Dublin University (constituency) Totally Explained

Everything about Dublin University Constituency totally explained

Dublin University is a university constituency in Ireland, which has been used to elect members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann. Alternative names are University of Dublin or Trinity College, Dublin, after the institute it represents. As it has been in existence since 1613, except for a brief period 1936-37, it could be considered the country's oldest constituency.

Summary

From	To	Chamber	Members
1613	1800	House of Commons of Ireland	2
1801	1832	House of Commons of the United Kingdom	1
1832	1922	House of Commons of the United Kingdom	2
1921	1922	House of Commons of Southern Ireland	4
1922	1923	Dáil Éireann	4
1923	1937	Dáil Éireann	3
1938	date	Seanad Éireann	3

Note on official names: (1923) Electoral Act 1923, "Dublin University"; (1938) Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, "the University of Dublin shall be a constituency (in this Act referred to as the Dublin University constituency)."
Representation

House of Commons of Ireland
This university constituency was first enfranchised as a Parliamentary constituency in 1613. It was given two members in the Parliament of Ireland.
   The university wasn't represented in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, under the Instrument of Government, after it was established in 1654. Following the restoration of the King in 1660 the Parliament of Ireland was re-established and the constituency again returned two Members of Parliament. See First Protectorate Parliament for the list of Irish constituencies during the Protectorate.
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Act of Union 1800 provided for the Parliament of Ireland to be merged with the Parliament of Great Britain, to form the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The 300 seats in the Irish House of Commons were reduced to 100 Irish members in the United Kingdom House of Commons. As part of the reduction, the University was only to have one seat in Parliament.
   The union took effect on 1 January 1801. There was no new election for the members of the 1st Parliament of the United Kingdom, as the House of Commons was composed of members elected to the previous Parliaments of Ireland and Great Britain.
   Irish constituencies with two members to be reduced to one, had their first United Kingdom MP selected by the drawing of lots. The Hon. George Knox was chosen to sit in the House of Commons for the University.
   As a result of the Irish part of the Reform Act 1832 the University was given a second seat in Parliament. Dublin University continued to be represented in the House of Commons until the dissolution of Parliament on 26 October 1922, shortly before the Irish Free State became a dominion outside the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922.
House of Commons of Southern Ireland
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 established a devolved home rule legislature, within the United Kingdom, for twenty-six Irish counties which were designated Southern Ireland. Dublin University was given four seats in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The seats were filled by Unionist MPs who were returned unopposed. They were the only MPs who attended the abortive first meeting of the House.
   The Parliament was dissolved as part of the arrangements under the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922.
Dáil Éireann
In the United Kingdom general election, 1918 Sinn Féin contested the election on the basis that they wouldn't take seats in the United Kingdom Parliament but would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin.
   The University was, in Irish republican theory, entitled to return two Teachtaí Dála (known in English as Deputies) in 1918 to serve in the Irish Republic's First Dáil. This revolutionary body assembled on 21 January 1919.
   In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland, including two unionists from Dublin University, was a member of the First Dáil. In practice only Sinn Féin members participated.
   The First Dáil, passed a motion at its last meeting on 10 May 1921, the first three parts of which make explicit the republican view.
1. That the Parliamentary elections which are to take place during the present month be regarded as elections to Dáil Éireann.
2. That all deputies duly returned at these elections be regarded as members of Dáil Éireann and allowed to take their seats on subscribing to the proposed Oath of Allegiance.
3. That the present Dáil dissolve automatically as soon as the new body has been summoned by the President and called to order.
The Second Dáil first met on 16 August 1921, thereby dissolving the First Dáil.
   Sinn Féin had decided to use the polls for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as an election for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. No actual voting was necessary in Southern Ireland as all the seats were filled by unopposed returns. Except for this University all other constituencies elected Sinn Féin TDs. The University elected four Independent Unionist members unopposed. As with the First Dáil, those Deputies could have joined the Dáil if they chose.
   The Third Dáil elected in 1922 was, in United Kingdom law, the constituent assembly for the Irish Free State. From this time the Dáil represented only the twenty-six Irish counties and not the six counties of Northern Ireland. Non-Sinn Féin Deputies, including those from the University, began to participate in the Dáil.
   In the Electoral Act 1923 (No. 12/1923), the Irish Free State defined its own Dáil constituencies. Dublin University was reduced to three seats.
   The Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 1936 (No. 17/1936) repealed the Irish Free State constitutional provision for University representation in Dáil Éireann, with effect from the next dissolution of the Oireachtas which took place on 14 June 1937.
Seanad Éireann
When Ireland adopted a new constitution, in 1937, this provided for the universities to be represented in a re-established Seanad Éireann (the Free State Seanad having been abolished in 1936).
   The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 (No. 30/1937) gave effect to the new constitutional provision. The election to the Seanad took place in 1938. The 2nd Seanad first met on 27 April 1938.
   Dublin University sends three members to the Seanad.
   Recent reform proposals to the Seanad may lead to the end of university representation or to its modification to permit the graduates of other tertiary educational establishments than Dublin University and the National University of Ireland to participate in university Seanad elections. No decision has yet been made.
Boundaries
This constituency was the non-territorial University constituency of Dublin University also sometimes referred to as Trinity College, Dublin.
Electorate
The electorate before 1832 comprised the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College. From 1832, the electorate also included every graduate of the University with a M.A. degree.
   When electoral registration was introduced, in 1832, there were 2,073 voters on the register. It is likely that most of them were also qualified to vote in one or more of the territorial constituencies. It was characteristic of the University constituencies in the UK Parliament that plural voting was the norm.
   In 1918, the electorate was extended to include all registered graduates of the University and some female voters were allowed for the first time. Male graduates qualified to vote if they'd attained the age of 21 but female ones had to be at least 30 to acquire the franchise. There were 4,541 voters registered for the 1918 general election. Most, if not all, of those electors would have been plural voters also entitled to vote in a territorial constituency.
   In the Electoral Act 1923 (No. 12/1923), the Irish Free State abolished plural voting for University constituencies and enfranchised women on the same terms as men. Qualified voters could then decide whether to register for a University or a territorial constituency but not for both. Universal adult suffrage wasn't introduced in the UK until 1928. Plural voting wasn't abolished for UK elections until 1950.
   The qualifications for an elector to be registered as a University voter were set out in Section 1(2)(c) of the 1923 Act. They were to be registered at "the University constituency comprising a university in which he or she's received a degree other than an honorary degree or, in the case of the University of Dublin, has received such degree as aforesaid, or obtained a foundation scholarship, or, if a woman, obtained a non-foundation scholarship".
Politics of the constituency
Throughout the history of this constituency, during the union, it supported (usually very strongly) Tory, Conservative and Unionist candidates (including the Liberal Unionist and Independent Unionist members).
   The only partial exception was the tenure of the Whig MP, William Plunket, in 1812-1827. It should be noted that Plunket accepted office in what in retrospect are considered Tory governments. Given the state of the party system in the early nineteenth century, when William Pitt the Younger (now considered a Tory Prime Minister) called himself a Whig, it isn't too surprising that Plunket was his Attorney General for Ireland. It is surprising that Plunket didn't follow most of Pitt's supporters in calling himself a Tory soon after the Prime Minister's death. It is astonishing that a Whig was again Attorney General for Ireland in the Earl of Liverpool's very Tory ministry between 1822 and 1827. Plunket was perhaps more an eighteenth century than a nineteenth century Whig, so as to be acceptable to the university electorate.
   Since 1922, most of the representatives of the University have been Independent members of the Oireachtas.
Electoral System
Until 1918 and for the 1919 by-election, in elections to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.
   In two-member elections before 1918, the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The two candidates with the largest number of votes were elected.
   In 1918 and for all elections since 1921, the members were elected by the single transferable vote system of proportional representation.
Representatives

Members of Parliament (Ireland)

1613-1615 William Temple, Provost, and Charles Doyne

William Bedell, Provost, and James Donellan, elected 1628 at bye-election

William Fitzgerald elected in place of Bedell, who resigned

1634-1635 Sir James Ware, Bt, and James Donellan

1639-1649 Sir James Ware, Bt, and William Gilbert

1661-1666 Sir James Ware, Bt, and Lord John Butler

1689-1689 * Sir John Meade and Joseph Coghlan

1692-1693 Sir Cyril Wyeh and William Molyneaux

1695-1699 William Molyneaux and Richard Aldworth

William Crowe elected in 1698 on the death of Molyneaux

1703-1713 Sir William Robinson and Edward Southwell

1713-1714 Marmaduke Coghill and John Elwood

1715-1727 Marmaduke Coghill and Samuel Dopping

Rt Hon. Edward Hopkins elected in 1721 on the death of Dopping

1727-1760 Rt Hon. Marmaduke Coghill and Rt Hon. Samuel Molyneaux

John Elwood elected in 1728 on the death on Molyneaux

Alexander Mac Auley elected in 1739 on the death of Coghill

Mac Auley was unseated on petition and Philip Tisdall was elected

Archibald Atcheson elected in 1741 on the death of Elwood

1761-1768 Rt Hon. Philip Tisdall and William Clement

1769-1776 Rt Hon. Philip Tisdall and Sir Capel Molyneux, 3rd Baronet

1776-1783 The Hon. Richard Hely-Hutchinson and Rt Hon. Walter Burgh

Hely-Hutchinson was unseated by petition in 1778 and John FitzGibbon elected

Burgh was appointed Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1782 and Lawrence Parsons was elected

1783-1790 Lawrence Parsons and Arthur Browne

1790-1797 Arthur Browne and Rt Hon. Francis Hely-Hutchinson

1798-1800 Arthur Browne and Hon. George Knox

*Patriot Parliament called by James II after he'd abdicated the throne.
Members of Parliament (United Kingdom) 1801-1922
Key to parties: C Conservative, Ind N Independent Nationalist, Ind U Independent Unionist, L Liberal, LU Liberal Unionist, N Nationalist (Irish Parliamentary Party), T Tory, U Unionist, W Whig. Changes of party name in 1832 and 1886 are indicated for example (T,C) and (C,U).

From To Name (Party) Born Died
1801 1807 Hon. George Knox (T) 14 January 1765 13 June 1827

1807 1812 John Leslie Foster (T) c 1781 10 July 1842

1812 1827 William Conyngham Plunket (W) 1 July 1764 5 January 1854

1827 1830 John Wilson Croker (T) 20 December 1780 10 August 1857

1830 1841 Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T,C) 8 January 1776 4 May 1869

1832 1848 Frederick Shaw (C) 11 December 1799 30 June 1876

1842 1842 Joseph Devonsher Jackson (C) 23 June 1783 19 December 1857

1843 1859 George Alexander Hamilton (C) 29 August 1802 17 September 1871

1848 1858 Joseph Napier (C) 26 December 1804 9 December 1882

1858 1870 Anthony Lefroy (C) 1800 12 January 1890

1859 1866 James Whiteside (C) 12 August 1804 25 November 1876

1866 1867 John Edward Walsh (C) 12 November 1816 20 October 1869

1867 1867 Hedges Eyre Chatterton (C) 5 July 1819 30 August 1910

1867 1868 Robert Warren (C) 1817 24 September 1897

1868 1875 John Thomas Ball (C) 24 July 1815 17 March 1898

1870 1895 David Robert Plunket (C,U) 3 December 1838 22 August 1919

1875 1885 Edward Gibson (C) 4 September 1837 22 May 1913

1885 1887 Hugh Holmes (C,U) 17 February 1840 19 April 1916

1887 1892 Dodgson Hamilton Madden (U) 28 March 1840 6 March 1928

1892 1918 Sir Edward Henry Carson (U) 9 February 1854 22 October 1935

1895 1903 William Edward Hartpole Lecky (LU) 26 March 1838 22 October 1903

1903 1917 James Henry Mussen Campbell (U) 4 April 1851 22 March 1931

1917 1919 Arthur Warren Samuels (U) 19 May 1852 11 May 1925

1918 1922 Sir Robert Henry Woods (Ind U) 1865 8 September 1938

1919 1922 William Morgan Jellett (U) 19 May 1857 27 October 1936

Deputies 1921-1937 and Senators from 1938
Note: MPs in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland 1921-1922 are included as they were potential members of Dáil Éireann. They first took their seats in the "Provisional Parliament" or "Third Dáil" in September 1922 Key to parties: Ind Independent, Ind U Independent Unionist, Lab Irish Labour Party, Soc Lab Socialist Labour Party.

From To Name (Party) Born Died
1921 1937 Ernest Henry Alton (Ind U) (Ind) 1873 18 February 1952

1921 1933 Sir James Craig (Ind U) (Ind) 12 July 1933

1921 1923 Gerald Fitzgibbon (Ind U) (Ind) 6 December 1942

1921 1937 William Edward Thrift (Ind U) (Ind) 28 February 1870 23 April 1942

1933 1937 Robert James Rowlette (Ind) 1873 13 October 1944

1938 1943 Ernest Henry Alton (Ind) 1873 18 February 1952

1938 1943 Joseph Johnston (Ind) 1954

1938 1944 Robert James Rowlette (Ind) 1873 13 October 1944

1943 1959 William Robert Fearon (Ind) January 1959

1943 1947 Theodore C. Kingsmill Moore (Ind) 21 January 1979

1944 1948 Joseph Johnston (Ind) 1954

1947 1951 Joseph Warwick Bigger (Ind) 11 September 1891 17 August 1951

1948 1969 William Bedell Stanford (Ind)

1951 1951 Frederick G.O. Budd (Ind) 11 February 1904 1976

1952 1954 William J.E. Jessop (Ind) 13 July 1902 11 June 1980

1954 1961 Owen Sheehy-Skeffington (Ind) 19 May 1909 7 June 1970

1960 1973 William J.E. Jessop (Ind) 13 July 1902 11 June 1980

1961 1965 J.N. Ross (Ind)

1965 1970 Owen Sheehy-Skeffington (Ind) 19 May 1909 7 June 1970

1969 1989 Prof. Mary Robinson (Ind) (Lab) (Ind) 21 May 1944

1970 1981 Dr Timothy Trevor West (Ind)

1973 1977 Dr Noel Browne (Soc Lab) 20 December 1915 23 May 1997

1977 1979 Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien (Ind) 3 November 1917

1979 1982 Ms Catherine McGuinness (Ind) 14 November 1934

1981 date Shane Ross (Ind) 11 July 1949

1982 1982 Dr Timothy Trevor West (Ind)

1983 1987 Ms Catherine McGuinness (Ind) 14 November 1934

1987 1993 Mrs Carmencita Hederman (Ind) 23 October 1939

1987 date David Norris (Ind) 1 July 1944

1993 2007 Dr Mary Henry (Ind) 11 May 1940

2007 date Ivana Bacik (Ind) 1969

Note: Robinson was an Irish Labour Party Senator 1977-1981.
Elections
From 1832 (when registers of electors were first prepared) a turnout figure is given, for the percentage of the registered electors who voted. If the number of registered electors eligible to take part in a contested election is unknown, then the last known electorate figure is used to calculate an estimated turnout. If the numbers of registered electors and electors taking part in the poll are known, an exact turnout figure is calculated. In two member bloc vote elections (in which an elector could cast one or two votes as he chose), where the exact number of electors participating is unknown, an estimated turnout figure is given. This is calculated by dividing the total number of votes cast by two. To the extent that electors used only one of their votes the estimated turnout figure is an underestimate. House of Commons (United Kingdom)

1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s –

Elections in the 1800s

1801 (1 January) continued from former Parliament of Ireland (no new election)
Hon. George Knox (T)
1802 (14 July) general election
Hon. George Knox (T) 39 (57.35%)
William Conyngham Plunket (W) 29 (42.65%)
Majority 10 (14.71%)
Knox appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
1805 (28 March) by-election
Hon. George Knox (T): Unopposed
1805 (6 November) general election (poll 1 day)
Hon. George Knox (T) 35 (52.24%)
John Leslie Foster (T) 32 (47.76%)
Majority 3 (4.48%)
1807 (13 May) general election (poll 1 day)
John Leslie Foster (T) 46 (92.00%)
Thomas Thornton Macklin 4 (8.00%)
Majority 42 (84.00%)
Elections in the 1810s

1812 (12 October) general election
Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed
1818 (25 June) general election (poll 1 day)
Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W) 34 (53.13%)
John Wilson Croker (T) 30 (46.88%)
Majority 4 (6.25%)
Elections in the 1820s

1820 (16 March) general election
Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed
Plunket appointed Attorney General for Ireland
1822 (14 February) by-election
Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed
1826 (12 June) general election
Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed
Plunket created Baron Plunket
1827 (15 May) by-election (poll 2 days)
John Wilson Croker (T) 38 (42.70%)
John Henry North (T) 29 (32.58%)
Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T) 22 (24.72%)
Majority 9 (10.11%)
Elections in the 1830s

1830 (5 August) general election (poll 1 day)
Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T) 33 (43.42%)
John Wilson Croker (T) 30 (39.47%)
John Henry North (T) 13 (17.11%)
Majority 3 (3.95%)
1831 (7 May) general election
Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T) 44 (55.00%)
Philip Cecil Crampton (W) 36 (45.00%)
Majority 8 (10.00%)
1832 (18 December) general election (2 seats)
2,073 electors; 1,726 voted; turnout 83.26%
Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C) 1,304 (38.27%)
Frederick Shaw (C) 1,290 (37.86%)
Philip Cecil Crampton (L) 423 (12.42%)
Hon. George Ponsonby (L) 390 (11.45%)
1835 (8 January) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C): Unopposed
1837 (4 August) general election (2 seats)
2,100 electors; 940 voted; turnout 44.76%
Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C) 852 (45.39%)
Rt Hon. Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C) 839 (44.70%)
Joseph Stock (L) 186 (9.91%)
Elections in the 1840s

1841 (1 July) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C): Unopposed
Lefroy appointed Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland
1842 (11 February) by-election
Rt Hon. Joseph Devonsher Jackson (C): Unopposed
Jackson appointed Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland
1843 (10 February) by-election
George Alexander Hamilton (C): Unopposed
1847 (9 August) general election (2 seats) (poll 4 days)
2,100 (1835) electors; 1,190 voted; estimated turnout 56.67%
George Alexander Hamilton (C) 738 (33.09%)
Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C) 572 (25.65%)
Joseph Napier (C) 540 (24.48%)
James McCullagh (L) 374 (16.77%)
Shaw resigned
1848 (19 February) by-election
Joseph Napier (C): Unopposed
Napier appointed Attorney General for Ireland
Elections in the 1850s

1852 (9 March) by-election
Joseph Napier (C): Unopposed
1852 (13 July) general election (2 seats)
George Alexander Hamilton (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Joseph Napier (C): Unopposed
1857 (4 April) general election (2 seats)
1,700 electors; 2,008 votes cast; estimated turnout 59.06%
Rt Hon. Joseph Napier (C) 829 (41.28%)
George Alexander Hamilton (C) 791 (39.39%)
James Anthony Lawson (L) 272 (13.55%)
John Wilson (L) 116 (5.78%)
Napier appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
1858 (27 March) by-election
1,700 (1857) electors; 939 voted; estimated turnout 55.24%
Anthony Lefroy (C) 589 (62.73%)
Arthur Edward Gayer (C) 350 (37.27%)
Majority 239 (25.45%)
Hamilton resigned
1859 (11 February) by-election
Rt Hon. James Whiteside (C): Unopposed
1859 (30 April) general election (2 seats)
Anthony Lefroy (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. James Whiteside (C): Unopposed
Elections in the 1860s

1865 (19 July) general election (2 seats)
1,700 electors; 2,797 votes cast; estimated turnout 82.26%
Rt Hon. James Whiteside (C) 1,210 (41.28%)
Anthony Lefroy (C) 1,045 (39.39%)
John Thomas Ball (L) 542 (13.55%)
Whiteside appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
1866 (30 July) by-election
Rt Hon. John Edward Walsh (C): Unopposed
Walsh appointed Master of the Rolls of Ireland
1867 (12 February) by-election
Hedge Eyre Chatterton (C): Unopposed
Chatterton appointed Attorney General for Ireland
1867 (30 March) by-election
Hedge Eyre Chatterton (C): Unopposed
Chatterton appointed Vice-Chancellor of Ireland
1867 (27 August) by-election
Robert Richard Warren (C): Unopposed
1868 (23 November) general election (2 seats)
2,151 electors; 3,192 votes cast; estimated turnout 74.20%
Anthony Lefroy (C) 1,156 (36.22%)
John Thomas Ball (C) 1,077 (33.74%)
Sir Edward Grogan, Bt (C) 743 (23.28%)
Thomas Ebenezer Webb (L) 216 (6.77%)
Lefroy resigned
Elections in the 1870s

1870 (14 February) by-election
Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
1874 (2 February) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. John Thomas Ball (C): Unopposed
Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
Ball appointed Attorney General for Ireland
1874 (16 March) by-election
Rt Hon. John Thomas Ball (C): Unopposed
Ball appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
1875 (21 January) by-election
2,438 electors; 2,507 voted; estimated turnout 51.42%
Edward Gibson (C) 1,210 (48.26%)
Alexander Edward Miller (C) 759 (30.28%)
Anthony Traill (C) 538 (21.46%)
Majority 451 (17.99%)
Plunket appointed Solicitor General for Ireland
1875 (11 February) by-election
Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
Gibson appointed Attorney General for Ireland
1877 (13 February) by-election
Edward Gibson (C): Unopposed
Elections in the 1880s

1880 (30 March) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Edward Gibson (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
Gibson created Baron Ashbourne and appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland; Plunket appointed First Commissioner of Works
1885 (30 June) by-election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
1885 (24 November) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (C): Unopposed
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed
1886 (8 July) general election (2 seats)
4,155 electors; 3,831 votes cast; estimated turnout 46.10%
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U) 1,865 (48.68%)
Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (U) 1,855 (48.42%)
Hugh Herbert Johnston (N) 56 (1.46%)
Edward Patrick Sarsfield Counsell (N) 55 (1.44%)
Holmes appointed Attorney General for Ireland; Plunket appointed First Commissioner of Works
1886 (13 August) by-election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U): Unopposed
Holmes appointed Judge
1887 (12 July) by-election
4,092 electors; 2,088 votes cast; turnout 51.03%
Dodgson Hamilton Madden (U) 1,376 (65.90%)
Hon. Richard Clare Parsons (U) 712 (34.10%)
Majority 664 (31.80%)
Madden appointed Solicitor General for Ireland
1888 (3 February) by-election
Dodgson Hamilton Madden (U): Unopposed
Elections in the 1890s

1892 (8 July) general election (2 seats)
4,352 electors; 4,694 votes cast; estimated turnout 53.93%
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U) 2,188 (46.61%)
Edward Henry Carson (U) 1,609 (34.28%)
James Corry Jones Lowry (U) 897 (19.11%)
1895 (13 July) general election (2 seats)
Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U): Unopposed
Plunket created Baron Rathmore
1895 (6 December) by-election
4,506 electors; 2,768 voted; turnout 61.43%
William Edward Hartpole Lecky (LU) 1,757 (63.48%)
George Wright (U) 1,011 (36.52%)
Majority 746 (26.95%)
Carson appointed Solicitor General for England
Elections in the 1900s

1900 (16 May) by-election
Rt Hon. Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
1900 (1 October) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. William Edward Hartpole Lecky (LU): Unopposed
Lecky resigned
1903 (5 March) by-election
4,553 electors; 2,913 voted; turnout 63.98%
James Henry Mussen Campbell (U) 1,492 (51.22%)
Arthur Warren Samuels (U) 1,421 (48.78%)
Majority 71 (2.44%)
1906 (13 January) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
Elections in the 1910s

1910 (15 January) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
1910 (3 December) general election (2 seats)
Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed
Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed
Campbell appointed Attorney General for Ireland
1916 (15 April) by-election
Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed
Campbell appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
1917 (5 February) by-election
4,138 electors; 2,520 voted; turnout 60.90%
Arthur Warren Samuels (U) 1,841 (73.06%)
Sir Robert Henry Woods (U) 679 (26.94%)
Majority 1,162 (46.11%)
Samuels appointed Solicitor General for Ireland
1917 (5 October) by-election
Arthur Warren Samuels (U): Unopposed
General election of 1918
1918 (21 December) general election (2 seats) (polling 16-20 December)
4,541 electors; 2,954 voted; turnout 59.39%; quota 985
First preference votes
Rt Hon. Arthur Warren Samuels (U) 1,273 (43.09%) (elected)
Sir Robert Henry Woods (Ind U) 793 (26.84%)
William Morgan Jellett (U) 631 (21.36%)
Stephen Lucius Gwynn (Ind N) 257 (8.70%)
Second and third counts: Distribution of Samuels' surplus and Gwynn's votes
Rt Hon. Arthur Warren Samuels (U) (-288) 985 (elected)
Sir Robert Henry Woods (Ind U) (+301) 1,094 (elected)
William Morgan Jellett (U) and non-transferable (+244) 875 (runner up)
Stephen Lucius Gwynn (Ind N) (-257) 0 (eliminated)
Note: The Times edition of 23 December, 1918 reported that the Provost of the University, as returning officer, didn't announce the figures. It was ascertained that Woods had 1,094 votes when elected. The above is the best reconstruction of the later counts which is possible with the available information.
Samuels appointed Judge
1919 (28 July) by-election
William Morgan Jellett (U): Unopposed
This was the last UK Parliament election held in the 26 counties which became the Irish Free State
Dáil Éireann

1921 (24 May) general election (4 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind U): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind U): Unopposed
Gerald Fitzgibbon (Ind U): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind U): Unopposed
1922 (16 June) general election (4 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind): Unopposed
Gerald Fitzgibbon (Ind): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind): Unopposed
1923 (27 August) general election (3 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind): Unopposed
1927 (9 June) general election (3 seats)
2,069 electors; 1,589 voted; turnout 76.80%; quota 398
First preference votes
William Edward Thrift (Ind) 614 (38.64%) (elected)
Sir James Craig (Ind) 356 (22.40%)
Bolton C. Waller (Ind) 332 (20.89%)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind) 287 (18.06%)
Second count (distribution of Thrift's surplus)
William Edward Thrift (Ind) (-216) 398 (elected)
Sir James Craig (Ind) (+59) 415 (elected)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind) (+99) 386
Bolton C. Waller (Ind) (+54) 386
non transferable (+4) 4
Third count (distribution of Craig's surplus)
William Edward Thrift (Ind) (..) 398 (elected)
Sir James Craig (Ind) (-17) 398 (elected)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind) (+12) 398 (elected)
Bolton C. Waller (Ind) (+5) 391 (runner up)
non transferable (..) 4
1927 (15 September) general election (3 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind): Unopposed
1932 (16 February) general election (3 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind): Unopposed
1933 (24 January) general election (3 seats)
Ernest Henry Alton (Ind): Unopposed
Sir James Craig (Ind): Unopposed
William Edward Thrift (Ind): Unopposed
Death of Craig
1933 (13 October) by-election (1 seat)
Robert James Rowlette (Ind): Unopposed
Seanad Éireann

Electorate 38,488; Valid votes 14,237; Turnout 36.99%; Quota 3,560
Further Information
Get more info on 'Dublin University Constituency'.

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