Galway West


Galway West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

History and boundaries

The constituency was created under the Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935 and first used at the 1937 general election, when the former Galway constituency was split into Galway East and Galway West.
It currently spans the western half of County Galway, taking in Galway city, the Galway Gaeltacht, and Clifden.
The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election, the portion of the constituency in County Mayo be transferred to the constituency of Mayo.
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:
YearsTDsBoundariesNotes
1937–19483Created from Galway
1948–19613
1961–19693
1969–19773
1977–19814
1981–19875County Galway, except the parts in the constituencies of Galway East and Roscommon
1987–19925County Borough of Galway; and County Galway, except the parts in the constituencies of Galway East and RoscommonGalway City became a separate local government area in 1986
1992–19975County Borough of Galway; and County Galway, except the parts in the constituencies of Galway East, Mayo East and Mayo WestTransfer of Headford area to Mayo West
1997–20025County Borough of Galway; and County Galway, except the parts in the constituency of Galway EastTransfer of Headford Area from Mayo West
2002–20165Galway City; and County Galway, except the parts in the constituency of Galway East.Transfer to Galway East of territory in the former Rural District of Tuam
2016–20205Galway City
2020–5Galway City


Elections

1992 general election

1975 by-election

Fianna Fáil TD Johnny Geoghegan died on 5 January 1975. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 4 March 1975. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, daughter of the deceased TD.

1948 general election

1940 by-election

Fianna Fáil TD Seán Tubridy died on 15 July 1939. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 30 May 1940.