South Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
South Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
.
. It was created when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929
introduced first-past-the-post
elections throughout Northern Ireland
. South Tyrone was created by the division of Fermanagh and Tyrone
into eight new constituencies, of which five were in County Tyrone. The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended
in 1972, and then formally abolished
in 1973.
The seat was made up from parts of the rural districts of Clogher
and Dungannon
as well as the town of Dungannon..
and South of the county were Unionist, the constituency covering the East
could be considered marginal, whilst those in the West
and centre of the county were nationalist.
South Tyrone was contested by the Nationalist Party once in 1949
. All other contestes were triggered by either an independent unionist or member of the Northern Ireland Labour Party
standing against the Ulster Unionist Party, which consistently held the seat.
MPs for the area included Stormont's last Minister of State for Home Affairs, John Taylor
and William Frederick McCoy who served briefly as Speaker to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
from 25 January 1956 until 23 April 1956..
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
.
Boundaries
South Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the central part of County TyroneCounty Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
. It was created when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929
House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929
The House of Commons Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland; its major provision was to abolish proportional representation for all future elections in Northern Ireland....
introduced first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
elections throughout Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. South Tyrone was created by the division of Fermanagh and Tyrone
Fermanagh and Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Fermanagh and Tyrone was a county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1929. It returned eight MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
into eight new constituencies, of which five were in County Tyrone. The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended
Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972
The Northern Ireland Act 1972 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that introduced direct rule in Northern Ireland with effect from 30 March 1972....
in 1972, and then formally abolished
Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973
The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which received the Royal Assent on 18 July 1973...
in 1973.
The seat was made up from parts of the rural districts of Clogher
Clogher
Clogher is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Blackwater, south of Omagh. The United Kingdom Census of 2001 recorded a population of 309.-History:...
and Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
as well as the town of Dungannon..
Politics
County Tyrone had five Stormont MPs from 1929 until 1972. The seats in the NorthNorth Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
North Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:North Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Tyrone. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
and South of the county were Unionist, the constituency covering the East
East Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
East Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:East Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the eastern part of County Tyrone. It was created in 1929, when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
could be considered marginal, whilst those in the West
West Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
West Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:West Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the western part of County Tyrone. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
and centre of the county were nationalist.
South Tyrone was contested by the Nationalist Party once in 1949
Northern Ireland general election, 1949
-References:*-See also:*MPs elected in the Northern Ireland general election, 1949...
. All other contestes were triggered by either an independent unionist or member of the Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
standing against the Ulster Unionist Party, which consistently held the seat.
MPs for the area included Stormont's last Minister of State for Home Affairs, John Taylor
John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney
John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:...
and William Frederick McCoy who served briefly as Speaker to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
House of Commons of Northern Ireland
The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act...
from 25 January 1956 until 23 April 1956..
Members of Parliament
| Year | Member | Party |
|---|---|
| 1929 Northern Ireland general election, 1929 -References:*... |
Rowley Elliott Rowley Elliott Rowley Elliott was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.He was educated at Cookstown Academy and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and became a farmer and cattle breeder. He was a member of Tyrone County Council and served as its chairman. He was a justice of the peace and Deputy... |
| 1944 | William Frederick McCoy |
| 1965 Northern Ireland general election, 1965 -Seats summary:-References:*... |
John Taylor John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:... |
Election results
- At the Northern Ireland general election, 1933Northern Ireland general election, 1933-References:*...
, Rowley ElliottRowley ElliottRowley Elliott was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.He was educated at Cookstown Academy and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and became a farmer and cattle breeder. He was a member of Tyrone County Council and served as its chairman. He was a justice of the peace and Deputy...
was elected unopposed.
- At the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, William Frederick McCoy was elected unopposed.
- At the 1953Northern Ireland general election, 1953-References:*...
, 1958Northern Ireland general election, 1958-References:*-See also:*MPs elected in the Northern Ireland general election, 1958...
and 1962 Northern Ireland general electionNorthern Ireland general election, 1962-Seats summary:-References:*...
s, William Frederick McCoy was elected unopposed.