University of Dublin (constituency)

House of Commons of Ireland (1613–1800)

When James I first convened the Parliament of Ireland, the University of Dublin was given two MPs, elected by the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College. It was not represented among the 30 Irish MPs which were part of the Protectorate Parliament during the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Party organisations were not persistent during this time period, and hav been added where appropriate. Among the MPs for the university in this period was John FitzGibbon, who later as Lord Chancellor of Ireland played a key role in the passage of the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

House of Commons of the United Kingdom (1801–1922)

The Acts of Union 1800 merged the Parliament of Ireland 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 House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The union took effect on 1 January 1801. The University of Dublin had one seat in this Parliament. There was no new election for the First Parliament of the United Kingdom: for constituencies like the University of Dublin which were reduced to one MP, they were chosen by lot, in this instance, George Knox

In the Irish Reform Act 1832, the University was given a second seat in Parliament, elected by plurality-at-large, and the franchise was extended to all those with a Master of Arts. At this stage, there were 2,073 voters on the register. Plural voting by those who held a vote in both geographical and the university was allowed and prevalent.

A Topographical Directory of Ireland, published in 1837, describes the Parliamentary history of the university.

By charter of James I. the university returned two members to the Irish parliament till the Union; after which time it returned only one member to the Imperial parliament, till the recent Reform act, since which it has returned two. The right of election, which was originally vested solely in the provost, fellows, and scholars, has, by the same act, been extended to all members of the age of 21 years, who had obtained, or should hereafter obtain, a fellowship, scholarship, or the degree of Master of Arts, and whose names should be on the college books : members thus qualified, who had removed their names from the books, were allowed six months to restore them, on paying a fee of £2, and such as continued their names, merely to qualify them to vote, pay annually to the college the sum of £1, or a composition of £5 in lieu of annual payment. The number of names restored under this provision was 3005, and at present the constituency amounts to 3135. The provost is the returning officer.

The Representation of the People Act 1918 extended the electorate to include all male graduates and scholars over the age of 21 and all female graduates and scholars over the age of 30, to be elected by single transferable vote. There were 4,541 voters registered for the 1918 general election. Plural voting continued to be allowed.

During the period of the Union between Ireland and Great Britain, the constituency predominantly elected Tory, Conservative and Unionist MPs, including Edward Gibson, who was later (as Lord Ashbourne) responsible a major land purchase act, and Edward Carson, who led the Irish Unionist Alliance.

Dublin University was represented in the House of Commons until the dissolution of Parliament on 26 October 1922, shortly before the establishment of the Irish Free State became a dominion on 6 December 1922.

House of Commons of Southern Ireland (1921–1922)

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 Independent Unionist MPs who were returned unopposed. They were the only MPs who attended the abortive first meeting of the House. After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the four MPs met with the Pro-Treaty members of the Second Dáil to ratify the Treaty. The Parliament was formally dissolved as part of the arrangements under the Treaty and the establishemt of the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922.

Dáil Éireann (1918–1937)

Sinn Féin contested the 1918 Westminster election on the basis that they would not 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 and abbreviated as TDs) 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 the two Unionist MPs 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 used 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, the Irish Free State defined its own Dáil constituencies. The University of Dublin was granted three seats, to be elected by single transferable vote by all graduates and scholars, regardless of sex, over the age of 21. Plural voting was not allowed.

The Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 1936, removed the provisions in Constitution of the Irish Free State for University representation in Dáil Éireann, with effect from the next dissolution of the Oireachtas, which took place on 14 June 1937. Voters resident in the State had their Dáil registration switched to the geographical constituency of their registered address.

Seanad Éireann (1938 to present)

Article 18.4 of the Constitution of Ireland adopted in 1937, provided that the university would have three seats in the new Seanad Éireann. The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 gave effect to the constitutional provision, and provided that they would be elected by single transferable vote. The first Seanad election took place in 1938, and thereafter elections to the Seanad take place within 90 days of the dissolution of the Dáil. The Seventh Amendment, adopted in 1979, allows for a redistribution of the six university seats among the University of Dublin, the National University of Ireland, and any other institutions of higher education in the State which do not have representation. No legislation followed since to make any such change.

Its electorate is Irish citizens who have received a degree from the university, or undergraduates who have been awarded a foundation scholarship or non-foundation scholarship at Trinity College. After the Fourth Amendment in 1972, the age of eligibility was lowered from 21 to 18. Voting for the Seanad is distinct from that for the Dáil, so it is not considered plural voting; however, plural voting does exist for those who have received degrees from both the University of Dublin and the National University of Ireland. Trinity College, Dublin is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, so the electorate is predominantly composed of graduates of Trinity; however, from 1975 to 1998, the University of Dublin also awarded the degrees of graduates at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Since 1922, most of the representatives of the University have been Independent, though Mary Robinson and Ivana Bacik took the Labour Party whip for periods of their time in the Seanad. A number of the senators have a reputation of being quite socially liberal, including Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, Noël Browne, and Catherine McGuinness. Three Senators were later appointed to the Supreme Court: T. C. Kingsmill Moore, Frederick Budd and Catherine McGuinness. Mary Robinson, first elected in 1969, was later elected as President of Ireland in 1990. In 1987, David Norris became the first openly gay member of either house of the Oireachtas. The senators have often included current or recent academics within Trinity College, such as professor of Latin and provost Ernest Alton, professor of Greek William Bedell Stanford, professor of mathematics Trevor West, and professor of medicine Mary Henry. Two of the three current senators teach or have taught in Trinity: Ivana Bacik in law, and David Norris in English.

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns.

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.

Elections in the 1930s

Following the death of independent TD Sir James Craig, a by-election was held on 13 October 1933. The seat was won by the independent candidate Robert Rowlette.

Elections in the 1910s

1919 (28 July) by-election, Samuels appointed Judge

William Morgan Jellett (U): Unopposed This was the last UK Parliament election held in the 26 counties which became the Irish Free State

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 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, did not 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.

1917 (5 October) by-election, Samuels appointed Solicitor General for Ireland

Arthur Warren Samuels (U): Unopposed

1917 (5 February) by-election, Campbell appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland

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%)

1916 (15 April) by-election, Campbell appointed Attorney General for Ireland

Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (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

1910 (15 January) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed

Elections in the 1900s

1906 (13 January) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. James Henry Mussen Campbell (U): Unopposed Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed

1903 (5 March) by-election, Lecky resigned

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%)

1900 (1 October) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed Rt Hon. William Edward Hartpole Lecky (LU): Unopposed

1900 (16 May) by-election, Carson appointed Solicitor General for England

Rt Hon. Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed

Elections in the 1890s

1895 (6 December) by-election, Plunket created Baron Rathmore

4,506 electors; 2,768 voted; turnout 61.43% William Edward Hartpole Lecky (Lib U) 1,757 (63.48%) George Wright (U) 1,011 (36.52%)

1895 (13 July) general election (2 seats)

Edward Henry Carson (U): Unopposed Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U): Unopposed

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%)

Elections in the 1880s

1888 (3 February) by-election, Madden appointed Solicitor General for Ireland

Dodgson Hamilton Madden (U): Unopposed

1887 (12 July) by-election, Holmes appointed Judge

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%)

1886 (13 August) by-election (2 seats), Holmes appointed Attorney General for Ireland; Plunket appointed First Commissioner of Works

Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (U): Unopposed Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (U): 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%)

1885 (24 November) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

1885 (30 June) by-election (2 seats), Gibson created Baron Ashbourne and appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland; Plunket appointed First Commissioner of Works

Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

1880 (30 March) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. Edward Gibson (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

Elections in the 1870s

1877 (13 February) by-election, Gibson appointed Attorney General for Ireland

Edward Gibson (C): Unopposed

1875 (11 February) by-election, Plunket appointed Solicitor General for Ireland

Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

1875 (21 January) by-election, Ball appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland

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%)

1874 (16 March) by-election, Ball appointed Attorney General for Ireland

Rt Hon. John Thomas Ball (C): Unopposed

1874 (2 February) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. John Thomas Ball (C): Unopposed Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

1870 (14 February) by-election, Lefroy resigned

Hon. David Robert Plunket (C): Unopposed

Elections in the 1860s

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%)

1867 (27 August) by-election, Chatterton appointed Vice-Chancellor of Ireland

Robert Richard Warren (C): Unopposed

1867 (30 March) by-election, Chatterton appointed Attorney-General for Ireland

Hedge Eyre Chatterton (C): Unopposed

1867 (12 February) by-election, Walsh appointed Master of the Rolls in Ireland

Hedge Eyre Chatterton (C): Unopposed

1866 (30 July) by-election, Whiteside appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland

Rt Hon. John Edward Walsh (C): Unopposed

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%)

Elections in the 1850s

1859 (30 April) general election (2 seats)

Anthony Lefroy (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. James Whiteside (C): Unopposed

1859 (11 February) by-election, Hamilton resigned

Rt Hon. James Whiteside (C): Unopposed

1858 (27 March) by-election, Napier appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland

1,700 (1857) electors; 939 voted; estimated turnout 55.24% Anthony Lefroy (C) 589 (62.73%) Arthur Edward Gayer (C) 350 (37.27%)

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%)

1852 (13 July) general election (2 seats)

George Alexander Hamilton (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. Joseph Napier (C): Unopposed

1852 (9 March) by-election, Napier appointed Attorney General for Ireland

Joseph Napier (C): Unopposed

Elections in the 1840s

1848 (19 February) by-election, Shaw resigned

Joseph Napier (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%)

1843 (10 February) by-election, Jackson appointed Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland

George Alexander Hamilton (C): Unopposed

1842 (11 February) by-election, Lefroy appointed Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland

Rt Hon. Joseph Devonsher Jackson (C): Unopposed

1841 (1 July) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C): Unopposed

Elections in the 1830s

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%)

1835 (8 January) general election (2 seats)

Rt Hon. Thomas Langlois Lefroy (C): Unopposed Rt Hon. Frederick Shaw (C): Unopposed

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%)

1831 (7 May) general election

Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T) 44 (55.00%) Philip Cecil Crampton (W) 36 (45.00%)

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%)

Elections in the 1820s

1827 (15 May) by-election (poll 2 days), Plunket created Baron Plunket

John Wilson Croker (T) 38 (42.70%) John Henry North (T) 29 (32.58%) Thomas Langlois Lefroy (T) 22 (24.72%)

1826 (12 June) general election

Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed

1822 (14 February) by-election, Plunket appointed Attorney General for Ireland

Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed

1820 (16 March) general election

Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed

Elections in the 1810s

1818 (25 June) general election (poll 1 day)

Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W) 34 (53.13%) John Wilson Croker (T) 30 (46.88%)

1812 (12 October) general election

Rt Hon. William Conyngham Plunket (W): Unopposed

Elections in the 1800s

1807 (13 May) general election (poll 1 day)

John Leslie Foster (T) 46 (92.00%) Thomas Thornton Macklin 4 (8.00%)

1805 (6 November) general election (poll 1 day)

Hon. George Knox (T) 35 (52.24%) John Leslie Foster (T) 32 (47.76%)

1805 (28 March) by-election, Knox appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury

Hon. George Knox (T): Unopposed

1802 (14 July) general election

Hon. George Knox (T) 39 (57.35%) William Conyngham Plunket (W) 29 (42.65%)

1801 (1 January) continued from former Parliament of Ireland (no new election)

Hon. George Knox (T), chosen by lot