The 1945 Irish presidential election was held on Thursday, 14 June 1945. It was Ireland's first contested presidential election. Outgoing president Douglas Hyde, who had served since 1938, decided not to seek a second term. Fianna Fáil nominated its deputy leader, TánaisteSeán T. O'Kelly, as its candidate. Fine Gael nominated Seán Mac Eoin. Independent republicanPatrick McCartan sought and failed to receive the necessary four nominations from local councils, but secured a nomination from Oireachtas members.
O'Kelly won on the second count but the degree of voting transfers between the two opposition candidates, and O'Kelly's failure to win on the first count, showed the depth of growing opposition to Éamon de Valera's government and the potential that existed for cooperation among various opposition groups. De Valera's government was defeated in the subsequent 1948 general election and replaced by the first inter-party government.
The first candidate nominated was Seán Mac Eoin, a Fine GaelTD who was nominated on 5 May by 17 members of his own party, as well as three independent TDs, Alfie Byrne, Tom O'Reilly and Richard Anthony.[3]Seán T. O'Kelly was nominated by Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members on 15 May. On the date before nominations closed on 16 May, the administrative council of the Labour Party voted to allow its Oireachtas members to sign the nomination form of Patrick McCartan, and Clann na Talmhan voted that its Oireachtas members would sign his nomination form, together guaranteeing his position on the ballot.[4]
^"Presidential and Local Elections Act 1945, Section 6". Irish Statute Book. 1 May 1945. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
^"Presidential and Local Elections Bill, 1945—Second and Subsequent Stages". Seanad Éireann debates. Oireachtas. 25 April 1945. Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
^"First nomination for the presidency". The Irish Times. 7 May 1945.
^"Dr McCartan secures nomination". The Irish Times. 16 May 1945.