List of women in Dáil Éireann

Constance Markievicz, the first woman elected to Dáil Éireann

This is a list of women Teachtaí Dála (TDs). It includes all women who have been elected to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the bicameral parliament of Ireland.

## History[edit]

As of July 2021, a total of 131 women have been elected to the Dáil. The first woman TD was Constance Markievicz, elected in 1918 to the 1st Dáil,[1] and she was joined by five other women in the 2nd Dáil. The number fell to one in the 6th Dáil, rose again and fell back to two in the 9th Dáil.

The 1981 general election to the 22nd Dáil saw the tally exceed ten for the first time, when six newly elected women brought the total to eleven. The arrival of nine newly elected women TDs in 1992 brought a total of 20 women to the 27th Dáil. 25 women were elected at the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil.[2] 35 women (22%) were elected to the 32nd Dáil in 2016.[3]

## Women in Dáil Éireann[edit]

Denotes incumbent member of Dáil Éireann

| Name  | Year[a][b] | Constituencies represented  | Party represented  | Age[c] | Family

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Constance Markievicz | 1918 | Dublin St Patrick's 1918–21,
Dublin South 1921–22, 1923–27[d] |  | Sinn Féin
(Fianna Fáil from 1926) | 50  |
2  | Kathleen Clarke | 1921 | Dublin Mid 1921–22, June–Sept 1927  |  | Sinn Féin
(Fianna Fáil from 1926) | 43  | widow of Tom Clarke
Ada English | 1921 | NUI 1921–22  |  | Sinn Féin | 46  |
Mary MacSwiney | 1921 | Cork Borough 1921–27 (June)  |  | Sinn Féin | 49  | sister of Terence MacSwiney
Kathleen O'Callaghan | 1921 | Limerick City–Limerick East 1921–23  |  | Sinn Féin | 33  |
Margaret Pearse | 1921 | Dublin County 1921–22  |  | Sinn Féin | 64  | mother of Patrick Pearse
7  | Caitlín Brugha | 1923 | Waterford County 1923–27 (Sept)  |  | Sinn Féin | 43  | widow of Cathal Brugha
Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll | 1923 | Dublin North 1923–33  |  | Cumann na nGaedheal | 45  | sister of Michael Collins
Kathleen Lynn | 1923 | Dublin County 1923–27 (June)  |  | Sinn Féin | 49  |
10  | Mary Reynolds | 1932 | Sligo–Leitrim 1932–33, 1937–61  |  | Cumann na nGaedheal
(Fine Gael from 1933) | 42  | widow of Patrick Reynolds
11  | Helena Concannon | 1933 | NUI 1933–37  |  | Fianna Fáil | 54  |
Margaret Mary Pearse | 1933 | Dublin County 1933–37  |  | Fianna Fáil | 55  | sister of Patrick Pearse
Bridget Redmond | 1933 | Waterford 1933–52  |  | Cumann na nGaedheal
(Fine Gael from 1933) | 28  | widow of William Redmond
14  | Bridget Rice | 1938 | Monaghan 1938–54  |  | Fianna Fáil | 53  | widow of Eamon Rice
15  | Mary Ryan | 1944 | Tipperary 1944–48,
Tipperary North 1948–61  |  | Fianna Fáil | 46  | widow of Martin Ryan
16  | Honor Crowley | 1945 b. | Kerry South 1945–66  |  | Fianna Fáil | 42  | widow of Frederick Crowley
17  | Celia Lynch | 1954 | Dublin South-Central 1954–61,
Dublin North-Central 1961–77  |  | Fianna Fáil | 46  | widow of James B. Lynch
Maureen O'Carroll | 1954 | Dublin North-Central 1954–57  |  | Labour | 41  |
19  | Kathleen O'Connor | 1956 b. | Kerry North 1956–57  |  | Clann na Poblachta | 21  | daughter of Johnny Connor
20  | Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins
(Hogan to 1958) | 1957 | Galway South 1957–61,
Galway East 1961–69,
Clare–South Galway 1969–77  |  | Fine Gael | 25  | daughter of Patrick Hogan, married Michael O'Higgins
21  | Sheila Galvin | 1964 b. | Cork Borough 1964–65  |  | Fianna Fáil | 49  | widow of John Galvin
22  | Joan Burke | 1964 b. | Roscommon 1964–69,
Roscommon–Leitrim 1969–81  |  | Fine Gael | 35  | widow of James Burke
23  | Eileen Desmond | 1965 b. | Cork Mid 1965–69,
Cork South-Central 1973–87  |  | Labour | 32  | widow of Dan Desmond
24  | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn | 1975 b. | Galway West 1975–97  |  | Fianna Fáil | 24  | daughter of Johnny Geoghegan
25  | Kit Ahern | 1977 | Kerry North 1977–81  |  | Fianna Fáil | 50  |
Síle de Valera | 1977 | Dublin County Mid 1977–81,
Clare 1987–2007  |  | Fianna Fáil | 22  | granddaughter of Éamon de Valera
Eileen Lemass | 1977 | Dublin Ballyfermot 1977–81,
Dublin West 1981–82, 1982–87  |  | Fianna Fáil | 44  | widow of Noel Lemass
28  | Myra Barry | 1979 b. | Cork North-East 1979–81,
Cork East 1981–87  |  | Fine Gael | 22  | daughter of Richard Barry
29  | Carrie Acheson | 1981 | Tipperary South 1981–Feb. 1982  |  | Fianna Fáil | 46  | sister of Tras Honan
Nuala Fennell | 1981 | Dublin South 1981–87, 1989–92  |  | Fine Gael | 45  |
Mary Flaherty | 1981 | Dublin North-West 1981–97  |  | Fine Gael | 28  | wife of Alexis FitzGerald Jnr
Alice Glenn | 1981 | Dublin Central 1981–82, 1982–87  |  | Fine Gael | 58  |
Mary Harney | 1981 | Dublin South-West 1981–2002,
Dublin Mid-West 2002–2011  |  | Fianna Fáil
(Progressive Democrats 1985–2009)
(Independent 2009–11) | 28  |
Nora Owen | 1981 | Dublin North 1981–87, 1989–2002  |  | Fine Gael | 36  | grandniece of Michael Collins
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
(Taylor to 1982) | 1981 | Clare 1981–82, 1982–92  |  | Fine Gael | 30  | daughter of Frank Taylor
36  | Gemma Hussey | 1982 (Feb) | Wicklow Feb. 1982–89  |  | Fine Gael | 42  |
Monica Barnes | 1982 (Nov) | Dún Laoghaire Nov. 1982–92, 1997–2002  |  | Fine Gael | 46  |
Avril Doyle | 1982 (Nov) | Wexford Nov. 1982–87, 1992–97  |  | Fine Gael | 33  | daughter of Richard Belton
Mary O'Rourke | 1982 (Nov) | Longford–Westmeath Nov. 1982–2002, 2007–11,
Westmeath 1992–2002  |  | Fianna Fáil | 45  | sister of Brian Lenihan Snr
40  | Anne Colley | 1987 | Dublin South 1987–89  |  | Progressive Democrats | 35  | daughter of George Colley
Geraldine Kennedy | 1987 | Dún Laoghaire 1987–89  |  | Progressive Democrats | 35  |
Mary Mooney | 1987 | Dublin South-Central 1987–89  |  | Fianna Fáil | 28  |
Máirín Quill | 1987 | Cork North-Central 1987–97  |  | Progressive Democrats | 46  |
Mary Coughlan | 1987 | Donegal South-West 1987–2011  |  | Fianna Fáil | 21  | daughter of Cathal Coughlan
45  | Theresa Ahearn | 1989 | Tipperary South 1989–2000  |  | Fine Gael | 38  |
Mary Wallace | 1989 | Meath 1989–2007,
Meath East 2007–11  |  | Fianna Fáil | 30  |
47  | Niamh Bhreathnach | 1992 | Dún Laoghaire 1992–97  |  | Labour | 47  |
Joan Burton | 1992 | Dublin West 1992–97, 2002–20  |  | Labour | 43  |
Eithne FitzGerald | 1992 | Dublin South 1992–97  |  | Labour | 42  | daughter-in-law of Garret FitzGerald
Frances Fitzgerald | 1992 | Dublin South-East 1992–2002,
Dublin Mid-West 2011–19  |  | Fine Gael | 42  |
Helen Keogh | 1992 | Dún Laoghaire 1992–97  |  | Progressive Democrats | 41  |
Liz McManus | 1992 | Wicklow 1992–2011  |  | Democratic Left
(Labour Party from 1999) | 45  |
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin | 1992 | Kerry South 1992–2007  |  | Labour | 39  | daughter of Michael Moynihan
Liz O'Donnell | 1992 | Dublin South 1992–2007  |  | Progressive Democrats | 36  |
Róisín Shortall | 1992 | Dublin North-West 1992–  |  | Labour
(Independent 2012–15)
(Social Democrats from 2015) | 38  |
56  | Kathleen Lynch | 1994 b. | Cork North-Central 1994–97, 2002–16  |  | Democratic Left
(Labour Party from 1999) | 41  |
57  | Mildred Fox | 1995 b. | Wicklow 1995–2007  |  | Independent | 24  | daughter of Johnny Fox
58  | Cecilia Keaveney | 1996 b. | Donegal North-East 1996–2007  |  | Fianna Fáil | 27  | daughter of Paddy Keaveney
59  | Deirdre Clune | 1997 | Cork South-Central 1997–2002, 2007–11  |  | Fine Gael | 38  | daughter of Peter Barry
Beverley Flynn
(Cooper-Flynn until 2003) | 1997 | Mayo 1997–2011  |  | Fianna Fáil
(Independent 2001–02, 2004–08) | 31  | daughter of Pádraig Flynn
Mary Hanafin | 1997 | Dún Laoghaire 1997–2011  |  | Fianna Fáil | 38  | daughter of Des Hanafin
Marian McGennis | 1997 | Dublin Central 1997–2002  |  | Fianna Fáil | 43  |
Olivia Mitchell | 1997 | Dublin South 1997–2016  |  | Fine Gael | 49  |
64  | Jan O'Sullivan | 1998 b. | Limerick East 1998–2011,
Limerick City 2011–20  |  | Labour | 47  |
65  | Mary Upton | 1999 b. | Dublin South-Central 1999–2011  |  | Labour | 53  | sister of Pat Upton
66  | Olwyn Enright | 2002 | Laois–Offaly 2002–11  |  | Fine Gael | 27  | daughter of Tom Enright
Marian Harkin | 2002 | Sligo–Leitrim 2002–07, 2020–  |  | Independent | 48  |
Máire Hoctor | 2002 | Tipperary North 2002–11  |  | Fianna Fáil | 38  |
Fiona O'Malley | 2002 | Dún Laoghaire 2002–07  |  | Progressive Democrats | 34  | daughter of Desmond O'Malley
Mae Sexton | 2002 | Longford–Roscommon 2002–07  |  | Progressive Democrats | 47  |
71  | Catherine Murphy | 2005 b. | Kildare North 2005–07, 2011–  |  | Independent
(Social Democrats from 2015) | 51  |
72  | Áine Brady | 2007 | Kildare North 2007–11  |  | Fianna Fáil | 52  | daughter of Michael F. Kitt
Catherine Byrne | 2007 | Dublin South-Central 2007–20  |  | Fine Gael | 51  |
Margaret Conlon | 2007 | Cavan–Monaghan 2007–11  |  | Fianna Fáil | 39  |
Lucinda Creighton | 2007 | Dublin South-East 2007–16  |  | Fine Gael
(Independent 2013–15)
(Renua 2015–16) | 27  |
Joanna Tuffy | 2007 | Dublin Mid-West 2007–16  |  | Labour | 42  |
Mary White | 2007 | Carlow–Kilkenny 2007–11  |  | Green | 58  |
78  | Maureen O'Sullivan | 2009 b. | Dublin Central 2009–20  |  | Independent | 58  |
79  | Áine Collins | 2011 | Cork North-West 2011–16  |  | Fine Gael | 41  |
Joan Collins | 2011 | Dublin South-Central 2011–  |  | People Before Profit
(Independents 4 Change 2016–20)
(Right to Change from 2020) | 49  |
Ciara Conway | 2011 | Waterford 2011–16  |  | Labour | 30  |
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy | 2011 | Laois–Offaly 2011–16,
Offaly 2016–20  |  | Fine Gael | 48  |
Clare Daly | 2011 | Dublin North 2011–16,
Dublin Fingal 2016–19  |  | Socialist Party
(Independent 2012–16)
(Independents 4 Change 2016–19) | 42  |
Regina Doherty | 2011 | Meath East 2011–20  |  | Fine Gael | 40  |
Anne Ferris | 2011 | Wicklow 2011–16  |  | Labour | 56  |
Heather Humphreys | 2011 | Cavan–Monaghan 2011–  |  | Fine Gael | 47  |
Mary Lou McDonald | 2011 | Dublin Central 2011–  |  | Sinn Féin | 41  |
Nicky McFadden | 2011 | Longford–Westmeath 2011–14  |  | Fine Gael | 39  |
Sandra McLellan | 2011 | Cork East 2011–16  |  | Sinn Féin | 49  |
Mary Mitchell O'Connor | 2011 | Dún Laoghaire 2011–20  |  | Fine Gael | 51  |
Michelle Mulherin | 2011 | Mayo 2011–16  |  | Fine Gael | 39  |
Ann Phelan | 2011 | Carlow–Kilkenny 2011–16  |  | Labour | 49  |
93  | Helen McEntee | 2013 b. | Meath East 2013–  |  | Fine Gael | 26  | daughter of Shane McEntee
94  | Ruth Coppinger | 2014 b. | Dublin West 2014–20  |  | Socialist Party | 47  |
Gabrielle McFadden | 2014 b. | Longford–Westmeath 2014–16  |  | Fine Gael | 47  | sister of Nicky McFadden
96  | Maria Bailey | 2016 | Dún Laoghaire 2016–20  |  | Fine Gael | 39  |
Mary Butler | 2016 | Waterford 2016–  |  | Fianna Fáil | 53  |
Lisa Chambers | 2016 | Mayo 2016–20  |  | Fianna Fáil | 29  | niece of Frank Chambers
Catherine Connolly | 2016 | Galway West 2016–  |  | Independent | 58  |
Kathleen Funchion | 2016 | Carlow–Kilkenny 2016–  |  | Sinn Féin | 34  |
Josepha Madigan | 2016 | Dublin Rathdown 2016–  |  | Fine Gael | 45  |
Catherine Martin | 2016 | Dublin Rathdown 2016–  |  | Green | 43  |
Denise Mitchell | 2016 | Dublin Bay North 2016–  |  | Sinn Féin | 39  |
Imelda Munster | 2016 | Louth 2016–  |  | Sinn Féin | 48  |
Margaret Murphy O'Mahony | 2016 | Cork South-West 2016–20  |  | Fianna Fáil | 46  |
Hildegarde Naughton | 2016 | Galway West 2016–  |  | Fine Gael | 38  |
Carol Nolan | 2016 | Offaly 2016–20,
Laois–Offaly 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin
(Independent from 2018) | 37  |
Kate  O'Connell | 2016 | Dublin Bay South 2016–20  |  | Fine Gael | 36  |
Fiona  O'Loughlin | 2016 | Kildare South 2016–20  |  | Fianna Fáil | 50  |
Louise  O'Reilly | 2016 | Dublin Fingal 2016–  |  | Sinn Féin | 36  |
Anne Rabbitte | 2016 | Galway East 2016–  |  | Fianna Fáil | 45  |
Bríd Smith | 2016 | Dublin South-Central 2016–  |  | AAA–PBP
(PBP–Solidarity from 2017) | 54  |
Niamh Smyth | 2016 | Cavan–Monaghan 2016–  |  | Fianna Fáil | 37  | grandniece of Patrick Smith
Katherine Zappone | 2016 | Dublin South-West 2016–20  |  | Independent | 62  |
115  | Holly Cairns | 2020 | Cork South–West 2020–  |  | Social Democrats | 30  |
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill | 2020 | Dún Laoghaire 2020–  |  | Fine Gael | 39  |
Sorca Clarke | 2020 | Longford–Westmeath 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin |  |
Rose Conway-Walsh | 2020 | Mayo 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin | 50  |
Réada Cronin | 2020 | Kildare North 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin |  |
Mairéad Farrell | 2020 | Galway West 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin | 30  |
Norma Foley | 2020 | Kerry 2020–  |  | Fianna Fáil | 49–50  | daughter of Denis Foley
Emer Higgins | 2020 | Dublin Mid-West 2020–  |  | Fine Gael | 34–35  |
Neasa Hourigan | 2020 | Dublin Central 2020–  |  | Green | 39  |
Claire Kerrane | 2020 | Roscommon–Galway 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin | 27  |
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor | 2020 | Carlow–Kilkenny 2020–  |  | Fianna Fáil | 53  |
Verona Murphy | 2020 | Wexford 2020–  |  | Independent | 48–49  |
Patricia Ryan | 2020 | Kildare South 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin | 50  |
Pauline Tully | 2020 | Cavan–Monaghan 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin |  |
Jennifer Whitmore | 2020 | Wicklow 2020–  |  | Social Democrats |  |
Violet-Anne Wynne | 2020 | Clare 2020–  |  | Sinn Féin | 32  |
131  | Ivana Bacik | 2021 b. | Dublin Bay South 2021–  |  | Labour | 53  |

## Timeline[edit]

## Number of women elected in each Dáil[edit]

Dáil  | Election  | Number elected  | By-elections

|
|
|

1st | 1918 | 1 / 105 (0.9%) | 0
2nd | 1921 | 6 / 128 (4.7%) | 0
3rd | 1922 | 2 / 128 (1.5%) | 0
4th | 1923 | 5 / 153 (3.3%) | 0
5th | 1927 (Jun) | 4 / 153 (2.6%) | 0
6th | 1927 (Sep) | 1 / 153 (0.6%) | 0
7th | 1932 | 2 / 153 (1.3%) | 0
8th | 1933 | 3 / 153 (1.9% ) | 0
9th | 1937 | 2 / 138 (1.4%) | 0
10th | 1938 | 3 / 138 (2.2%) | 0
11th | 1943 | 3 / 138 (2.2%) | 0
12th | 1944 | 4 / 138 (2.9%) | 0
13th | 1948 | 5 / 147 (3.4%) | 0
14th | 1951 | 5 / 147 (3.4%) | 0
15th | 1954 | 5 / 147 (3.4%) | 1
16th | 1957 | 4 / 147 (2.7%) | 0
17th | 1961 | 3 / 144 (2.1%) | 3
18th | 1965 | 5 / 144 (3.5%) | 0
19th | 1969 | 3 / 144 (2.1%) | 0
20th | 1973 | 4 / 144 (2.7%) | 1
21st | 1977 | 6 / 148 (4.0%) | 1
22nd | 1981 | 11 / 166 (6.6%) | 0
23rd | 1982 (Feb) | 8 / 166 (4.8%) | 0
24th | 1982 (Nov) | 14 / 166 (8.4%) | 0
25th | 1987 | 14 / 166 (8.4%) | 0
26th | 1989 | 13 / 166 (7.8%) | 0
27th | 1992 | 20 / 166 (12.0%) | 3
28th | 1997 | 20 / 166 (12.0%) | 2
29th | 2002 | 22 / 166 (13.2%) | 1
30th | 2007 | 22 / 166 (13.2%) | 1
31st | 2011 | 25 / 166 (15.1%) | 3
32nd | 2016 | 35 / 158 (22.1%) | 0
33rd | 2020 | 36 / 160 (22.5%) | 1

## See also[edit]

* Families in the Oireachtas
* List of women in Seanad Éireann
* Records of members of the Oireachtas

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Year of first election
2. ^ b. stands for by-election
3. ^ Age at first election
4. ^ re-elected in June 1927, died in July

## References[edit]

1. ^ Constance Markievicz was actually elected to the British House of Commons but along with all other Sinn Féin members she refused to take her seat in the House of Commons and instead they formed the first Dáil Éireann.
2. ^ "The 31st Dáil: A historic parliament". RTÉ News. 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
3. ^ "First election under gender quotas yields 35 women TDs: More than 22% of TDs will be female, compared with 15% per cent in 2011". Irish Times. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

## Sources and external links[edit]

* McNamara, Maedhbh; Mooney, Paschal (2000). Women in Parliament: Ireland 1918-2000. Dublin: Wolfhound Press. ISBN 0-86327-759-4.
* McNamara, Maedhbh (2020). A Woman's Place is in the Cabinet 1919-2019. Drogheda: Sea Dog Books. ISBN 978-1-913275-06-8.
* Oireachtas Members Database
* ElectionsIreland.org

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