As the electoral home of Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald, Dublin Central was always sure to be a constituency of interest in this month’s Irish general election.

However, with the news last week that notorious criminal Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch would be joining the race for one of the four seats in the area, it’s now set to be one of the most interesting battles.

Ms McDonald and Hutch are the not the only high-profile figures standing in the constituency – other contenders include a government minister and a former MEP.

More: Who is Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch? Notorious crime boss running in Mary Lou McDonald’s constituency

Dublin Central

One of the five constituencies in Dublin city, Dublin Central is home to almost 130,000 voters.

Located in the heart of the capital, it is a diverse electoral area which stretches from parts of Dublin’s working-class areas in the North Inner City down to the River Liffey, encompassing O’Connell Street.

It is a four-seater constituency – last time around Mary Lou McDonald (Sinn Féin), Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael), Neasa Hourigan (Green Party) and Gary Gannon (Social Democrats) were elected to the Dáil.

Mary Lou McDonald

First elected to the Dáil as a TD for Dublin Central 13 years ago, Mary Lou McDonald will be hoping she becomes the second Taoiseach to hail from the constituency after this month’s election – Dublin Central had been the seat of Bertie Ahern from 1981 until his retirement in 2011.

In 2020, she topped the poll with 35% of the vote and was elected on the first count with almost double the quota – she is a clear favourite to hold on to her seat this time around.

However, with the recent slump in Sinn Féin’s popularity, it’s unlikely she will be returned with as large a vote.

The Monk

Last month, Gerry Hutch was arrested in Spain as part of a money laundering investigation but was released on €100,000 bail - this month, he’s running for election in Dublin Central.

Hutch has been met with criticism from his opponents, including Ms McDonald.

“I absolutely condemn him,” she said at a party launch.

“As a matter of fact, there’s nobody more on record than I in ­condemning that. I represent the communities that suffer because of so-called gangland warfare.”

However, she acknowledged that his candidacy was “a matter for electoral law”.

It’s unclear how well Hutch will fare in the election, but there will certainly be great interest.

Other contenders

Up against Ms McDonald and The Monk is Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe, the current Minister for Public Expenditure.

A TD for Dublin Central since 2011 and a holder of various cabinet positions since 2013, including Minister for Finance, he is one of the favourites to take one of the constituency’s four seats.

Other strong contenders include former MEP for Dublin, independent candidate Clare Daly.

Candidates from the Greens, Social Democrats, FF, Aontú, Labour, PBP and the Centre Party are also running.