^ ab"Enniscorthy Twinning"(PDF). Wexford County Council. 2005. Archived from the original(PDF) on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2020. ((cite web)): |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 4 October 2008 suggested (help)
^"Sister Cities". Yelm, Washington. 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
The constituency comprises some of the most diverse geography differences in the country, stretching from large urban areas in the north east to small rural villages in the south west, divided by mountains running down the centre of the constituency. Wicklow is the county capital while Bray is by far the largest town in the constituency. The counting of votes during elections takes place in Greystones.
Left of centre parties tend to perform better in the north east areas of the constituency, such as Bray, Greystones and Newtownmountkennedy. Right of centre parties tend perform better in more rural parts of the constituency, especially in the south and west.
3 of the current 5 TD's represent left of centre parties while another current TD, Stephen Donnelly of Fianna Fáil, was previously elected in the constituency for a left of centre party. Both Donnelly of Fianna Fáil and Simon Harris of Fine Gael are also considered to be on the more progressive wings of their respective parties. All of the constituencies current TD's are based in either Bray or Greystones.
As a whole, the county and constituency of Wicklow is the most progressive and left leaning one in the country outside of Dublin. Wicklow had the highest vote for yes outside of Dublin in both the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum and the 2018 Abortion Referendum, as well as the highest percentage vote for yes for a county outside of Dublin.
By geographical area, Dublin South-East was the smallest constituency in the country. It had a diverse socio-economic profile and a large transient population which is reflected in the turnout: the constituency had one of the lowest turnouts in the country in 2007 and 2011.[3][4]
Notable Dublin South-East TDs include former TaoisighJohn A. Costello and Garret FitzGerald, the former leader of the Progressive DemocratsMichael McDowell, maverick left-wing politician Noël Browne and former Minister of Education Ruairi Quinn (who has the distinction of being its longest-serving, first elected in 1977 and continuously elected since February 1982). The former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, unsuccessfully contested the constituency for Fianna Fáil in 1987.
The 'Rumble in Ranelagh' is a term used by Irish journalists to describe an open argument that took place between candidates Michael McDowell and John Gormley in Ranelagh, while canvassing in the 2007 general election. Gormley twice defeated McDowell to take the last seat, in 1997 and again in 2007, both times by relatively small margins. The 1997 result led to a mammoth recount, the longest in Irish political history, before McDowell conceded defeat.
Races have previously been held under the Rules of Racing at a number of other locations. Races were held at Tralee until 2008, when the course was sold for redevelopment.[11][12] Unaffiliated races are frequently held at many locations throughout the country.[13][14][15][16]