As part as my submission to the Constituency Commission, I went back and had a look at the various forms the Kildare Constituency has taken over the years.

Certainly the oddest was the 4 seat Kildare constituency created in 1961 which took in parts of South-West Meath and South-East Westmeath. It featured in two General Elections (1961 and 1965) and both times returned two Fianna Fail TDs (including the Meath-based Brendan Crinion both times), one Fine Gael TD and one Labour TD.

There was a by-election in 1964 following the death of Labour Leader William /Norton, which was won by Fianna Fail. His son Patrick Norton won a seat for Labour in 1965, but joined Fianna Fail in 1967, and lost his seat standing as a Fianna Fail candidate in 1969. He afterwards was a Fianna Fail senator.