irish presidential election irish presidential election thirteenth presidential election held ireland contested record seven candidates held thursday october election held elect successor winner scheduled inaugurated ninth president ireland november constitutional election vacant seat dublin west constituency took place day seven candidates davis running secured nominations local authorities forward labour forward mitchell forward previously dominant party declined forward official candidate following disastrous general election campaign earlier year civil rights credited helping overthrow ireland laws homosexuality leading candidate race double support declared candidates january withdrew august returned race following month continuing widespread popular appeal opening televised debate saw challenge candidate membership repeatedly denied producing books desk claimed fine candidate suffered lack recognition voters suffered heavily controversial views suicide ireland joining commonwealth labour candidate pursued past links unpopular admission smoked marijuana independent candidate interrupted prime time debate read statement condemning false accusation heard family member national executive leading opinion polls ahead final televised debate campaign came admitted live air collecting fundraiser event man described convicted criminal fuel ultimately elected ninth president ireland finished second place finished favourite race finished fifth sudden demise compared fall winning post grand national procedure qualify candidates citizen ireland years age nominated serving members parliament county city councils case incumbent president served term presidential elections conducted presidential elections act amended election held days ending term office incumbent days office vacant july government announced election held october order august minister environment community local government declaring september day nominations received election conducted means alternative vote called instant runoff voting single winner single vote irish elections constitution calls system proportional representation means single vote single winner election proportional irish citizens entered current electoral register eligible vote nomination campaign following general election february election members 24th political parties minimum members nominate candidate fine senators labour_party senators senators largest party senators candidates nominated support members smaller parties currently senators excess members larger parties needed support local authorities fine dublin constituency chosen fine candidate special convention held july announced seeking party nomination june having contacted large number senior figures party voting secret ballot electoral college consisting fine parliamentary party senators vote county city member executive council sought nomination president early june press reports indicated cox stated desire stand independent candidate seeking join fine eligible party nomination application join party accepted june launched campaign fine nomination june describing shot opportunity failed nominated party stand independent cox claimed preferred choice kenny fine leadership june announced candidacy withdrew contest july stating realised unlikely receive nomination east constituency presenter ear ground journalist announced bid fine nomination april march fine produced candidates european_union ambassador ruled contest kelly president indicated june seeking party nomination wished continue serving party approached nobel poet late declined stand agreed cross party candidate announcement mitchell won nomination stated kenny seen slump barely contain disappointment questioned journalist apparent disappointment kenny responded sharply supposed going like labour_party labour_party candidate chosen jointly party special convention june minister current labour_party president originally indicated interested receiving party nomination september like candidates names forward late chief executive children charity announced september seek labour_party nomination president senator forward party nomination time presidential election ran candidate supported nomination candidate decision meeting parliamentary party august line recommendations person formed party leader consider matter june press reports indicated party unlikely run candidate financial reasons unlikely nominee successful early august press speculation broadcaster seek nomination august holiday home indicate members facilitate nomination indicated decision forward said run banner independent albeit assistance party organisation convinced matter giving support told party deputy leader member committee tasked deciding strategy election stated know approach discussed issue good bad indifferent august informed martin going forward nomination stated idea running known involve followed parliamentary party members number unhappy candidate imposed leadership discussion august reported moved pull party presidential race fallout approach cost involved slim chance candidate elected august party deputy leader told believed party forward candidate members expressed interest party nomination said september like stand president july wrote members parliamentary party confirming wished contest election candidate august indicated seeking nomination stated party leadership demonstrated want internal party candidate contest upcoming presidential election disappointment feel free seek nomination west minister expressed interest office held grandfather senator announced intention stand nomination said seeking nomination expressed interest seeking nomination following decision run candidate speculation party members prepared nominate independent candidate september party chief whip clear individual senators permitted sign nomination papers independent candidates said party decided support candidacy collectively meeting parliamentary party held september issue presidential election raised unexpectedly party senators sought nominations run independent candidate widely seen challenge authority extended meeting broke agreement parliamentary party met september senator withdrew request nomination motion passed party members nominate endorse candidate decision seen severe blow attempts secure nomination expected need signatures individual members party meeting dublin june party leader ruled candidate previously expressed wish elected president time centenary reports july artist seriously considering run presidency talks source confirmed informal discussions july ruled speech party september said felt support nomination candidate capable winning support progressive nationalist opinion reflect broad republican spirit irish people time went state party consider matter september september revealed party seek deputy minister northern_ireland nominated contest election senators short required members nominate candidate presidency soon nomination announced independent agreed nominate securing nomination representing luke south previously pledged support independent order secure nomination number non party politicians sought support members city county councils nominations senator long time civil rights campaigned unsuccessfully declared seek nomination early launched campaign january initially anticipated nominated labour_party poll commissioned january showed far popular choice president double support potential candidates march formally launched campaign secure nomination stating written county city councils individually contacting independent elected 31st july revealed secured support members candidacy confident securing july senators announced august publicly announced press conference withdrawing presidential race followed decision withdraw support following revelations written letter court asking partner trial israel information publicised july blogger london claimed received tip associate admitted supporter campaign rival eventual election winner withdrew candidacy august controversy human rights jailed short spells activism suggested time deeds recycled associated september media reports indicated seeking enter election meeting independent looking support september members signed nomination papers indicated signing nomination papers following meeting supporters effectively ended attempt gain nomination stated final required nomination acquired nominations new_york based journalist publisher early june indicated approached cross party group irish irish americans urging forward contest travelled ireland later month meet independent senators attempt gain nomination withdrew seeking nomination june difficulty organising campaign stopped believing win members considered candidate chair group circulated list possible candidates members summer meetings held chief executive agreement reached withdrew seeking nomination september council nominations number independent politicians sought support local authorities candidates nominated resolutions councils announced seeking nomination originally stated august consider standing presidency approached political party subsequently decided run independent seeking nominations local authorities reported likely seek nomination subsequently reported addition seeking support approaching members order run independent candidate semi detached relationship party june began process looking nominations local authorities approached number councils june july august announced withdrawing election september reversed decision received local authority nomination september announced september seeking presidential nomination initially attempted gain signatures members september secured support instead began process seeking support county city councils number councils scheduled special meetings consider presidential nominations prior deadline midday september candidates seven candidates presidential election having selected parties having received sufficient council nominations largest number candidates contest irish presidential election social entrepreneur disability rights best known special olympics world summer games ireland nominated local councils entrepreneur dragons den television programme member nominated local councils government minister selected labour_party deputy minister northern_ireland selected received support independent nominated selected senator scholar civil rights nominated local councils nominated local councils election campaign crew candidates led attention campaign election outcome international media guardian described presidential election campaign republic founded fine minister environment community local government attacked claiming multinational companies appalled elected foreign direct investment drop followed government chief whip claimed northern bank robbery response pledge average industrial wage elected president dismissed charges black propaganda reported fine strategy strongly accusations drive party voters come support mitchell october 27th election formal campaign launch october independent accused polling companies research attacks pledged ask government bring office president terms freedom information act publish annual expenditure report pledge publish expenses davis eventually accepted collective responsibility mortgage lending decisions appointed board building society campaign relatives people killed troubles objected prospect member president october confronted son member killed kidnap interview aired october noted interview indicated considered volunteers defending armed soldiers asked fair occasion standing killing members defence forces insisted family killed accused misleading younger generations glossy campaign husband mother killed said doubted claims ignorance identities killers saying anybody knows apologised northern_ireland took exception appearance election posters given northern_ireland citizens eligible vote election regularly called voting rights presidential election extended irish citizens northern_ireland confronted mines workers workers upset cut debates broadcast debate campaign took place september day nominations closed radio news programme followed series televised interviews candidates evening prime time programme day second debate held late late september interviewed candidates interviewed previous week programme included later panel debate october broadcast challenged left asking directly left persist saying didn living average industrial wage drawing couple grand people confidence word challenged claims left provisional irish republican army producing books alleged evidence claiming referenced moment said later debate radio people blame rising find way debate today spoke ireland rejoining commonwealth candidates mitchell suffered poor voter recognition criticised remarks suicide live radio october debate time prime time programme seven candidates debate lasting minutes took place wednesday night prime time usually aired tuesday thursday announced week advance read prepared statement end debate announcing false accusation family united_states refusing details said leave stone mission track person organisation responsible visibly upset candidates met lawyers day expressed sorrow expressing frustration general tone election campaign saying media reports told october freelance journalist told allegations appear media treatment resulted complaints colleague said watched shock horror don think seen politician interviewed radio called murderer kind shocking expressed disappointment campaign suffered severe setback october televised debate election admitted collecting described convicted criminal fuel fundraiser event gave access questioned matter opinion poll point donation later revealed businessman subsequently denied collecting morgan refused answer questions illegal director loan raised october televised debate performance campaign compared fall winning post grand national reported left shell shocked cancelled planned meet people visits following day tour broadcasters attempt explain behaviour march ireland upheld complaint relating broadcasting presidential campaign eventual winner pursued past links party admitted october elected chairman university university united_states admitted smoked marijuana media reports said spared intense prime time debate campaign spending february standards public office commission published candidates returns campaign donations election expenses candidates receive total votes votes stage entitled election expenses maximum candidates received maximum allowed votes received donations need reported making reported totals meaningful stated campaign funded members lottery opinion polls vote voting took place october usual voting began certain offshore islands days rest country islands voting took place october october islands went polls islands voted october hours voting ballot boxes secured nationwide counting votes beginning following morning presidential votes separated constitutional referendum votes counted later results counting votes began october fourth final count completed october early october showed likely receive largest number preferences speaking count centre conceded sent calling bit like mentioned radio collecting newspapers told truth end constituency results reactions fine general secretary called bad day party adding early electorate view gay mitchell race person race according mitchell received votes previous constituency mitchell performed considerably worse candidate party unsuccessful election campaigns received hero welcome victory reception october square approximately people turned welcome home
Irish presidential election, 2011