Dublin Clontarf (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Clontarf, a division of Dublin, was a parliamentary constituency
in Ireland
, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It returned one Member of Parliament
to the House of Commons in 1918–1922.
, the city of Dublin was divided into four constituencies: Dublin College Green
, Dublin Harbour
, Dublin St Patrick's
, and Dublin St Stephen's Green
. In 1918, the city was allocated seven seats: the pre-existing four constituencies, Dublin Clontarf, Dublin St James's
and Dublin St Michan's
.
The Clontarf
area was to the north of the city. The constituency included the then Municipal Wards of Clontarf East, Clontarf West and Drumcondra as well as part of Mountjoy.
Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920
new Parliamentary constituency boundaries were enacted. Each new constituency was intended to function as a multi member seat for a devolved Parliament (elected in 1921) and (in most cases) as a single member district to return a member to the United Kingdom Parliament. The latter provision was due to take effect upon the dissolution of the Parliament elected in 1918. However before that dissolution took place it was agreed that the Irish Free State
would become a dominion outside the United Kingdom.
The proposed change affecting this area was to combine it with the St. James's and St. Michan's divisions, to form a Dublin North West constituency. In the event, from the dissolution on 26 October 1922, the district was no longer represented in the UK Parliament.
candidate by almost two to one. Mulcahy, like other Sinn Féin MPs elected in 1918, did not take his seat at Westminster but became a member of the revolutionary Dáil Éireann
. The Clontarf Constituency traditionally voted for a moderately nationalist or unionist candidate, and the defeat of Sir Patrick Shortall in 1918 was met with sincere shock.
(Sinn Féin
) (10 May 1886-16 December 1971)
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It returned one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to the House of Commons in 1918–1922.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Prior to the 1918 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, the city of Dublin was divided into four constituencies: Dublin College Green
Dublin College Green (UK Parliament constituency)
College Green, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1922.-Boundaries and boundary changes:...
, Dublin Harbour
Dublin Harbour (UK Parliament constituency)
Dublin Harbour, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1922....
, Dublin St Patrick's
Dublin St Patrick's (UK Parliament constituency)
Dublin St Patrick's, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1885–1922. It had three wards – Merchant's Quay, Usher's Quay and Wood Quay....
, and Dublin St Stephen's Green
Dublin St Stephen's Green (UK Parliament constituency)
St Stephen's Green, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1885–1922....
. In 1918, the city was allocated seven seats: the pre-existing four constituencies, Dublin Clontarf, Dublin St James's
Dublin St James's (UK Parliament constituency)
St James's, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1918–1922....
and Dublin St Michan's
Dublin St Michan's (UK Parliament constituency)
St Michan's, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1918–1922....
.
The Clontarf
Clontarf, Dublin
Clontarf is a coastal suburb on the northside of Dublin, in Ireland. It is most famous for giving the name to the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, in which Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Vikings of Dublin and their allies, the Irish of Leinster. This battle, which extended to districts...
area was to the north of the city. The constituency included the then Municipal Wards of Clontarf East, Clontarf West and Drumcondra as well as part of Mountjoy.
Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920
Government of Ireland Act 1920
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which partitioned Ireland. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or as the Fourth Home Rule Act.The Act was intended...
new Parliamentary constituency boundaries were enacted. Each new constituency was intended to function as a multi member seat for a devolved Parliament (elected in 1921) and (in most cases) as a single member district to return a member to the United Kingdom Parliament. The latter provision was due to take effect upon the dissolution of the Parliament elected in 1918. However before that dissolution took place it was agreed that the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
would become a dominion outside the United Kingdom.
The proposed change affecting this area was to combine it with the St. James's and St. Michan's divisions, to form a Dublin North West constituency. In the event, from the dissolution on 26 October 1922, the district was no longer represented in the UK Parliament.
Politics
In the 1918 General Election, Sinn Féin defeated the nationalist Irish Parliamentary PartyIrish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
candidate by almost two to one. Mulcahy, like other Sinn Féin MPs elected in 1918, did not take his seat at Westminster but became a member of the revolutionary Dáil Éireann
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
. The Clontarf Constituency traditionally voted for a moderately nationalist or unionist candidate, and the defeat of Sir Patrick Shortall in 1918 was met with sincere shock.
Members of Parliament
23 December 1918: Richard James MulcahyRichard Mulcahy
Richard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
(Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
) (10 May 1886-16 December 1971)
Election
- 1918 (14 December) general election
- 14,588 electors, 9,202 voted, turnout 63.08%
- Richard James Mulcahy (SF) 5,974 (64.92%)
- Sir Patrick Shortall (N) 3,228 (35.08%)
- majority 2,746 (29.84%)