22 October 1976
(Unopposed) 1983 → | ||
The Irish presidential election of 1976 was precipitated by the sudden resignation of President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh in October 1976, following an attack on him by Paddy Donegan, the Minister for Defence in which the Minister called the President a "thundering disgrace" and implied he was disloyal to the state. Ó Dálaigh's resignation followed Dáil Éireann's decision to vote confidence in the minister in the ensuring row.
Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch proposed as the party's presidential election candidate Patrick Hillery, retiring European Commissioner for Social Affairs and former Minister for External Affairs. Charles Haughey, a critic of Lynch, proposed Donegal Teachta Dála (TD) Joseph Brennan, a former Minister for Social Welfare. However, Hillery easily won the party nomination.
The government parties, Fine Gael and the Labour Party, could have nominated a joint candidate, but following the debacle over the events that led to the resignation of President Ó Dálaigh, it was thought unwise to do so.
With no other candidates nominated, Hillery was elected without the need for a poll and was inaugurated as the sixth President of Ireland on 3 December 1976.