Aubrey McCarthy, Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan elected Senators in University of Dublin constituency

Posted on: 31 January 2025

Provost Dr Linda Doyle said: "This is an historic moment as it is the last time the University of Dublin constituency will elect senators to the Seanad. Trinity warmly welcomes the expansion of the franchise and I would like to thank each of the senators who have represented the university so well in the Upper House of the Oireachtas since the 1930s.”

Incumbents Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan, and Aubrey McCarthy (pictured below), have been elected as Senators in the University of Dublin constituency.  

Fifteen counts were completed in the Public Theatre of Trinity College Dublin, followed by a simple recount at the request of Hazel Chu's team. The returning officer was Trinity’s Provost Dr Linda Doyle. 

Happy man receiving a congratulatory hug
 

The result of the election in this three-seat constituency was as follows:

Lynn Ruane: 4,806 votes, 11th count 

Tom Clonan: 4,938 votes, 13th count 

Aubrey McCarthy: 3,770 votes, 15th count (revised result)

16 candidates contested the University of Dublin Seanad election. The poll closed at 11 am on 29th January 2025. 

The total valid poll was 17,797. The quota was 4,450. The turnout was 17,821 (25%).

Woman laughing
Lynn Ruane (pictured above) won her Seanad seat in 2016 while Tom Clonan (pictured below) became a Senator in 2022.
Man smiles as onlookers applaud

 

Provost Dr Linda Doyle said: “My warmest congratulations to Aubrey McCarthy, Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan on their election to Seanad Éireann. Trinity has a long history of electing senators who have gone on to play pivotal roles in Irish politics and public life and I hope that Aubrey McCarthy, Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan will continue that tradition. 

"This is an historic moment as it is the last time the University of Dublin constituency will elect senators to the Seanad. Trinity warmly welcomes the expansion of the franchise and I would like to thank each of the senators who have represented the university so well in the Upper House of the Oireachtas since the 1930s.” 

This is the last time that the University of Dublin constituency will elect three Senators to the upper house of the Oireachtas. From 2026, Trinity graduates, along with graduates of other higher education institutions who hold Irish citizenship, will elect six Senators to the Seanad’s Higher Education constituency. 

For more information on candidates and the election see here. 

Results by count were as follows: 

Candidate Count 1 Count 2 Count 3 Count 4 Count 5 Count 6 Count 7 Count 8 Count 9 Count 10 Count 11 Count 12 Count 13 Count 14 Count 15
Lynn Ruane 3,761 3,769 3,781 3,792 3,803 3,900 3,974 4,042 4,102 4,399 4,806        
Tom Clonan 3,473 3,486 3,492 3,503 3,534 3,578 3,626 3,743 3,931 4,090 4,269 4,346 4,938    
Aubrey McCarthy 1,814 1,815 1,823 1,839 1,874 1,896 1,926 1,996 2,115 2,205 2,314 2,343 2,630 2,747 3,770
Hugo MacNeil 1,684 1,687 1,696 1,721 1,757 1,764 1,792 1,870 1,957 2,057 2,116 2,141 2,359 2,476  
Hazel Chu 1,450 1,453 1,462 1,471 1,480 1,515 1,573 1,627 1,649 1,803 2,062 2,201 2,962 3,163 3,706
Ossian Smyth 1,380 1,382 1,385 1,393 1,401 1,419 1,439 1,509 1,524 1,641 1,945 2,029      
Sadhbh O'Neill 1,085 1,086 1,088 1,095 1,106 1,161 1,196 1,249 1,305 1,384          
Katherine Zappone 950 951 955 956 959 970 1,001 1,018 1,039            
Laoise De Brun 593 595 598 604 616 621 640 668              
Kevin Byrne 495 500 516 528 557 564 582                
Ade Oluborode 339 343 349 363 365 372                  
Paul Mulville 305 306 309 314 319                    
Marcus Matthews 186 188 189 198                      
John (Jack) Mulcahy 140 144 145                        
Derek Byrne 87 90                          
Abbas Ali O'Shea 55  

Media Contact:

Sorcha O'Boyle and Catherine O'Mahony