 44,848 Valid: 31,817 Spoilt: 524 (1.6%) Quota: 7,955 Turnout: 32,341 (72.1%) |||||||||||

### 1989 general election

1989 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 39.7 | 12,476 | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 27.0 | 8,484 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 20.7 | 6,491 | 9,935 |
| | Progressive Democrats | Seán Liston | 12.6 | 3,960 | 4,467 |
| Electorate: 43,690 Valid: 31,411 Spoilt: 481 (1.5%) Quota: 7,853 Turnout: 31,892 (73.0%) ||||||

### 1987 general election

1987 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 31.8 | 10,812 | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 19.5 | 6,631 | 8,504 | | | |
| | Progressive Democrats | John McCoy | 19.4 | 6,580 | 6,789 | 6,971 | 7,748 | 9,082 |
| | Fine Gael | Jim Houlihan | 9.9 | 3,352 | 3,408 | 3,457 | 4,357 | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Finucane | 9.5 | 3,218 | 3,314 | 3,439 | 4,568 | 7,102 |
| | Fine Gael | Dan Neville | 8.5 | 2,894 | 2,950 | 3,012 | | |
| | Labour | Paudge Brennan | 1.5 | 519 | 539 | | | |
| Electorate: 43,418 Valid: 34,006 Quota: 8,502 Turnout: 78.3% |||||||||

### November 1982 general election

November 1982 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 40.0 | 12,719 | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 26.5 | 8,435 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 22.2 | 7,061 | 11,478 |
| | Fine Gael | Brendan Danaher | 11.3 | 3,580 | 3,933 |
| Electorate: 41,825 Valid: 31,795 Quota: 7,949 Turnout: 76.0% ||||||

### February 1982 general election

February 1982 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 40.1 | 12,702 | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 26.5 | 8,390 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 23.8 | 7,535 | 12,056 |
| | Fine Gael | Seán Broderick | 9.7 | 3,088 | 3,340 |
| Electorate: 41,097 Valid: 31,715 Quota: 7,929 Turnout: 77.2% ||||||

### 1981 general election

1981 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 44.5 | 14,776 | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 26.2 | 8,676 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 19.8 | 6,579 | 12,731 |
| | Fine Gael | Donal Sheehan | 9.5 | 3,158 | 3,484 |
| Electorate: 41,097 Valid: 33,189 Spoilt: 387 (1.2%) Quota: 8,298 Turnout: 33,576 (81.7%) ||||||

### 1977 general election

1977 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 30.2 | 10,081 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 29.2 | 9,749 | | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 22.7 | 7,596 | 8,153 | 8,887 |
| | Fine Gael | Ailish Jones-Cassidy | 9.5 | 3,165 | 3,526 | 3,775 |
| | Labour | Edward Dwyer | 4.3 | 1,444 | 1,950 | 2,299 |
| | Fine Gael | Seán Broderick | 4.1 | 1,379 | 1,682 | 1,745 |
| Electorate: 42,037 Valid: 33,414 Spoilt: 266 (0.8%) Quota: 8,354 Turnout: 33,680 (80.1%) |||||||

### 1973 general election

1973 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 33.9 | 9,679 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 22.4 | 6,403 | 6,555 | 8,337 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 18.9 | 5,398 | 7,635 | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 14.9 | 4,253 | 4,313 | 5,165 |
| | Fine Gael | Brendan Danaher | 9.8 | 2,792 | 2,890 | |
| Electorate: 35,904 Valid: 28,525 Quota: 7,132 Turnout: 79.5% |||||||

### 1969 general election

1969 general election: Limerick 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 | Gerry Collins | 36.7 | 10,557 | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 21.4 | 6,165 | 6,340 | 6,359 | 6,463 | 6,894 | 8,432 | | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Brien | 10.8 | 3,102 | 3,175 | 3,192 | 3,237 | 3,423 | 3,966 | 5,110 | 5,300 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael J. Noonan | 9.0 | 2,598 | 3,696 | 3,765 | 3,794 | 3,911 | 4,042 | 4,085 | 7,153 |
| | Fine Gael | Brendan Danaher | 8.2 | 2,366 | 2,459 | 2,520 | 2,540 | 2,674 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Rory Kiely | 6.9 | 1,991 | 3,686 | 3,703 | 3,730 | 3,865 | 4,017 | 4,063 | |
| | Labour | Edward Dwyer | 4.4 | 1,254 | 1,398 | 1,410 | 1,732 | | | | |
| | Labour | Michael Murphy | 1.8 | 529 | 589 | 607 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Thomas Lynch | 0.8 | 231 | 251 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 35,621 Valid: 28,793 Quota: 7,199 Turnout: 80.8% ||||||||||||

### 1967 by-election

Following the death of Fianna Fáil TD James Collins, a by-election was held on 9 November 1967. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Gerry Collins, son of the deceased TD.
1967 by-election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Collins | 53.8 | 14,384 |
| | Fine Gael | William Madden | 38.6 | 10,237 |
| | Labour | Edward Dwyer | 7.7 | 2,048 |
| Electorate: 32,958 Valid: 26,669 Quota: 13,335 Turnout: 80.9% |||||

### 1965 general election

1965 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Collins | 33.4 | 8,476 | |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 28.5 | 7,213 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 21.1 | 5,343 | 7,160 |
| | Labour | Edward Dwyer | 9.1 | 2,304 | 2,497 |
| | Fine Gael | Brendan Danaher | 8.0 | 2,020 | 2,146 |
| Electorate: 33,009 Valid: 25,356 Quota: 6,340 Turnout: 76.8% ||||||

### 1961 general election

1961 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Collins | 35.5 | 9,018 | |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 27.7 | 7,037 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 23.6 | 6,006 | 8,514 |
| | Fine Gael | James O'Donnell | 13.2 | 3,346 | 3,504 |
| Electorate: 33,411 Valid: 25,407 Quota: 6,352 Turnout: 76.0% ||||||

### 1957 general election

1957 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 30.8 | 7,952 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Collins | 30.6 | 7,910 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 19.3 | 4,985 | 5,334 | 6,089 | 6,232 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Colbert | 17.3 | 4,467 | 5,095 | 5,748 | 6,114 |
| | Independent | Martin Ward | 2.0 | 514 | 1,031 | 1,075 | |
| Electorate: 33,014 Valid: 25,828 Quota: 6,458 Turnout: 78.2% ||||||||

### 1955 by-election

Following the death of Fine Gael TD David Madden, a by-election was held on 13 December 1955. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Michael Colbert.
1955 by-election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Colbert | 56.2 | 15,088 |
| | Fine Gael | Denis Jones | 35.0 | 9,406 |
| | Labour | Patrick Aherne | 8.8 | 2,349 |
| Electorate: 33,267 Valid: 26,843 Quota: 13,422 Turnout: 80.7% |||||

### 1954 general election

1954 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Collins | 28.5 | 7,857 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 25.6 | 7,078 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | David Madden | 20.3 | 5,614 | 6,528 | 6,724 | 8,943 |
| | Labour | Gerard Hayes | 11.8 | 3,249 | 3,452 | 3,981 | 4,350 |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Connor | 9.0 | 2,471 | 2,629 | 2,860 | |
| | Fine Gael | Liam Bennett | 4.8 | 1,331 | | | |
| Electorate: 33,318 Valid: 27,600 Quota: 6,901 Turnout: 82.8% ||||||||

### 1951 general election

1951 general election: Limerick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fine Gael | David Madden | 29.2 | 7,901 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Collins | 25.3 | 6,851 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 22.0 | 5,966 | 6,069 | 9,189 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Richard Bresnihan | 13.1 | 3,541 | 3,578 | |
| | Fine Gael | William O'Connor | 10.4 | 2,827 | 3,816 | 3,995 |
| Electorate: 35,877 Valid: 27,086 Quota: 6,772 Turnout: 75.5% |||||||

### 1948 general election

1948 general election: Limerick 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 | James Collins | 24.7 | 6,778 | 6,853 | 6,871 | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donnchadh Ó Briain | 22.2 | 6,101 | 6,217 | 6,256 | 6,452 | 6,983 | | |
| | Fine Gael | David Madden | 16.8 | 4,602 | 4,742 | 4,854 | 5,510 | 5,891 | 5,906 | 7,566 |
| | Fianna Fáil | John Lynch | 8.1 | 2,235 | 2,256 | 2,311 | 2,399 | 2,750 | 2,826 | 2,882 |
| | Fine Gael | Timothy O'Connell | 6.5 | 1,783 | 1,844 | 1,908 | 2,069 | 2,194 | 2,207 | |
| | Labour | Patrick Langan | 6.2 | 1,695 | 1,787 | 1,809 | 1,964 | | | |
| | Clann na Poblachta | James O'Connor | 5.1 | 1,402 | 1,445 | 1,944 | 2,071 | 2,386 | 2,395 | 2,659 |
| | Independent | Patrick Fitzsimons | 4.6 | 1,257 | 1,439 | 1,482 | | | | |
| | Clann na Poblachta | Patrick Terence Liston | 3.0 | 836 | 881 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Michael J. K. Dore | 2.9 | 787 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 35,766 Valid: 27,476 Quota: 6,870 Turnout: 76.8% |||||||||||