1997 Irish presidential election

none August 2018 August 2018 1997 Irish presidential election Ireland presidential no 1990 Irish presidential election 1990 2004 Irish presidential election 2004 47.6% ( 16.5 pp) 1st preference Final count 30 October 1997 Mary McAleese, October 2001 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Mary McAleese Fianna Fáil Progressive DemocratsThe Progressive Democrats helped nominate McAleese 574,424 (45.2%) 706,259 (55.6%) 1657534158379 P487 BANOTTI 003 MOBILE.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Mary Banotti Fine Gael 372,002 (29.3%) 497,516 (39.2%) Dana Rosemary Scallon EU parliament official portrait.jpg 130 120 160 0 5 Dana Rosemary Scallon Independent politician (Ireland) 175,458 (13.8%) Eliminated Adi Roche 2024 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Adi Roche Labour Party (Ireland) Democratic LeftDemocratic Left helped formally nominate Roche Green PartyThe Green Party helped formally nominate Roche 88,423 (7.0%) Eliminated Ind Derek Nally Independent politician (Ireland) 59,529 (4.7%) Eliminated President Mary RobinsonThe powers and functions of the president were exercised and performed by the Presidential Commission from the resignation of Mary Robinson on 12 September until the inauguration of Mary McAleese on 11 November. Mary McAleese Fianna Fáil The 1997 Irish presidential election was held on Thursday, 30 October 1997. It was the eleventh presidential election to be held in Ireland, and only the sixth to be contested by more than one candidate. It was held ahead of schedule when incumbent President Mary Robinson resigned to assume her new appointment as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Candidates The Minister for the Environment and Local Government made the order opening nominations on 15 September, with 30 September as the deadline for nominations.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/two-weeks-for-nominations-1.106602 Two weeks for nominations Roddy O'Sullivan 16 September 1997 15 July 2018 The Irish Times 23 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923215714/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/two-weeks-for-nominations-1.106602 live Five people received nominations, the highest number contesting to that point; four of the five were women. Mary McAleese Mary McAleese was selected by Fianna Fáil as their candidate for the presidency. Born in Belfast, she was formerly a journalist with broadcaster, RTÉ, and at the time of her nomination, she was Pro-Vice Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast. Two other candidates, Albert Reynolds and Michael O'Kennedy, had also sought the Fianna Fáil nomination. Reynolds was a former Taoiseach while O'Kennedy was a former cabinet minister having served in the Finance and Foreign Affairs portfolios. Both were also sitting TDs which was seen as an advantage. In the first round of voting, Reynolds received 49 votes, McAleese 42, and O'Kennedy 21. In the second round, McAleese won, with 62 votes to Reynolds's 48. McAleese was later also endorsed by the Progressive Democrats, the smaller party in the coalition government with Fianna Fáil.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/mcaleese-s-candidacy-endorsed-by-pds-1.109170 McAleese's candidacy endorsed by PDs 24 September 1997 15 July 2018 The Irish Times 23 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923215715/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/mcaleese-s-candidacy-endorsed-by-pds-1.109170 live Mary Banotti Mary Banotti was nominated by Fine Gael. She was the grand-niece of the former Irish leader, Michael Collins, and sister of the deputy leader of the party, Nora Owen. She defeated colleague Avril Doyle for the party nomination in a very close contest. Banotti, who was an MEP at the time, was the only serving politician among the five presidential candidates. Adi Roche Adi Roche, who had founded Chernobyl Children International in 1991, was nominated by the Labour Party.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/champion-of-chernobyl-victims-to-run-for-presidency-1.106604 Champion of Chernobyl victims to run for Presidency Dick Hogan The Irish Times 16 September 1997 29 August 2018 23 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923215732/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/champion-of-chernobyl-victims-to-run-for-presidency-1.106604 live Roche was later endorsed by Democratic Left and the Green Party.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/charity-workers-stand-by-criticism-of-roche-1.108447 Charity workers stand by criticism of Roche 22 September 1997 29 August 2018 24 August 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190824025657/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/charity-workers-stand-by-criticism-of-roche-1.108447 live At 42 years of age, she was and is the youngest person to stand in an Irish presidential election. Dana Rosemary Scallon Dana Rosemary Scallon received the nominations of five county councils: Donegal, Kerry, Longford, North Tipperary and Wicklow.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dana-promises-a-people-s-campaign-for-presidency-1.106986 Dana promises a people's campaign for Presidency Christine Newman The Irish Times 17 September 1997 7 September 2018 23 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923215721/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dana-promises-a-people-s-campaign-for-presidency-1.106986 live Scallon was a singer, the winner of the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest, and a family values campaigner. She was the first candidate in any Irish presidential election to have been nominated by local authorities, rather than by Oireachtas members. Derek Nally Derek Nally was the fifth candidate to join the presidential race and the only male candidate. He was a retired Garda and victims' rights campaigner.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/13498.stm Derek Nally - an arresting candidate BBC News 29 October 1997 7 September 2018 8 December 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151208212325/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/13498.stm live He also received the nominations of five county councils: Carlow, Clare, Kildare, South Dublin and Wexford.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/four-more-councils-agree-to-give-nally-nomination-1.111084 Four more councils agree to give Nally nomination The Irish Times 30 September 1997 7 September 2018 23 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923215733/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/four-more-councils-agree-to-give-nally-nomination-1.111084 live Campaign The Presidential campaign, held before the forthcoming Good Friday Agreement of 1998, would become dominated by Northern Ireland issues and questions about candidates' views on Irish Republicanism. McAleese enjoyed the full backing of the powerful Fianna Fáil electoral machine, and she emphasised her north–south background amid fragile peace prospects, while Banotti stressed her parliamentary experience and family legacy (Banotti was the grand-niece of Michael Collins). Roche campaigned on her international humanitarian credentials. Scallon ran a grassroots "people's campaign" spotlighting family values, and Nally's platform centred on victims’ rights and policing reform. Adi Roche entered the race in good standing on the back of her charitable work, and initially polled extremely well at 38%, raising the possibility of another upset win by the Labour Party. However, Roche's campaign was severely undermined by a covert smear campaign focused on her brother Dónal de Róiste, a former Army officer who had been summarily and controversially dismissed from the Defence Forces in 1969. Anonymous letters and phone calls were circulated to media outlets during the campaign, suggesting links between her brother and Irish republican paramilitaries. Though no evidence of wrongdoing was ever produced and the allegations were later discredited, the innuendo damaged Roche's polling badly, falling down to 7% shortly before election day. 28 October 1007 Final poll says it's McAleese by a mile https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/final-poll-says-its-mcaleese-by-a-mile/26202923.html Irish Independent 7 August 2025 She ultimately placed fourth out of five candidates. In later years, Roche described the experience as traumatising and politically vicious, noting it had a long-lasting impact on her self-confidence. Her brother was formally exonerated and issued a State apology in 2022 after a government review found his dismissal had been legally flawed and procedurally unjust.White Jack 6 August 2025 ‘It knocked my self-belief’: Adi Roche reflects on ‘shockingly dirty’ presidential campaign https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/08/06/it-knocked-my-self-belief-adi-roche-reflects-on-shockingly-dirty-presidential-campaign/ Irish Times 7 August 2025Clifford Mick The smear campaign that derailed Adi Roche's Áras bid https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-41024456.html Irish Examiner 7 August 2025Leahy Pat 7 December 2022 Ex-Army lieutenant Dónal de Róiste gets Government apology 53 years after dismissal https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/12/07/ex-army-lieutenant-donal-de-roiste-gets-government-apology-50-years-after-dismissal/ Irish Times 7 August 2025 Likewise, Mary McAleese was also peppered with questions relating to possible links to Irish republicanism. Questions about Mary McAleese's attitude to Sinn Féin first emerged when the Sunday Business Post of 12 October 1997 published leaked Department of Foreign Affairs memos suggesting she had expressed pleasure at Sinn Féin's electoral performance and would not back a presidential contest without a Sinn Féin–SDLP pact. The memos were quickly seized upon by rival candidate Derek Nally, who accused McAleese of operating "a different set of moral assumptions" compared to "most Irish people", and demanded she explain whether she had ever voted for or supported Sinn Féin. 16 October 1997 Nally in tangle on issue of leaked memo https://www.irishtimes.com/news/nally-in-tangle-on-issue-of-leaked-memo-1.116194 Irish Times 7 August 2025 Further speculation mounted following 16 October, when President of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams stated his preferred candidate was McAleese.Kennedy Geraldine 17 October 1997 Adams backing causes election row https://www.irishtimes.com/news/adams-backing-causes-election-row-1.116408 Irish Times 7 August 2025 On RTÉ's Questions and Answers, journalist Geraldine Kennedy pressed her directly, asking "Did you ever vote for Sinn Féin?". McAleese strenuously denied the accuracy of the leaked documents, issuing a statement through her campaign that she had never voted for Sinn Féin and repudiating any implication of republican sympathy.Dooley Chris 14 October 1997 McAleese challenges accuracy of report on views about Sinn Fein https://www.irishtimes.com/news/mcaleese-challenges-accuracy-of-report-on-views-about-sinn-fein-1.115411 The Irish Times She subsequently challenged the department official responsible for the leak to legal action, though no lawsuit ensued. The Irish Times editorial later urged her to provide "the frankest explanation" of her views on Sinn Féin and the broader peace process if confidence in her fitness for office was to be restored. 20 October 1997 McAleese must give frank explanation of views https://www.irishtimes.com/news/mcaleese-must-give-frank-explanation-of-views-1.117336 Irish Times 7 August 2025 Despite the intensity of the controversy, no evidence emerged to substantiate the allegations. During the campaign, Derek Nally, a former garda and long-standing critic of police brutality, claimed that a group of former gardaí had threatened his life. He called on these individuals to identify themselves, stating: "I want to be able to identify the people who are making the threats and identify my possible assassins". The threat, discussed on RTÉ's Prime Time, allegedly came from those angered by Nally's past whistleblowing against the so-called "heavy gang" within the Garda Síochána in the 1970s. He insisted the group's motives were linked to his efforts back then to expose prisoner mistreatment and misconduct, which he had brought to the attention of then-Minister for Justice Paddy Cooney. Nally also drew parallels with alleged smear attempts against fellow candidate Adi Roche, suggesting there was a campaign by ex-gardaí to undermine certain candidates. However, both the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors denied any knowledge of such a plot. 20 October 2011 1997 campaign's ‘heavy gang’ claims https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20171245.html Irish Examiner 7 August 2025 Opinion polls Last date of pollingCommissionerPolling firm Sample size Sources McAleese Banotti Scallon Roche Nally27 October 1997The Irish TimesMRBI? Jones Jack 2001 In your opinion : political and social trends in Ireland through the eyes of the electorate https://archive.org/details/inyouropinionpol0000jone TownHouse 171 1860591493 21 December 202546%30%10%8%5%25 October 1997Irish IndependentIMS?49%32%7%7%5%23 October 1997Irish IndependentIMS?45%32%10%8%5%22 October 1997The Irish TimesMRBI?42%33%9%9%6%11 October 1997The Irish TimesMRBI?39%29%8%16%9%27 September 1997The Irish TimesMRBI?40%27%8%25% Nally had not yet received enough council nominations to be an official presidential candidate. Result 1997 Irish presidential electionhttp://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad%2C661%2Cen.pdf Presidential Elections 1938–2011 Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government 7 September 2018 34 20 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171220201718/http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad,661,en.pdf live 2 Mary McAleese Fianna Fáil 45.2 Oireachtas: Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats 574,424 706,259 Mary Banotti Fine Gael 29.3 Oireachtas: Fine Gael 372,002 497,516 Dana Rosemary Scallon Independent politician (Ireland) 13.8 County and City Councils 175,458 — Adi Roche Labour Party (Ireland) 6.9 Oireachtas: Labour Party, Democratic Left and Green Party 88,423 — Derek Nally Independent politician (Ireland) 4.7 County and City Councils 59,529 — 2 2,688,316 1,269,836 9,852 (0.7%) 634,919 47.6% First preference vote #ddd 600px 410px McAleese Fianna Fáil 45.2 Banotti Fine Gael 29.3 Scallon Independent politician (Ireland) 13.8 Roche Labour Party (Ireland) 7.0 Nally Independent politician (Ireland) 4.7 Final percentage #ddd 600px 410px McAleese Fianna Fáil 55.6 Banotti Fine Gael 39.2 Results by constituency + First count voteshttp://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad%2C661%2Cen.pdf Presidential Elections 1938–2011 Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government 20 September 2018 35 20 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171220201718/http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad,661,en.pdf live Constituency Banotti McAleese Nally Roche Scallon Carlow–Kilkenny 11,962 19,949 3,040 2,936 5,177 Cavan–Monaghan 9,299 21,749 1,122 1,373 6,346 Clare 8,353 17,970 1,637 1,889 5,095 Cork East 8,859 15,598 1,063 3,444 4,450 Cork North-Central 8,348 14,322 1,194 4,808 3,742 Cork North-West 8,214 13,086 776 2,291 3,567 Cork South-Central 12,609 19,410 1,894 5,434 4,461 Cork South-West 8,808 12,616 825 2,208 3,016 Donegal North-East 3,313 11,008 575 748 5,136 Donegal South-West 3,958 11,060 545 826 5,025 Dublin Central 6,864 9,226 1,175 1,605 2,920 Dublin North 10,161 12,599 1,291 1,918 3,364 Dublin North-Central 10,789 12,949 1,342 1,946 4,044 Dublin North-East 8,728 10,132 1,114 1,770 2,890 Dublin North-West 7,806 9,910 1,180 1,769 3,037 Dublin South 18,766 16,053 1,990 2,589 5,360 Dublin South-Central 10,900 10,636 1,375 1,909 3,636 Dublin South-East 12,692 9,338 1,056 1,885 3,403 Dublin South-West 8,879 10,366 1,539 1,833 3,384 Dublin West 8,965 10,678 1,504 1,675 3,363 Dún Laoghaire 18,415 14,310 1,632 2,696 4,882 Galway East 7,352 15,979 1,076 1,285 5,044 Galway West 9,495 16,707 1,437 2,012 5,320 Kerry North 5,266 10,753 689 3,039 3,367 Kerry South 5,384 11,586 778 2,075 3,162 Kildare North 7,657 9,496 1,242 1,483 3,101 Kildare South 6,052 9,204 1,039 1,426 2,372 Laois–Offaly 10,878 20,398 1,739 2,090 6,188 Limerick East 11,529 15,080 1,714 2,235 4,998 Limerick West 6,999 11,823 886 1,201 3,722 Longford–Roscommon 8,212 15,654 1,456 1,159 6,175 Louth 7,322 16,356 1,228 1,983 4,337 Mayo 10,923 21,174 1,348 1,666 6,601 Meath 11,338 18,584 1,487 2,123 5,898 Sligo–Leitrim 7,909 16,162 1,044 1,670 5,290 Tipperary North 7,547 13,316 1,550 2,158 3,802 Tipperary South 6,928 11,865 832 4,187 3,092 Waterford 8,243 15,769 1,406 2,229 3,887 Westmeath 5,969 10,653 1,160 1,561 3,770 Wexford 8,779 16,713 7,405 2,415 4,061 Wicklow 11,532 14,187 2,144 2,874 4,973 Total 372,002 574,424 59,529 88,423 175,458 + Second count resulthttp://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad%2C661%2Cen.pdf Presidential Elections 1938–2011 Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government 20 September 2018 36 20 December 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171220201718/http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/FileDownLoad,661,en.pdf live Constituency Banotti McAleeseVotes%Votes% Carlow–Kilkenny 16,474 40.5% 24,295 59.5% Cavan–Monaghan 12,159 31.9% 26,015 68.1% Clare 11,542 34.7% 21,766 65.3% Cork East 12,205 38.9% 19,218 61.1% Cork North-Central 12,201 40.3% 18,139 59.7% Cork North-West 10,687 40.4% 15,825 59.6% Cork South-Central 17,021 41.1% 24,437 58.9% Cork South-West 11,326 43.0% 15,056 57.0% Donegal North-East 4,844 25.6% 14,113 74.4% Donegal South-West 5,573 28.4% 14,060 71.6% Dublin Central 9,140 44.7% 11,349 55.3% Dublin North 13,013 46.3% 15,149 53.7% Dublin North-Central 13,903 46.8% 15,843 53.2% Dublin North-East 11,114 47.4% 12,374 52.6% Dublin North-West 10,337 46.0% 12,180 54.0% Dublin South 23,436 54.3% 19,779 45.7% Dublin South-Central 13,887 51.4% 13,182 48.6% Dublin South-East 15,703 57.6% 11,568 42.4% Dublin South-West 11,734 47.6% 12,920 52.4% Dublin West 11,848 47.4% 13,199 52.6% Dún Laoghaire 22,745 56.3% 17,678 43.7% Galway East 10,003 34.2% 19,318 65.8% Galway West 12,974 38.9% 20,418 61.1% Kerry North 7,942 37.0% 13,546 63.0% Kerry South 7,631 35.2% 14,109 64.8% Kildare North 10,209 46.6% 11,741 53.4% Kildare South 7,976 42.0% 11,039 58.0% Laois–Offaly 14,485 37.0% 24,761 63.0% Limerick East 15,208 45.2% 18,493 54.8% Limerick West 9,082 38.9% 14,277 61.1% Longford–Roscommon 11,216 36.5% 19,555 63.5% Louth 10,015 34.0% 19,527 66.0% Mayo 14,343 36.0% 25,551 64.0% Meath 15,026 40.2% 22,430 59.8% Sligo–Leitrim 10,729 35.1% 19,912 64.9% Tipperary North 10,375 38.8% 16,373 61.2% Tipperary South 10,129 40.3% 15,065 59.7% Waterford 11,070 37.2% 18,760 62.8% Westmeath 8,362 38.6% 13,347 61.4% Wexford 14,143 39.1% 22,064 60.9% Wicklow 15,706 46.9% 17,828 53.1% Total 497,516 39.2% 706,259 55.6% Footnotes References collapsed Category:1997 elections in the Republic of Ireland Category:1997 in Irish politics Category:Presidential elections in Ireland Category:October 1997 in Europe