Clare is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects four deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
History
Clare is historically a Fianna Fáil stronghold. The party founder Éamon de Valera served the constituency for 38 years, from 1921 to 1959, for many years of that time as Taoiseach and then, on his resignation as a TD, as president of Ireland. From 1917 to 1922 he had been Sinn Féin Westminster MP for the preceding constituency of East Clare. His granddaughter, Síle de Valera, represented the constituency from 1987 to 2007. Other notable former deputies include Patrick Hillery (later president 1976–1990), the long-serving Ceann Comhairle (chairperson of the Dáil) Patrick Hogan and Moosajee Bhamjee, the first Muslim TD.
Boundaries
The constituency was created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and has been in use for Dáil elections since the 1921 election. The constituency's boundaries have varied since its formation in 1921. From the 2020 general election, the constituency spans the entire area of County Clare. The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that no change be made at the next general election. The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:
|Constituency created from East Clare and West Clare
|- valign="top"
|1923–1937
|align="center"|5
|County Clare.
|
|- valign="top"
|1937–1948
|align="center"|5
|County Clare;<br/>
and in County Galway,
|Transfer from former constituency of Galway
|- valign="top"
|1948–1969
|align="center"|4
|County Clare.
|
|- valign="top"
|1969–1977
|align="center"|3
|County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Clare–South Galway.
|
|- valign="top"
|1977–1981
|align="center"|3
|County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Galway West.
|
|- valign="top"
|1981–1992
|align="center"|4
|County Clare.
|Transfer from Galway West
|- valign="top"
|1992–2011
|align="center"|4
|County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Limerick East.
|
|- valign="top"
|2011–2020
|align="center"|4
|County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Limerick City.
|
|- valign="top"
|2020–
|align="center"|4
|County Clare.
|Transfer from Limerick City
|}
TDs
Elections
2024 general election
Michael McNamara vacated his seat on taking his seat in the European Parliament on 16 July 2024 following his election to the South constituency at the 2024 European Parliament election. Joe Carey resigned as a TD on 27 August 2024. Both seats remained vacant until the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil on 8 November 2024.
2020 general election
2016 general election
1992 general election
1989 general election
1987 general election
November 1982 general election
February 1982 general election
Bill Loughnane died on 18 October 1982. On 27 October 1982, a government motion to issue a writ for a by-election to fill the vacancy was carried by a vote of 84 to 77. This writ was cancelled when the Dáil was dissolved on 4 November 1982.
1981 general election
1977 general election
1973 general election
1969 general election
Patrick Hillery resigned as TD on 6 January 1973 on his nomination as European Commissioner. The seat remained vacant until the dissolution of the 19th Dáil on 5 February 1973.
1968 by-election
Fine Gael TD William Murphy died on 16 November 1967. The by-election was held on 14 March 1968, and was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Sylvester Barrett.
|party = Labour Party (Ireland)
|numcounts = 3
Hogan was elected again as Ceann Comhairle on 21 April 1965, leaving the Labour parliamentary party. Hogan retired as Ceann Comhairle on 7 November 1967, and died in office on 24 January 1969.
1961 general election
|party = Labour Party (Ireland)
|numcounts = 2
Hogan was elected again as Ceann Comhairle on 11 October 1961, leaving the Labour parliamentary party.
1959 by-election
Éamon de Valera was elected as President of Ireland at the 1959 presidential election, held on 17 June. The by-election was held on 22 July 1959 was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Seán Ó Ceallaigh.
|party = Labour Party (Ireland)
|numcounts = 3
Hogan was elected again as Ceann Comhairle on 20 March 1957, leaving the Labour parliamentary party.