Dublin Bay North is unique amongst the 43 constituencies in this election.
It’s not because of the social mix, which ranges from the affluence of Clontarf and Howth to the deprivation in Darndale, from old established communities in Marino to new towns like Clongriffin.
It stands alone because it is the only constituency guaranteed to return three first-time TDs to the Dáil.
Three of the five deputies elected in 2020 are not running this year.
The Labour Party’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin vacated his seat when he was elected to the European Parliament in June.
Veteran TDs Richard Bruton of Fine Gael and Sean Haughey of Fianna Fáil have retired and left party colleagues to take up the baton.
The two incumbents who are running, Denise Mitchell of Sinn Féin and Cian O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats, are widely predicted to keep their seats.
Ms Mitchell is not expected to repeat her 2020 achievement of winning the most first-preference votes of any candidate in the State, but Sinn Féin should have enough support to see her home.
Her running mate Councillor Micheál Mac Donncha has served on Dublin City Council since 2011 and should help to gather votes.
The Social Democrats had a good local election, doubling their seats on Dublin City Council, that and Mr O’Callaghan’s high profile as the party’s deputy leader should secure his re-election.
The destination of the other three seats looks wide open.
The currently uncivil frenemies, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil command enough support in this constituency to be sure of a seat each, but both are running two candidates.
Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí is the more experienced of the Fine Gael candidates.
A former Lord Mayor, he was first elected to Dublin City Council in 2004.
His running mate Councillor Aoibhinn Tormey was first elected to Fingal County Council for the Howth Malahide ward.
She is hoping that being a slightly fresher face will help her campaign.
Ms Tormey said: “People bring up that we’ve been in government since 2011, but Fine Gael is always changing, it’s always new people who are getting elected, it’s always new ministers who are there.
“So we’re looking at a next generation stepping up now, and that always brings our own personal experiences, our own backgrounds to that.”
For Fianna Fáil, Councillor Deirdre Heney is hoping her record will convince voters.
Canvassing in Beaumont, she told RTÉ News: “I’m an experienced local politician, I’m group leader on Dublin City Council…there’s a huge need for experience in this constituency with Sean Haughey, a man of experience retiring, and there’s other senior politicians retiring.”
Her running mate Councillor Tom Brabazon can also boast significant experience – he is a former Lord Mayor with 21 years of service on the city council and a solicitor with a practice that recently moved from Fairview to Raheny.
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Many predict that Dublin Bay North could, once again, return an independent to the Dáil.
Barry Heneghan was elected to Dublin City Council for Clontarf for the first time in June.
He is combining a slick social media campaign with a ground operation supported by former independent TD Finian McGrath.
On the canvass in Clontarf, he told RTÉ News, that, like his mentor, he would be open to doing a deal to help larger parties form a government.
He said: “I think independents are the common sense between the parties, they represent the people.
“Parties can get caught up in, ‘we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that’, but the independents represent the people who put them there.
“Look at Tony Gregory, look at Finian McGrath, they’ve done so much when they were in government, and I think that’s what I’m going to aim for.”
Councillor John Lyons, who was once a People Before Profit/Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate, is now an independent.
He was elected in June to the city council, for the third time, to represent Artane.
Canvassing in that area, he told RTÉ News he lost first preferences in 2020 to Sinn Féin, then riding a wave of popularity.
He thinks he may be better placed this time. He has a different perspective on government formation.
He said: “I wouldn’t do any deal with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, because they have failed. They have repeatedly failed.
“I don’t know how anybody can take what they say during this election seriously because we have evidence over the past four years, the past thirteen years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael failing to deliver.”
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The Labour Party candidate Shane Folan has run twice in local elections in the Donaghmede area without success.
He is hoping the Labour Party’s history in the area and his own experience as a young person from the locality, struggling to find housing, will help him retain the seat vacated by Aodhán Ó Riordáin
He said: “There’s a core Labour vote here as well, but people want to see a new energy in politics, they want to see new experiences.
“They want to see themselves reflected; I’m a renter myself. I lived in my parents’ house until just this year. I work in finance so when people talk about the waste of money that we see at the minute, I get it. “
Talking to voters in the constituency, RTÉ News heard familiar issues raised.
Melanie Lynch, a student, said housing and cost of living are her concerns.
She said: “My generation, in many ways feel left behind, The situation has been really tough. The cost-of-living crisis is a big challenge as well.
“I’m a student at the moment and I’m working to make ends meet, so it’s a really challenging time.”
Dave, who was walking his dog on Clontarf seafront, said there had been a lack of government action on building housing.
He said: “I’ll probably be voting Labour, because if they’re going to go into government with the other two it’ll keep the Greens out.”
In Darndale, Connie said: “I’ll be looking at who is going to do the best for our local community.
“Also I’m looking at women as I think women have a great opportunity and I usually vote women”.
Coming out of the shops, Francis O’Connor said the cost of living and rising prices is what he would like to see change.
He does not see any candidates that appeal to him.
He said: “They can hardly push their own population into a safe line of living, but they start bringing in people from other countries, no offence to them.”
Councillor David Healy, who represents Howth-Malahide on Fingal County Council, is running for the Green Party.
There are also a number of candidates standing for smaller parties with anti-immigration platforms and other independents running in Dublin Bay North.
Disability rights activist Bernard Mulvany is standing for People Before Profit
The first four seats in Dublin Bay North are expected to be divided one each amongst Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
The last seat could see a battle royale between independents, Labour, Fine Gael or Sinn Féin.
The confirmed candidates standing in Dublin Bay North are:
- Tom Brabazon (Fianna Fáil)
- Michael Burke (Independent)
- Kevin Coyle (Independent)
- Paul Fitzsimons (Irish Freedom Party)
- Shane Folan (Labour Party)
- Brian Garrigan (Independent)
- David Healy (Green Party)
- Barry Heneghan (Independent)
- Deirdre Heney (Fianna Fáil)
- John Lyons (Independent)
- Mícheál Mac Donncha (Sinn Féin)
- Denise Mitchell (Sinn Féin)
- James Morris (Aontú)
- Bernard Mulvany (People Before Profit-Solidarity)
- Cian O’Callaghan (Social Democrats)
- Diarmaid Ó Conoráin (Independent)
- Naoise Ó Muirí (Fine Gael)
- Aoibhinn Tormey (Fine Gael)
