Roscommon was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1969 and from 1981 to 1992. The method of election was proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

History and boundaries

The constituency has had two separate periods of existence:

For the 2007 general election, the county was represented by the new Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency.

TDs

TDs 1923–1969

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Roscommon 1923–1969
Key to partiesCnaP = Clann na Poblachta CnaT = Clann na Talmhan CnaG = Cumann na nGaedheal FF = Fianna Fáil FG = Fine Gael Ind. = Independent Lab = Labour NCP = National Centre Party NPD = National Progressive Democrats Rep = Republican
DáilElectionDeputy (Party)Deputy (Party)Deputy (Party)Deputy (Party)
4th1923George Noble Plunkett (Rep)Henry Finlay (CnaG)Gerald Boland (Rep)Andrew Lavin (CnaG)
1925 by-electionMartin Conlon (CnaG)
5th1927 (Jun)Patrick O'Dowd (FF)Gerald Boland (FF)Michael Brennan (Ind.)
6th1927 (Sep)
7th1932Daniel O'Rourke (FF)Frank MacDermot (NCP)
8th1933Patrick O'Dowd (FF)Michael Brennan (CnaG)
9th1937Michael Brennan (FG)Daniel O'Rourke (FF)3 seats 1937–1948
10th1938
11th1943John Meighan (CnaT)John Beirne (CnaT)
12th1944Daniel O'Rourke (FF)
13th1948Jack McQuillan (CnaP)
14th1951John Finan (CnaT)Jack McQuillan (Ind.)
15th1954James Burke (FG)
16th1957
17th1961Patrick J. Reynolds (FG)Brian Lenihan Snr (FF)Jack McQuillan (NPD)
1964 by-electionJoan Burke (FG)
18th1965Hugh Gibbons (FF)
19th1969Constituency abolished. See Roscommon–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 1981–1992

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Roscommon 1981–1992
Key to partiesFF = Fianna Fáil FG = Fine Gael Ind. = Independent
DáilElectionDeputy (Party)Deputy (Party)Deputy (Party)
22nd1981Terry Leyden (FF)Seán Doherty (FF)John Connor (FG)
23rd1982 (Feb)Liam Naughten (FG)
24th1982 (Nov)
25th1987
26th1989Tom Foxe (Ind.)John Connor (FG)
27th1992Constituency abolished. See Longford–Roscommon

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

1989 general election

1989 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123
Fine GaelJohn Connor22.16,8237,3067,749
IndependentTom Foxe22.16,8117,5218,400
Fianna FáilTerry Leyden20.86,42410,228
Fine GaelLiam Naughten17.65,4355,6396,196
Fianna FáilSeán Doherty17.15,281
IndependentAndrew Kerrigan0.4119
Electorate: 40,447 Valid: 30,893 Quota: 7,724 Turnout: 76.4%

1987 general election

1987 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234
Fianna FáilSeán Doherty27.68,944
Fianna FáilTerry Leyden22.47,2578,812
Fine GaelJohn Connor19.06,1447,1637,6257,876
Fine GaelLiam Naughten18.45,9497,0477,4387,894
IndependentEithne Quinn12.64,067
Electorate: 41,515 Valid: 32,361 Quota: 8,091 Turnout: 77.9%

November 1982 general election

November 1982 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123
Fianna FáilSeán Doherty28.59,362
Fianna FáilTerry Leyden24.88,1218,342
Fine GaelLiam Naughten22.47,3388,0728,646
Fine GaelJohn Connor15.85,1776,9767,562
Fine GaelThomas Callan8.62,806
Electorate: 40,664 Valid: 32,804 Quota: 8,202 Turnout: 80.7%

February 1982 general election

February 1982 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123
Fianna FáilSeán Doherty28.18,936
Fianna FáilTerry Leyden26.68,450
Fine GaelLiam Naughten23.67,5027,9408,311
Fine GaelJohn Connor21.76,8977,4487,580
Electorate: 40,249 Valid: 31,785 Quota: 7,947 Turnout: 79.0%

1981 general election

1981 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567
Fianna FáilSeán Doherty26.98,918
Fianna FáilTerry Leyden21.47,0957,5907,8628,583
Fine GaelLiam Naughten14.64,8454,8524,8864,9565,8377,1687,214
Fine GaelJohn Connor14.24,7174,7394,9065,2325,3417,4307,589
Fine GaelCharles Duignan10.63,5053,5573,6403,7513,853
IndependentPatrick Lenihan5.31,7711,7931,8322,165
IndependentPatrick Moylan4.71,5691,5831,684
IndependentTom McGarry1.9633648
IndependentPatrick Greaney0.3100102
Electorate: 40,249 Valid: 33,153 Quota: 8,289 Turnout: 82.4%

1965 general election

1965 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Fine GaelJoan Burke26.99,467
Fianna FáilBrian Lenihan Snr21.77,616
Fine GaelPatrick J. Reynolds13.94,8705,4385,4497,124
LabourJack McQuillan12.74,4494,8064,8705,3835,749
Fianna FáilHugh Gibbons11.03,8823,9804,4064,4977,542
Fianna FáilWillie Farrell10.43,6593,7053,7743,971
Fine GaelMichael Fallon3.51,2172,5822,595
Electorate: 44,635 Valid: 35,160 Quota: 7,033 Turnout: 78.8%

1964 by-election

Following the death of Fine Gael TD James Burke, a by-election was held on 8 July 1964. The seat was won by the Fine Gael candidate Joan Burke, widow of the deceased TD.

1964 by-election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12
Fine GaelJoan Burke49.717,30818,754
Fianna FáilHugh Gibbons43.415,10715,673
LabourOliver Macklin5.92,056
Sinn FéinPádraig Ó Ceallaigh1.0352
Electorate: 44,635 Valid: 34,823 Quota: 17,412 Turnout: 78.02%

1961 general election

1961 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123456789
National Progressive DemocratsJack McQuillan15.15,2895,3275,5355,7056,3527,011
Fianna FáilBrian Lenihan Snr13.94,8734,8844,9424,9885,0905,2295,7916,0736,197
Fine GaelJames Burke13.64,7534,7634,8005,2255,5135,6825,7097,812
Fine GaelPatrick J. Reynolds10.73,7544,1194,2264,4334,5254,9575,8906,3356,975
Fianna FáilGerald Boland10.43,6343,6453,6793,7393,8644,0964,8385,2985,346
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne9.23,2113,2253,3223,5643,8434,4104,486
Fianna FáilPeter Charles6.72,3312,6022,6852,6992,7242,844
IndependentJames Doherty5.61,9752,0972,3352,6122,683
Clann na PoblachtaPeter McGuinness4.61,6031,6161,7671,779
Fine GaelRose Shannon4.21,4671,4721,483
Sinn FéinSylvester Fitzsimons3.31,1381,200
IndependentRichard Ellis2.8968
Electorate: 45,369 Valid: 34,996 Quota: 7,000 Turnout: 77.1%

1957 general election

1957 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne13.84,2224,3274,5154,6405,8105,8996,405
IndependentJack McQuillan13.34,0754,1164,2854,5894,8365,0236,562
Fine GaelJames Burke12.83,9143,9374,0244,2514,7754,8815,1625,408
Fianna FáilBrian Lenihan Snr11.13,3933,4003,7123,7833,8524,4104,8435,032
Fianna FáilGerald Boland10.73,2883,3504,0404,0924,1296,150
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke9.22,8052,8333,0543,2223,357
Sinn FéinSeán Scott8.92,7412,8943,0073,2383,3793,517
Clann na TalmhanPaddy Concannon6.72,0432,0542,0672,505
Fianna FáilWalter McGuire5.91,8131,834
LabourJames Connaughton5.71,7561,8721,879
LabourJames Regan1.9583
Electorate: 41,131 Valid: 30,633 Quota: 6,127 Turnout: 74.5%

1954 general election

1954 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123456789
Fianna FáilGerald Boland16.45,4565,4705,5425,5797,190
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne14.74,8944,9124,9995,4245,8625,8898,745
IndependentJack McQuillan14.34,7564,8005,0815,2365,5185,5425,9166,2846,734
Fine GaelJames Burke13.74,5494,5894,7775,0265,1245,1356,0777,756
Clann na TalmhanJohn Finan13.14,3374,3804,4254,5414,5774,583
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke10.93,6293,6373,6983,7284,7005,1815,3625,4195,446
Fianna FáilPeter Lynch10.43,4473,4593,5063,552
Clann na PoblachtaJohn Scott2.79011,0411,140
LabourAndrew Treacy2.7894906
Clann na PoblachtaMichael Garvey1.0339
Electorate: 42,470 Valid: 33,202 Quota: 6,641 Turnout: 78.2%

1951 general election

1951 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne18.46,2696,7967,683
Fianna FáilGerald Boland14.64,9805,0725,1805,2026,6556,7866,831
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke13.84,7104,7324,8284,8435,9466,0906,129
Clann na TalmhanJohn Finan12.94,4084,5585,3205,7465,7717,556
IndependentJack McQuillan10.83,6663,7724,2904,4004,7485,7686,298
Fianna FáilJohn J. Smyth8.93,0363,0453,0833,092
Clann na PoblachtaMichael Kelly8.12,7512,962
Fine GaelMichael Brennan7.52,5513,1013,5463,7253,802
Fine GaelPatrick J. Flynn5.01,691
Electorate: 44,017 Valid: 34,062 Quota: 6,813 Turnout: 77.38%

1948 general election

1948 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Fianna FáilGerald Boland21.57,581
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke13.74,8415,0395,0655,1015,1315,1785,3407,948
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne12.74,4704,4844,5494,9875,4165,5146,1356,774
Fianna FáilPeter Lynch10.33,6333,8463,8573,8903,9183,9994,124
Clann na TalmhanJohn Finan10.23,6043,6093,6713,8924,0954,2544,6474,679
Clann na PoblachtaJack McQuillan8.63,0253,0413,0873,2523,4495,8146,8627,277
Clann na PoblachtaMichael Kelly7.52,6602,6702,6982,7312,861
IndependentMichael Brennan6.72,3702,4052,4902,7773,1383,177
Fine GaelMartin Conlon3.61,2551,2631,5111,555
Clann na TalmhanMatthew Davis3.41,2161,2321,301
Fine GaelPeter Farrell1.9655659
Electorate: 46,197 Valid: 35,310 Quota: 7,062 Turnout: 76.43%

1944 general election

1944 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234
Fianna FáilGerald Boland25.57,800
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke23.07,0447,3587,4937,874
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne17.55,3595,5216,3497,213
Clann na TalmhanJohn Meighan15.14,6294,9205,8366,583
Fine GaelMichael Brennan7.82,3942,5052,811
Clann na TalmhanPatrick Farrell7.12,1892,294
Ailtirí na hAiséirgheJoseph O'Kelly4.01,217
Electorate: 41,518 Valid: 30,632 Quota: 7,659 Turnout: 73.8%

1943 general election

1943 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Fianna FáilGerald Boland22.27,0917,1867,7848,423
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke20.46,5226,5626,8607,0987,296
Clann na TalmhanJohn Meighan16.05,1226,1946,7227,6517,686
Clann na TalmhanJohn Beirne15.44,9035,3455,9037,2347,352
Fine GaelMichael Brennan10.23,2613,4164,141
LabourJohn Doran9.83,1323,205
Clann na TalmhanThomas O'Donnell6.01,902
Electorate: 41,518 Valid: 31,933 Quota: 7,984 Turnout: 76.9%

1938 general election

1938 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12
Fianna FáilGerald Boland33.810,719
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke26.08,223
Fine GaelMichael Brennan20.76,5477,800
Fine GaelDudley Costello19.66,2006,636
Electorate: 41,620 Valid: 31,689 Quota: 7,923 Turnout: 76.1%

1937 general election

1937 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234
Fianna FáilGerald Boland28.48,925
Fine GaelMichael Brennan26.48,295
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke18.45,7746,6386,6478,387
Fine GaelDudley Costello15.34,8064,8505,2665,822
IndependentPatrick O'Dowd11.53,5993,7663,786
Electorate: 42,103 Valid: 31,399 Quota: 7,850 Turnout: 74.6%

1933 general election

1933 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Fianna FáilGerald Boland20.88,246
Fianna FáilPatrick O'Dowd20.68,160
National Centre PartyFrank MacDermot19.47,7037,7127,7168,975
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke18.17,1907,4757,6977,7487,780
Cumann na nGaedhealMichael Brennan11.54,5684,5854,5866,9908,003
Cumann na nGaedhealMartin Conlon9.53,7813,7863,789
Electorate: 48,958 Valid: 39,648 Quota: 7,930 Turnout: 81.0%

1932 general election

Details of the fifth count are not available. Gallagher notes it is unclear as to why the returning officer proceeded with the elimination of O'Dowd on the final count.

1932 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123456
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke18.76,6066,7236,7796,821N/A10,289
Fianna FáilPatrick O'Dowd17.96,3146,3536,4216,521N/A
Fianna FáilGerald Boland17.56,1896,2306,4866,604N/A9,237
Cumann na nGaedhealMartin Conlon13.34,7156,1169,777
IndependentFrank MacDermot12.94,5605,0505,6677,490
Cumann na nGaedhealMichael Brennan11.54,0774,817
Cumann na nGaedhealMichael Grogan8.22,897
Electorate: 48,403 Valid: 35,358 Quota: 7,072 Turnout: 73.1%

September 1927 general election

September 1927 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567
Fianna FáilGerald Boland16.35,4175,4965,5205,5215,9458,108
Fianna FáilPatrick O'Dowd15.95,2895,4795,5695,5715,7546,933
Cumann na nGaedhealMartin Conlon14.94,9595,1266,883
IndependentMichael Brennan11.63,8444,5934,7424,7635,5285,6155,736
Fianna FáilDaniel O'Rourke10.33,4243,4723,4973,4993,616
Cumann na nGaedhealJoseph Burke9.23,0503,1803,4453,6524,8444,9034,947
IndependentJohn Doran9.02,9873,1463,2673,278
Cumann na nGaedhealAndrew Lavin7.02,3262,522
IndependentJohn Keaveney5.71,895
Electorate: 50,586 Valid: 33,191 Quota: 6,639 Turnout: 65.6%

June 1927 general election

June 1927 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678910
Fianna FáilGerald Boland18.05,6155,6416,306
IndependentMichael Brennan13.34,1514,2704,3174,3194,3675,0995,3005,8787,503
Cumann na nGaedhealMartin Conlon12.03,7343,9693,9743,9753,9894,1335,3745,7696,0996,302
Fianna FáilPatrick O'Dowd9.63,0003,0273,2573,3284,5204,6064,6665,1145,4065,492
IndependentJohn Keaveney8.02,5002,6522,6722,6722,7172,8032,9643,281
Cumann na nGaedhealJohn Doran7.52,3412,4322,4452,4462,4722,6112,9343,4173,6273,725
LabourThomas Larkin7.32,2562,3262,3532,3552,4342,7512,887
Cumann na nGaedhealAndrew Lavin6.31,9632,1942,2082,2082,2322,351
IndependentMichael Killian5.91,8341,8471,8771,8781,902
Sinn FéinGeorge Noble Plunkett5.11,5751,5841,6031,609
Fianna FáilSéamus Duffy3.61,1081,114
Cumann na nGaedhealJames Flanagan3.31,032
Electorate: 50,586 Valid: 31,109 Quota: 6,222 Turnout: 61.5%

1925 by-election

Following the resignation of Cumann na nGaedheal TD Henry Finlay, a by-election was held on 11 March 1925. The seat was won by the Cumann na nGaedheal candidate Martin Conlon.

1925 by-election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1
Cumann na nGaedhealMartin Conlon61.221,118
RepublicanJohn J. O'Kelly38.813,410
Electorate: 52,929 Valid: 34,528 Quota: 17,265 Turnout: 65.2%

1923 general election

1923 general election: Roscommon
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567891011
RepublicanGeorge Noble Plunkett17.75,5075,5375,5675,6585,8936,879
Cumann na nGaedhealAndrew Lavin16.05,0015,0735,2055,2105,3725,4535,4705,6385,9656,306
RepublicanGerald Boland12.33,8433,8573,8664,2884,3214,4555,0025,0665,4925,6305,675
Cumann na nGaedhealHenry Finlay12.33,8273,8793,9193,9473,9904,0024,0074,2054,5685,1376,489
Cumann na nGaedhealPatrick Dyar7.22,2532,3752,4532,4662,4902,5022,5092,5612,6912,865
Cumann na nGaedhealPatrick Dorr6.11,9061,9261,9742,0342,0792,0902,0982,4752,5313,0023,759
Farmers' PartyMichael Brennan5.51,7111,7451,8531,8691,9191,9331,9462,4382,523
LabourLiam Kelleher5.01,5451,6731,6901,7171,7911,8481,8751,929
Farmers' PartyEdward Cline4.51,3971,4221,5841,6171,6751,6911,706
RepublicanJames Moran3.91,2051,2161,2341,3391,395
RepublicanGerald Davis2.7839842849
IndependentJasper Tully2.6811869901905
Farmers' PartyJohn Drury2.3716739
IndependentHenry Fitzgibbon2.0636
Electorate: 53,710 Valid: 31,197 Quota: 6,240 Turnout: 58.1%

See also

External links