# List of female members of Seanad Éireann

This is a list of women Senators who have been elected or appointed to Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas, the bicameral parliament of Ireland.

## Women in Seanad Éireann

| Name | Year first elected | Panel/Constituency first elected | Party as first elected | Age when first elected | Years in Seanad |
| Eileen Costello | 1922 | Elected by Dáil Éireann | Independent | 52 | 1922–1934 |
| Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart | 1922 | Nominated by the President | Independent | 65 | 1922–1933 |
| Alice Stopford Green | 1922 | Elected by Dáil Éireann | Independent | 75 | 1922–1929 |
| Jennie Wyse Power | 1922 | Nominated by the President | Independent | 64 | 1922–1936 |
| Kathleen Browne | 1929 | Elected at a by-election | Cumann na nGaedheal | 50 | 1929–1936 |
| Helena Concannon | 1938 | National University | Fianna Fáil | 60 | 1938–1952 |
| Margaret L. Kennedy | 1938 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 46 | 1938–1948 |
| Linda Kearns MacWhinney | 1938 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 49 | 1938 |
| Margaret Mary Pearse | 1938 | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | 60 | 1938–1968 |
| Eleanor Butler | 1948 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Labour | 33 | 1948–1951 |
| Mary Davidson | 1950 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | 46 | 1950–19511954–1969 |
| Jane Dowdall | 1951 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 51 | 1951–1961 |
| Nora Connolly O'Brien | 1957 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 64 | 1957–1969 |
| Kit Ahern | 1964 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 42 | 1964–1977 |
| Eileen Desmond | 1969 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | 36 | 1969–1973 |
| Evelyn Owens | 1969 | Labour Panel | Labour | 38 | 1969–1977 |
| Mary Robinson (Bourke to 1970) | 1969 | Dublin University | Independent | 25 | 1969–1989 |
| Peggy Farrell | 1969 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 48 | 1969–1973 |
| Mary Walsh | 1973 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | 43 | 1973–1976 |
| Eileen Cassidy | 1977 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 45 | 1977–1981 |
| Valerie Goulding | 1977 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 59 | 1977–1981 |
| Mary Harney | 1977 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 24 | 1977–1981 |
| Tras Honan | 1977 | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | 47 | 1977–1993 |
| Gemma Hussey | 1977 | National University | Independent | 38 | 1977–1982 |
| Catherine McGuinness | 1979 | National University | Independent | 45 | 1979–19821983–1987 |
| Deirdre Bolger | 1981 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | 43 | 1981–1982 |
| Katharine Bulbulia | 1981 | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | 38 | 1981–1989 |
| Miriam Kearney | 1981 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 22 | 1981–1982 |
| Patsy Lawlor | 1981 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | 48 | 1981–1982 |
| Mary O'Rourke | 1981 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 44 | 1981–19832002–2007 |
| Camilla Hannon | 1982 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 45 | 1982 |
| Monica Barnes | 1982 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 46 | 1982 |
| Madeleine Taylor-Quinn | 1982 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | 30 | 19821993–2002 |
| Helena McAuliffe-Ennis | 1983 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Labour | 32 | 1983–1987 |
| Nuala Fennell | 1983 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 47 | 1983–1989 |
| Bríd Rodgers | 1983 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 48 | 1983–1987 |
| Mary Wallace | 1987 | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | 29 | 1987–1989 |
| Olga Bennett | 1989 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 42 | 1989–1993 |
| Avril Doyle | 1989 | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | 40 | 1989–19921997–2002 |
| Carmencita Hederman | 1989 | Dublin University | Independent | 49 | 1989–1993 |
| Mary Jackman | 1989 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 46 | 1989–19931997–2002 |
| Helen Keogh | 1989 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | 38 | 1989–19931997–2002 |
| Ann Gallagher | 1993 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | 25 | 1993–1997 |
| Mary Henry | 1993 | Dublin University | Independent | 52 | 1993–2007 |
| Cathy Honan | 1993 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Progressive Democrats | 41 | 1993–1997 |
| Mary Kelly | 1993 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Labour | 40 | 1993–1997 |
| Marian McGennis | 1993 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 39 | 1993–1997 |
| Jan O'Sullivan | 1993 | Administrative Panel | Labour | 42 | 1993–1997 |
| Ann Ormonde | 1993 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | 58 | 1993–2011 |
| Niamh Bhreathnach | 1997 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Labour | 53 | 1997 |
| Niamh Cosgrave | 1997 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 32 | 1997 |
| Margaret Cox | 1997 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 33 | 1997–2007 |
| Ann Leonard | 1997 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 28 | 1997–2002 |
| Kathleen O'Meara | 1997 | Agricultural Panel | Labour | 37 | 1997–2007 |
| Máirín Quill | 1997 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | 61 | 1997–2002 |
| Therese Ridge | 1997 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 56 | 1997–2002 |
| Joanna Tuffy | 2002 | Administrative Panel | Labour | 37 | 2002–2007 |
| Sheila Terry | 2002 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | 52 | 2002–2007 |
| Mary White | 2002 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 57 | 2002–2016 |
| Geraldine Feeney | 2002 | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | 45 | 2002–2011 |
| Kate Walsh | 2002 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | 55 | 2002–2007 |
| Ivana Bacik | 2007 | Dublin University | Independent (Labour Party from 2009) | 39 | 2007–2021 |
| Maria Corrigan | 2007 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | | 2007–2011 |
| Déirdre de Búrca | 2007 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | 43 | 2007–2010 |
| Frances Fitzgerald | 2007 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 56 | 2007–2011 |
| Fidelma Healy Eames | 2007 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 45 | 2007–2016 |
| Cecilia Keaveney | 2007 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | 38 | 2007–2011 |
| Lisa McDonald | 2007 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 33 | 2007–2011 |
| Nicky McFadden | 2007 | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | 44 | 2007–2011 |
| Fiona O'Malley | 2007 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | 39 | 2007–2011 |
| Phil Prendergast | 2007 | Labour Panel | Labour | 47 | 2007–2011 |
| Deirdre Clune | 2011 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | 51 | 2011–2014 |
| Aideen Hayden | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Labour | 52 | 2011–2016 |
| Imelda Henry | 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | 44 | 2011–2016 |
| Lorraine Higgins | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Labour | 31 | 2011–2016 |
| Cáit Keane | 2011 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | 61 | 2011–2016 |
| Marie Moloney | 2011 | Labour Panel | Labour | 52 | 2011–2016 |
| Mary Moran | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Labour | 50 | 2011–2016 |
| Catherine Noone | 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | 34 | 2011–2020 |
| Mary Ann O'Brien | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 50 | 2011–2016 |
| Marie-Louise O'Donnell | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 58 | 2011–2020 |
| Susan O'Keeffe | 2011 | Agricultural Panel | Labour | 50 | 2011–2016 |
| Averil Power | 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 32 | 2011–2016 |
| Kathryn Reilly | 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Sinn Féin | 22 | 2011–2016 |
| Jillian van Turnhout | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 43 | 2011–2016 |
| Katherine Zappone | 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 57 | 2011–2016 |
| Hildegarde Naughton | 2013 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 36 | 2013–2016 |
| Máiría Cahill | 2015 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | 34 | 2015–2016 |
| Catherine Ardagh | 2016 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | 34 | 2016–2024 |
| Frances Black | 2016 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Independent | 55 | 2016– |
| Maria Byrne | 2016 | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | 48 | 2016–20202021– |
| Lorraine Clifford-Lee | 2016 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | 34 | 2016– |
| Rose Conway-Walsh | 2016 | Agricultural Panel | Sinn Féin | 45 | 2016–2020 |
| Máire Devine | 2016 | Labour Panel | Sinn Féin | 43 | 2016–2020 |
| Joan Freeman | 2016 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 58 | 2016–2020 |
| Alice-Mary Higgins | 2016 | National University | Independent | 40 | 2016– |
| Maura Hopkins | 2016 | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | 31 | 2016–2020 |
| Colette Kelleher | 2016 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 55 | 2016–2020 |
| Gabrielle McFadden | 2016 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | 49 | 2016–2020 |
| Michelle Mulherin | 2016 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 44 | 2016–2020 |
| Jennifer Murnane O'Connor | 2016 | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | 49 | 2016–2020 |
| Grace O'Sullivan | 2016 | Agricultural Panel | Green | 54 | 2016–2019 |
| Lynn Ruane | 2016 | Dublin University | Independent | 31 | 2016– |
| Pippa Hackett | 2019 | Agricultural Panel | Green | 45 | 2019–2025 |
| Lynn Boylan | 2020 | Agricultural Panel | Sinn Féin | 33 | 2020–2024 |
| Lisa Chambers | 2020 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | 33 | 2020–2025 |
| Annie Hoey | 2020 | Agricultural Panel | Labour | 31 | 2020–2025 |
| Sharon Keogan | 2020 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Independent | 53 | 2020– |
| Elisha McCallion | 2020 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Sinn Féin | 37 | 2020 |
| Rebecca Moynihan | 2020 | Administrative Panel | Labour | 38 | 2020–2025 |
| Fiona O'Loughlin | 2020 | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | 54 | 2020– |
| Pauline O'Reilly | 2020 | Labour Panel | Green | 46 | 2020–2025 |
| Marie Sherlock | 2020 | Labour Panel | Labour | | 2020–2024 |
| Emer Currie | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 42 | 2020–2024 |
| Regina Doherty | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 49 | 2020–2024 |
| Aisling Dolan | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 45 | 2020–2025 |
| Mary Fitzpatrick | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 51 | 2020– |
| Eileen Flynn | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | 30 | 2020– |
| Róisín Garvey | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | 46 | 2020–2025 |
| Mary Seery Kearney | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | | 2020–2025 |
| Erin McGreehan | 2020 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 37 | 2020–2024 |
| Nikki Bradley | 2024 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 38 | 2024– |
| Anne Rabbitte | 2024 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 51 | 2024– |
| Nicole Ryan | 2020 | Administrative Panel | Sinn Féin | 31 | 2025– |
| Joanne Collins | 2025 | Agricultural Panel | Sinn Féin | | 2025– |
| Teresa Costello | 2025 | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | 47 | 2025– |
| Eileen Lynch | 2025 | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | | 2025– |
| Sarah O'Reilly | 2025 | Agricultural Panel | Aontú | 49 | 2025– |
| Pauline Tully | 2025 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Sinn Féin | 53 | 2025– |
| Laura Harmon | 2025 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | 38 | 2025– |
| Linda Nelson Murray | 2025 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | | 2025– |
| Nessa Cosgrove | 2025 | Labour Panel | Labour | | 2025– |
| Maria McCormack | 2025 | Labour Panel | Sinn Féin | | 2025– |
| Margaret Murphy O'Mahony | 2025 | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | 55 | 2025– |
| Patricia Stephenson | 2025 | Labour Panel | Social Democrats | | 2025– |
| Alison Comyn | 2025 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | 55 | 2025– |
| Imelda Goldsboro | 2025 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | | 2025– |
| Evanne Ní Chuilinn | 2025 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | 43 | 2025– |
| Dee Ryan | 2025 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | | 2025– |

## Number of women in each Seanad

| Seanad | Election | Number (%) | By-elections |
| 1st | 1922 | 4 / 60 (6%) | 1 |
| 2nd | 1937 | 4 / 60 (6%) | 0 |
| 3rd | 1938 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 0 |
| 4th | 1943 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 0 |
| 5th | 1944 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 0 |
| 6th | 1948 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 1 |
| 7th | 1951 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 0 |
| 8th | 1954 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 0 |
| 9th | 1957 | 4 / 60 (6%) | 0 |
| 10th | 1961 | 3 / 60 (5%) | 1 |
| 11th | 1965 | 4 / 60 (6%) | 0 |
| 12th | 1969 | 5 / 60 (8%) | 0 |
| 13th | 1973 | 4 / 60 (6%) | 0 |
| 14th | 1977 | 6 / 60 (10%) | 1 |
| 15th | 1981 | 9 / 60 (15%) | 0 |
| 16th | 1982 (Feb) | 8 / 60 (13%) | 0 |
| 17th | 1982 (Nov) | 6 / 60 (10%) | 1 |
| 18th | 1987 | 5 / 60 (8%) | 0 |
| 19th | 1989 | 6 / 60 (10%) | 0 |
| 20th | 1992 | 8 / 60 (13%) | 2 |
| 21st | 1997 | 11 / 60 (18%) | 1 |
| 22nd | 2002 | 10 / 60 (16%) | 0 |
| 23rd | 2007 | 13 / 60 (21%) | 0 |
| 24th | 2011 | 18 / 60 (30%) | 2 |
| 25th | 2016 | 18 / 60 (30%) | 1 |
| 26th | 2020 | 24 / 60 (40%) | 1 |
| 27th | 2025 | 27 / 60 (45%) | 0 |