The current Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys was the first ever woman to be elected for Fine Gael in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency when she won a Dail seat in 2011. She is married with two daughters and lives on a farm in Aghabog, Co Monaghan. She previously worked with Ulster Bank and prior to her election to Dáil Éireann and was Manager of Cootehill Credit Union. Ms Humphreys became involved in politics in 2003 when she was elected to the Monaghan County Council, where she was re-elected twice - in 2004 and 2009. She also served as the Mayor of Monaghan County Council and was the Chair of the Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Planning and Economic Development and also served on the Council’s An Coiste Gaeilge.
| Electorate | Seats | Total Poll | Turnout | Valid Poll | Spoiled Votes | Quota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90,618 | 4 | 60,248 | 66.49% | 59,650 | 598 | 11,931 |
Vote Distribution
Left Right
Count Results
| Candidate | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
12391 | |||||||||
|
|
10060 | 10104 | 10119 | 10265 | 10415 | 10651 | 11047 | 11867 | 17182 | |
|
|
8775 | 8802 | 8807 | 8850 | 8952 | 9046 | 9142 | 10926 | 11357 | 12120 |
|
|
6566 | 6846 | 6848 | 6887 | 6977 | 7255 | 7715 | 8063 | 8321 | 8790 |
|
|
6268 | 6296 | 6297 | 6342 | 6455 | 6584 | 6742 | 8216 | 8762 | 9644 |
|
|
6066 | 6073 | 6078 | 6268 | 6419 | 6599 | 6737 | 6993 | ||
|
|
2909 | 2927 | 2931 | 2941 | 2977 | 3062 | 3246 | |||
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1665 | 1686 | 1688 | 1754 | 1853 | 1980 | ||||
|
|
1589 | 1600 | 1609 | 1709 | 1911 | 2062 | 2340 | |||
|
|
1251 | 1262 | 1269 | 1410 | 1523 | |||||
|
|
1023 | 1029 | 1036 | 1171 | ||||||
|
|
475 | 476 | 479 | |||||||
|
|
279 | 282 | 292 | |||||||
|
|
245 | 246 | 258 | |||||||
|
|
88 | 90 |
On the Ballot
The Fine Gael man elected for as a TD for the Cavan-Monaghan constituency for the first time in 2011, having failed in both 1992 and 2007. Joe O’Reilly, a primary school teacher by profession, is also a former Senator, having been elected in 1989. In the 23rd Seanad, he was the Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. He became involved in politics when he was elected to Cavan County Council in 1985 but lost his seat in 1991. He was re-elected at the 1999 local elections for the Bailieborough area and again in 2004. Mr O’Reilly was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election for the North-West constituency.
Brendan Smith has been a sitting TD since 1992. He has retained his seat in every general election since. The Fianna Fail TD previously served as Spokesperson on Education and Skills and is a former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister for Justice and Law Reform. He has also served as a Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food and as Minister for Children, at the Department of Health and Children. He is married to Anne McGarry and is an avid GAA fan. He is a member of Templeport Gaelic Football Club and the Cavan G.A.A. Supporters’ Club.
Caoimhghin O'Caolain is currently Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Health and was party leader from 2002 to 2011. He has been a TD for the Cavan-Monaghan constituency since 1997. When elected he became the first Sinn Fein TD elected since 1957. Mr O’ Caolain was elected to the Cavan County Council in 1985 and has been a public representative in one capacity or another since. He previously worked in a bank. He and his wife Briege have five children.
Sean Conlon was elected as a TD for the first time in the 2011 General Election. He recently left Fine Gael in November 2015 citing his former party’s failure to listen to his constituent’s views on the North South Interconnector pylon project as the reason for his departure. He will be contesting this General Election as an Independent candidate. He was involved in a number of high profile incidents during the last term.
At just 22 years of age when elected to the Seanad in 2011, Kathryn Reilly was the youngest ever elected Senator. Having run unsuccessfully in 2011, Ms Reilly is looking to claim a Dail seat in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. A native of Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan, she has been Seanad Spokesperson for Sinn Féin on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform, and Education. Ms Reilly is also Spokesperson on Youth Affairs for Sinn Fein.
Michael Callaghan is a Green Party candidate running in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. A member of the Green Party since 2007, he has served as the secretary of the branch for two years. He is an environmental law graduate and has been in community and sustainability activism.
Michael McDermott is running for election in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency for the first time. Mr McDermott is a national executive member of Direct Democracy Ireland and has actively been opposed to water charges. Mr McDermott is passionate about social housing and increased Garda presence in rural areas.
John Wilson is running for a seat in the Dail for the first time in the upcoming General Election after announcing his candidacy in 2014. The Garda whistleblower, is running as an Independent candidate in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. His brother Diarmuid Wilson is a Fianna Fail Senator.
Activist Jimmy Mee is running as an Independent candidate in the Cavan-Monaghan Constituency. Among his priorities are healthcare, security and student grants.
A native of Monaghan, this will be Aoife O'Connell’s first time running for election. A local activist against Irish Water and member of the National Land League, Ms O’Connell wants to see a substantial write down of personal debt. Alongside fighting to keep people in their homes, the DDI candidate hopes to see the introduction of ‘direct democracy’ – wherein citizens will be able to force the Government to hold referendums. Ms O’Connell has a background in holistic practices and is a support worker with Monaghan Life Support Service.
Elected first as Cavan county councillor in 2009, Niamh Smyth toppled the poll in her ward when she was re-elected in 2014. Currently the arts education officer for Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board, if elected she wants to prioritise spending on public services and see the end of water charges for the imminent future. Her great uncle Paddy Smith holds the recorded for the longest serving Minister in the history of the Stat, with some 54 years total holding various ministry positions.
Mayo-native and Clones resident, Mike Durkan is a first-time general candidate. One of three Fianna Fáil hopefuls contesting Cavan-Monaghan, the father-of-two has a background in marketing and account management. His priorities in this election included improved support for SMEs, the introduction of rural transportation schemes, and the abolition of Irish Water.
A counselling psychologist by profession, this is Mary Smyth’s (53) first time running in a general election. Originally a Renua Ireland candidate, Ms Smyth left the party in December, citing “personal reasons”. The qualified nurse lists among her priorities improved in mental health services for children, the provision of dedicated drug rehabilitation facilities and a “vigorous defence of the Eighth Amendment”.
Cavan-based community activist Emmett Smith is running for election under the Right2Change banner. He was among the first in the area to call on people to boycott water charges.