Cork East encompasses a large area of the eastern portion of Co Cork, with the northern part of the constituency forming part of the 'Golden Vale' area, and characterised by an abundance of high-quality farmland.
Much of the constituency is within easy commuting distance of Cork City, but there are several other major towns in the constituency – around half of the electorate live in Buttevant, Carrigtohill, Cobh, Fermoy, Mallow, Midleton, Mitchelstown and Youghal.
There has been a significant boundary change in Cork East since 2007, with a transfer of 4,255 people out of Cork East into Cork North-Central.
Cork East loses the areas of Ballynaglogh, Glenville, Carrig, Kildinan, Watergrasshill, Ballynamona and Rahan, all to the north of Cork City.
The 2006 population for Cork East, taking account of this change, would be 100,168.
In 2006, Cork East had higher percentages of people working in both construction and manufacturing than the national average and job losses in recent years have been a serious concern.
Constituency Boundaries: There has been a significant boundary change in Cork East since 2007. (See above)
Seats: Four
2007 Quota: 10,762
2011 Candidates
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Michael Ahern - Fianna Fáil
A son of former TD and Senator, Liam Ahern, Michael Ahern has served various Government roles including Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
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Tom Barry - Fine Gael
Mallow-based, Tom Barry is a Councillor and a first time Dáil candidate.
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Patrick Bullman - Independent
A first-time election candidate, Patrick Bullman is a member of the People's Convention movement, which was founded in December 2010.
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Paul Burke - Independent
Paul Burke is running as an Independent candidate.
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Claire Cullinane - Independent
A first-time election candidate, Claire Cullinane is a member of the People's Convention movement, which was founded in December 2010.
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Malachy Harty - Green Party
A student of International Development and Food Policy at UCC, Midleton-based Malachy Harty was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2009 local elections.
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Sandra McLellan - Sinn Féin
A Councillor for the Midleton area, Sandra McLellan ran unsuccessfully in Cork East in the 2007 general election. She became the first Sinn Féin Mayor of Youghal in 2009.
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John Mulvihill - Labour Party
A TD for Cork East between 1992 and 1997, John Mulvihill is currently a member of Cork County Council.
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Pa O'Driscoll - Fine Gael
A member of Cork County Council and current Mayor of Fermoy, Pa O'Driscoll is contesting his first general election.
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Kevin O'Keeffe - Fianna Fáil
A Councillor since 1997, Kevin O'Keeffe is a son of Ned O'Keeffe, TD for Cork East from 1982 to 2011. This is his first time to contest a general election.
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Paul O'Neill - Independent
Paul O'Neill is based in Midleton and a former President of the local Chamber of Commerce. He is a first-time election candidate.
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Sean Sherlock - Labour Party
Son of Joe Sherlock, the former Labour TD, he won a seat on his first attempt in 2007. He is currently the party Spokesperson on Agriculture and Food.
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David Stanton - Fine Gael
A TD for Cork East since 2007, David Stanton has been party spokesperson on Defence since July 2010.
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Sitting TDs: Michael Ahern (FF), Ned O'Keeffe (FF), Sean Sherlock (Lab), David Stanton (FG).
TDs not seeking re-election: Ned O’Keeffe
Sean Donnelly's analysis:
Ned O’Keeffe will be missing from the Fianna Fáil ticket for the first time since 1982 and he has been replaced by his son Kevin. There will be only one Fianna Fáil seat at most and O’Keeffe could be the one with the long-serving Michael Ahern losing out. Fine Gael would be hoping to add to David Stanton’s seat and with the retirement of former TD and outgoing Senator Paul Bradford, they have turned to two county councillors, Tom Barry and Pa O’Driscoll with one of them likely to join Stanton in the Dail. John Mulvihill won a seat for Labour in the 'Spring Tide' election of 1992 but lost it again in 1997 and will be hoping to avail of his party’s increased poll support to take a seat alongside Sean Sherlock, son of former WP/DL/LB TD Joe Sherlock. Sinn Féin got 7% in this constituency in 2007 and if the poll figures are reflected here, Sandra McLellan will be well placed for a seat gain. Final seat between SF, LB and FF.
Sean Donnelly's Prediction:
1FF, 2FG, 1LB. (Sean Sherlock LB, David Stanton FG, Tom Barry FG, Kevin O’Keeffe FF.) FG Gain from FF.
2007 General Election
Fianna Fáil entered the 2007 election confident of retaining the two seats they held here through Michael Ahern and Ned O’Keeffe. The party’s vote actually declined slightly, dropping 3.1% to 38%, but both men comfortably retained their seats.
The real battle was for the final two seats between Labour and Fine Gael.
Fine Gael's Paul Bradford achieved 16.6% to David Stanton’s 14.3%, but Stanton squeezed over the line on the 6th count assisted by the transfers of Labour’s John Mulvihill.
Mulvihill’s transfers also aided Seán Sherlock in retaining the seat held by his father Joe.
2002 Turnout: 63.7%
2007 Turnout: 64.4%
Oireachtas Constituency Information
Twitter hashtag: #cke
