Donegal Progressive Party

The Donegal Progressive Party was a minor political party in the Republic of Ireland.

Donegal Progressive Party
DissolvedNovember 2009
IdeologyProtestant Minority Interests

The party drew its support mostly from the unionist and Protestant community in eastern County Donegal.[1] It was opposed to a united Ireland. At the 1973 general election, the party's leader advised Protestants to vote for Fianna Fáil, as it had "the most stable policy" on the border question.[2] Throughout the 1980s and 90s, the party held a single seat on Donegal County Council, but it lost this at the 1999 local elections.[3][4] The party was registered to contest local elections only.

Jim Devenney, a butcher and member of the East Donegal Ulster Scots Association and the former deputy chairman of the Ulster-Scots Agency,[5] was the party's final representative, also contested Donegal North-East at the 1992 and 1997 general elections, and stood in Letterkenny again in 2004.[6][7] The party was removed from the Register of Political Parties in November 2009.[8]

Elections edit

Dáil Éireann edit

Year Candidate Votes % Seats
1992 Jim Devenney

(as an Independent)

2,082 6.67%
0 / 166
1997 Jim Devenney

(as an Independent)

1,657 4.66%
0 / 166

Local elections (Donegal County Council) edit

Year Candidate Votes % Position Seats
1985 William Buchanan 1,506 10.4% #1

(Letterkenny)

1 / 29
1991 Jim Devenney 1,775 12.9% #1

(Letterkenny)

1 / 29
1999 Jim Devenney 1,229 10.86% #6

(Letterkenny)

0 / 29
2004 Jim Devenney 869 7.06% #7

(Letterkenny)

0 / 29


References edit

  1. ^ Crotty, William J.; Schmitt, David A. (17 June 2014). Ireland and the Politics of Change. Routledge. ISBN 9781317881186.
  2. ^ James Knight and Nicolas Baxter-Moore, Republic of Ireland: The General Elections of 1969 and 1973
  3. ^ Protestants lose out in the Republic Grand Orange Order Lodge website, October 1998.
  4. ^ "Independent TD stands, and angers Fianna Fail". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  5. ^ About Us - East Donegal Ulster Scots Association - Official Website
  6. ^ "Jim Devenney". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Jim Devenney". Irish Elections. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  8. ^ Coughlan, Kieran (20 November 2009). "Electoral Acts 1992 and 2001: Register of Political Parties" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. Dublin: Government Publications Office: 1509. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2016.