In 1989 both the General and European Elections were held on the same day.
Both Lalor and Fitzsimons were elected here as Fianna Fail held its 2 seats, despite a drop in the Fianna Fail vote since the 1984 Euro Elections.
Laoisman Paddy Lalor, previously a TD for Laois-Offaly since 1961 had been elected to the European Parliament in 1979. Lalor, in his time, had served as a Minister for Posts & Telegraphs and Industry and Commerce.This 1989 election was to be his last. Lalor was a noted hurler and was part of the 1949 Laois team that won the Bob O’Keeffe Cup (Leinster title).
Meathman Jim Fitzsimons, who had briefly been a Minister of State in 1982, had been elected to the Dail in 1977. He stood in four European Elections from 1984 to 1999.
Irish Election Literature 
[…] Sport came such GAA men as Barney Rock, Seamus Kirk, Paddy Lalor, John O’Leary, Graham Geraghty, Tony Dempsey , ex GAA president Sean Kelly , John […]