The University Observer takes a look at all the UCD alumni to earn seats in the next Dáil, including party leaders, controversial figures and a number of first time TDs
Fianna Fáil lead the way with nine UCD graduates heading into the 34th Dáil as members of Micheál Martin’s party. The University Observer takes a look at all the UCD alumni to earn seats in the next Dáil, including party leaders, controversial figures and a number of first time TDs.
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil, Cavan-Monaghan
BA in Politics and Economics
Brendan Smith picked up the final seat in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency on the 15th count. Having been a TD since 1992, he’s acted as Chair of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and chair of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. In his long career in government, Smith has previously been both Minister for Justice and Law Reform and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil, Clare
Studied in UCD
A former chair of Kevin Barry Cumann, Timmy Dooley first became a member of the Dáil in 2007. He lost his seat in the 2020 general election but has reclaimed it for the 34th Dáil. In his absence from elected politics, Dooley has served as a member of the Seanad since 2020 after being nominated by the Taoiseach. In July 2024, Dooley had to defend himself after it emerged that he was the third lowest voter in the Seanad, having voted in just nine of thirty six ballots held in the first half of the year.
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil, Donegal
BA in Economics, Politics and History
Charlie McConalogue won the final seat in Donegal, having been elected on the 16th count. Having previously been Minister of State for Law Reform, he is the outgoing Minister for Agriculture, Food and The Marine. During his time in UCD, he acted as Education Officer for UCD Student Union.
Cian O’Callaghan, Social Democrats, Dublin Bay North
MA in Politics and a Higher Diploma in Social Policy
Cian O’Callaghan was first elected to the Dáil in 2020 and became deputy leader of the Social Democrat party in 2023, having led a lot of the campaign for the 2024 election due to leader Holly Cairn’s pregnancy. In the 2024 General Election he claimed the first seat in his constituency. Having previously been Mayor of Fingal in 2012 as part of a Labour Party, left the party a year later blaming “two budgets in a row that actually increased income inequality”. During his time in UCD he was a member of the student’s union.
Tom Brabazon, Fianna Fáil, Dublin Bay North
BA in Irish, Geography and Politics
Tom Brabazon took the fifth and final seat in Dublin Bay North, winning his seat on the sixteenth count. In February 2020, he was elected as Lord Mayor of Dublin, and is now a new TD having earned a seat for the first time in the recent election.
James Geoghegan, Fine Gael, Dublin Bay South
BA in Politics and Sociology
James Geoghegan is not only a frequent visitor to UCD gym, but also the outgoing Lord Mayor of Dublin. Having lost out on a seat to Ivana Bacik in the 2021 by-election, he finished top of the polls and earned the first seat in his constituency in November’s election. He is a first time TD and a practising barrister.
Jim O’Callaghan, Fine Gael, Dublin Bay South
Bachelor of Civil Law
Jim O’Callaghan won the third seat in Dublin Bay South and has been a TD since 2016. He is a prominent member of the Fine Gael party, but has previously rejected the position of Minister of State at the Department of Justice, opting to remain on the back benches. While at UCD, he represent the college in rugby, eventually going on to play for Leinster. He is the brother of RTÉ TV presenter Miriam O’Callaghan.
Marie Sherlock, Labour, Dublin Central
MA in Economics
Marie Sherlock made headlines around the country during election weekend as she beat out Gerry Hutch for the final seat in Dublin Central. Sherlock, who is the former Equality Head of SIPTU, is currently the Labour party spokesperson for Employment Affairs, Art, Culture, Media and the Gaeltacht.
Lousie O’Reilly, Sinn Fein, Dublin Fingal West
MSc in Equality Studies
Lousie O’Reilly has retained her seat in the Dáil, having first been elected in 2016. She previously acted as Sinn Fein’s Spokesperson for Health, and is currently the part Spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Enterprise, Trade and Employment. She picked up the first seat on the fourth count in Dublin Fingal West.
Mark Ward, Sinn Fein, Dublin Mid-West
Diploma in Counselling and Intervention Skills
Mark Ward won the second seat in his constituency after the ninth count in the area had been completed. Having first been elected in the 2019 by election, he says his main priority in politics is housing, having previously been homeless himself. Ward is also a qualified behavioural therapist.
Emer Higgins, Fine Gael, Dublin Mid-West
BA in Economics and Sociology
Emer higgins, who is a member of the governing authority of UCD, holds the position of Minister of State for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. She has been a TD since 2020, having lost out in the 2019 by election to Mark Ward. In June 2024, Higgins faced criticism from Eamon Ryan and Ivana Bacik when she announced that she would be asking Dublin City Council to pause the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan.
Neale Richmond, Fine Gael, Dublin Rathdown
BA in History and MA in Political Science
Neale Richmond was one of few politicians to meet quota on the first count in their constituency, claiming the first seat in Dublin Rathdown. Richmond was Chair of the UCD Branch of Young Fine Gael during his time in the university. Having previously been a Minister of State for Social Protection, and later Enterprise, Trade and Employment, he was made Minister of State for Finance when Simon Harris took over as Taoiseach.
Sinead Gibney, Social Democrats, Dublin Rathdown
MSc in Equality Studies
Sinead Gibney is a new TD, having outperformed many expectations in the 2024 election, claiming the second seat on the tenth count in Dublin Rathdown. Earlier this year she finished 9th in the election to become the Dublin representative in the European Parliament. Prior to politics, Gibney was Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. Along with her Masters in Equality Studies from UCD, Gibney also holds qualifications from Ulster University, IADT and Trinity College Dublin.
Shay Brennan, Fianna Fáil, Dublin Rathdown
BA in Economics and MBS in Financial Services
Shay Brennan picked up the fourth and final seat in Dublin Rathdown on the tenth count . Having been a councillor since 2014, Brennan is elected as a new TD to the 34th Dáil. Shay’s father, Séamus Brennan, passed away in 2009 while being an active Fianna Fail TD, which led to the 2009 by-election in Dublin South. Shay contested the by-election in an attempt to take over for his father, but ultimately finished third.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Fein, Dublin South Central
BA in History and Geography and a Higher Diploma in Education
Aengus Ó Snodaigh won the third seat on the fifteenth count in Dublin South Central. Having joined Sinn Fein while in UCD, he has been a TD since 2002. He previously ran for election in 1987 and 1999, after which seven of his election workers were jailed for IRA membership. He is the party spokesperson on Irish, The Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture. He has previously acted as Sinn Fein party whip.
Paul Murphy, People Before Profit-Solidarity, Dublin South West
Studied Law in UCD
Paul Murphy won the final seat in Dublin South West on Count eleven. Murphy has been a TD since 2014 and was previously a member of the European Parliament from 2011 until 2014. During his time in UCD, Murphy was active in the students union, having unsuccessfully ran to be President of UCDSU in 2004.
Ruth Coppinger, People Before Profit-Solidarity, Dublin West
Bachelor of Arts
Ruth Coppinger won the fourth seat on count 13 in Dublin West. She has reclaimed the seat that she lost in the 2020 election, having previously been elected a TD for the first time in 2014. She had an unsuccessful run for a Seanad seat following her departure from the Dáil in 2020.
Jennifer Carrol McNeill, Fine Gael, Dun Laoighre
PHD in Public Policy and Political Science
Claiming the first seat in count one, Jennifer Carroll McNeill returns to the Dáil. She is an outgoing Minister of State for European Affairs, a role she took one earlier this year. She first became a TD in 2020 and served as a Minister of State at the Department of Finance from 2022 until her new role in 2024.
Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit-Solidary, Dun Laoighre
Masters in English Literature
Richard Boyd Barrett, leader of People Before Profit-Solidarity, took the second seat in Dun Laoighre, behind Jennifer Carroll McNeill. Having been a TD since 2011, Richard Boyd Barrett had a large presence since the beginning of the election, being praised for his performance on the RTÉ Upfront Leader’s debate. He also makes the occasional appearance on campus as part of Literary and History Society Debates.
Barry Ward, Fine Gael, Dun Laoighre
BA in French and Politics and Post Graduate Study in Business and IT
Barry Ward picked up the final seat in Dun Laoighre. Previously a Senator on the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 2020 to 2024, he will enter the Dáil as a first time TD. He previously ran in 2020, but failed to win a seat. While in UCD, he was auditor of both the Literary and History Society and the Young Progressive Democrats. He was also a member of the SU Council, the returning officer for the Student’s Union, and wrote for the University Observer.
Joe Neville, Fine Gael, Kildare North
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
Joe Neville claimed Kildare North’s fourth seat on count twelve of the election. Neville will be a new TD in the 34 Dáil, and will leave his post as Mayor of Kildare. He took over the role earlier this year, having been on the local council for over a decade.
Seán Fleming, Fianna Fáil, Laois
Studies in UCD
Seán Fleming has been a Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs since 2022, having previously been involved in the Department of Finance. He has been a TD since 1997, this time around earning the second seat on count eight in Laois. In 2022, Fleming had to apologise for comments he made when he said “rather than complaining”, people could impact their own finances “but it involves people having to do some work themselves”.
Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil, Limerick City
Studied Law and Later Lectured in Law
Willie O’Dea picked up the first seat in Limerick City on the sixth count. Having been a TD since 1982, he previously had the role of Minister for Defence from 2004 until 2010. He resigned from that role when the Green Party said that they would no longer support the government if he were to stay in office, following a defamation case around O’Dea referencing a brother operating in the house of Limerick Sinn Fein candidate Maurice Quinlivan. Quinlivan now works alongside O’Dea in their constituency.
Ged Nash, Labour, Louth
BA in Politics and History
Ged Nash earned his seat on count 20 of the election. Having been first elected in 2011, the Labour TD missed out on reelection in 2016 so acted as a Senator until his reelection to the Dáil in 2020. He has previously acted as Minister of State for Business and Unemployment.
Erin McGreehan, Fianna Fáil, Louth
Masters in Economics and Public Affairs
Erin McGreehan won Louth’s final seat of the 2024 election. McGreehan was criticised in the past for being a member of the Ireland-Israel Parliamentary Friendship group but confirmed in September that she had left the group and supports the Occupied Territories Bill.
Peadar Tóibín, Aontu, Meath West
Studied in UCD
Peadar Tóibín picked up the second seat in Meath West on count 5. Tóibín has been a TD since 2011, when he was originally elected as a member of Sinn Fein. He resigned as a member of Sinn Fein in 2018 when his Anti-Abortion stance clashed with Sinn Fein’s pro-choice stance. He founded Aontu in 2019 and has been their leader ever since. His party picked up just two seats in the 2024 election.
Marian Harkin, Independent, Sligo-Leitrim
Bachelor of Science in Geology
Marian Harkin is the only alum of UCD to be elected as an independent in this election. She won the final seat in the Sligo-Leitrium constituency on Count 13. Previously a member of European Parliament from 2004 until 2019, she has been a TD in the Dáil since 2020 and had a previous stint when she was elected in 2002. Harkin worked as a maths teacher in Sligo for 25 years.
Alan Kelly, Labour, Tipperary North
MBS in ECommerce
Picking up the second seat in Tipperary North was former leader of the Labour Party, Alan Kelly. Kelly, who has been a TD since 2011, led the party for two years starting in 2020. He was previously the government Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Ryan O’Meara, Fianna Fáil, Tipperary North
BA in Economics, Political Science and International Relations and Masters of Common Law
Ryan O’Meara enters the 34th Dáil as a first time TD. He earned the third seat in Tipperary North on count ten. He will go into the Dáil as a member of the largest party, with Fianna Fail earning more seats than any other.