Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1922
East Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland which returned one
Member of Parliament from 1885 to 1922, using the
first past the post electoral system.
Boundaries and Boundary Changes
This
county constituency was first created in 1885 from the eastern part of
Down. There was a boundary change reducing the size of this division in 1918, when the new
Mid Down constituency was created.
1885–1918: The
baronies of
Dufferin, Kinelarty,
Lecale Lower and
Lecale Upper, and that part of the barony of Castlereagh Upper not contained in the
North Down constituency.
[1]
[2]
1918–1922: The
rural district of
Downpatrick, exclusive of the
district electoral divisions of
Ballynahinch, Kilmore and Leggygowan; the part of the rural district of
Kilkeel which consists of the district electoral divisions of
Bryansford, Fofanny and Maghera, and the part of the rural district of
Banbridge which consists of the district electoral divisions of Ballyward,
Crossgar and
Leitrim.'.
[3]
Maps showing the component units of the constituency can be seen
here.
Prior to the
1885 United Kingdom general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was part of the
Down constituency.
Politics
The constituency had an anti-unionist majority in 1918, but its support was split fairly evenly between
Nationalist and
Sinn Féin candidates. An attempt at a limited electoral pact broke down in this constituency. In a first past the post election this situation produced a minority
Unionist win.
Dáil Éireann
Sinn Féin contested the
general election of 1918 on the platform that instead of taking up any seats they won in the
United Kingdom Parliament, they would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland was a potential Deputy to this assembly. In practice only the Sinn Féin members accepted the offer.
The revolutionary
First Dáil of the
Irish Republic assembled on 21 January 1919 and last met on 10 May 1921. The First Dáil, according to a resolution passed also on 10 May, was formally dissolved on the assembling of the
Second Dáil. This took place on 16 August 1921.
Sinn Féin used the UK-authorised
May 1921 elections for the
Northern Ireland House of Commons and the
House of Commons of Southern Ireland as a poll for the
Second Dáil. This area, in republican theory, was incorporated in an eight-member Dáil constituency of
Down.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
References
See also