- National University of Ireland (constituency)
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National University of Ireland (NUI) is a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, through which graduates of the National University of Ireland have elected members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann.
Summary
From To Chamber Members 1918 1922 House of Commons of the United Kingdom 1 1921 1922 House of Commons of Southern Ireland 4 1922 1923 Dáil Éireann 4 1923 1937 Dáil Éireann 3 1938 — Seanad Éireann 3 Note: The member elected in 1918 sat in the First Dáil and the members elected in 1921 served in the Second Dáil, rather than the bodies to which they were officially elected.
Representation
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
National University of Ireland Former University constituency for the House of Commons 1918–1922 NUI was enfranchised as a new university constituency on 1918 and continued to be entitled to be represented by one Member of Parliament in the British 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. The 1918 general election took place on 14 December and the results were declared on 28 December, except for the university constituencies. NUI voted between 18 December–22 December and the result was declared on 23 December. Eoin MacNeill was elected (and also for Londonderry City) standing for Sinn Féin and therefore did not take his seat in Westminster, instead serving as a member of the first Dáil Éireann.
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.
NUI was given four seats in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The seats were filled by four Sinn Féin MPs, who were returned unopposed. They were amongst the 124 members (out of 128) who boycotted the abortive first meeting of the House instead they took part in the second Dáil Éireann.
The Parliament was dissolved as part of the arrangements under the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922.
Dáil Éireann
National University of Ireland Former Dáil Éireann
Parliamentary constituency1922–1937 Seats 4 (1922–1923)
3 (1923–1937)In the 1918 general election, Sinn Féin contested the 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 one Teachta Dála (known in English as a Deputy) 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 was a member of the First Dáil. In practice only Sinn Féin members participated, including the Deputy for the University.
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.
- That the parliamentary elections which are to take place during the present month be regarded as elections to Dáil Éireann.
- 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.
- 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 House of Commons of Northern Ireland 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 University of Dublin all constituencies outside Northern Ireland elected Sinn Féin TDs.
The National University of Ireland constituency elected four Sinn Féin members unopposed, who participated in the Dáil.
The Third Dáil elected in 1922 was, in United Kingdom law, initially the constituent assembly for the Irish Free State and then the lower house. From this time the Dáil represented only twenty-six Irish counties and did not claim to represent the six counties of Northern Ireland. Non-Sinn Féin Deputies began to stand for and participate in the Dáil.
In the Electoral Act 1923 the Irish Free State defined its own Dáil constituencies. National University of Ireland was reduced to three seats.
The Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 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 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.
NUI currently sends three members to the Seanad.
Proposals to reform the Seanad may lead to the end of university representation or to its modification (in accordance with a 1979 amendment to the Constitution) to permit the graduates of tertiary educational establishments other than the University of Dublin and the National University of Ireland to participate in university Seanad elections. No decision has yet been made (as at 2010). As an example of the abolitionist view see the submission of the Green Party on Seanad reform, in 2004.[1]
Boundaries
The National University of Ireland is a federal university system of constituent universities (previously university colleges), and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and amended by the Universities Act, 1997.
As part of the redistribution of Parliamentary seats in 1918, the NUI was enfranchised as a new non-territorial Parliamentary constituency.
Electorate
In 1918 the electorate included all registered male graduates over 21 (or over 19 if in armed services) and female graduates over 30. There were 3,819 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, 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.
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 has 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
Sinn Féin defeated the Irish Parliamentary Party by a two to one margin in 1918. They lost one of their four seats in the 1922 elections. Until around the 1950s elections were largely partisan, but since then independents have tended to predominate.
Electoral System
In 1918 the National University of Ireland was a single member, non-territorial University constituency which was (in theory) represented as a Parliament of the United Kingdom constituency 1918–1922. In 1918 the constituency used the First-past-the-post system.
From 1921 parliamentary representatives of the University were elected using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.
Deputies 1918–1937 and Senators from 1938
From To Name Party Birth Death 1918 1923 Eoin MacNeill Sinn Féin[2] 15 May 1867 15 October 1945 1921 1922 Ada English Sinn Féin 10 January 1875 1 January 1944 1921 1933 Michael Hayes[3] Sinn Féin /
Cumann na nGaedheal from 19231 December 1889 11 July 1976 1921 1923 William Stockley[4] Sinn Féin 29 June 1859 22 July 1943 1922 1927 William Magennis Independent /
Clann Éireann from 192618 May 1867 30 March 1946 1923 1937 Patrick McGilligan Independent /
Cumann na nGaedheal from 1924 /
Fine Gael from 193312 April 1889 15 November 1979 1927 1927 Arthur Clery[5] Republican 1879 November 1932 1927 1932 Michael Tierney Cumann na nGaedheal 30 September 1894 10 May 1975 1932 1936 Conor Maguire Fianna Fáil 1889 26 September 1971 1933 1937 Helena Concannon Fianna Fáil 1878 27 February 1952 1938 1944 Michael Tierney Fine Gael 30 September 1894 10 May 1975 1938 1952 Helena Concannon Fianna Fáil /
Independent from 19511878 27 February 1952 1938 1960 Henry Barniville Independent 1887 23 September 1960 1944 1948 Michael J. Ryan Independent 1887 24 October 1952 1948 1965 George O'Brien Independent 1892 31 December 1973 1953 1954 John F. Cunningham Independent 1954 1954 1957 Roger McHugh Independent 1957 1977 Patrick Quinlan Independent 8 November 2001 1961 1969 Dónall Ó Conalláin Independent 1907 7 December 1987 1965 1973 Bryan Alton Independent 5 June 1919 18 January 1991 1969 1977 John Horgan Labour Party 26 October 1940 1973 1981 Augustine Martin Independent 13 November 1935 16 October 1995 1977 1982 Gemma Hussey Independent /
Fine Gael from 198111 November 1938 1977 1982 John A. Murphy Independent 17 January 1927 1981 1982 Liam B. Ryan Independent 1982 1987 James Dooge Fine Gael 30 July 1922 20 August 2010 1982 1992 Brendan Ryan Independent 1 August 1946 1983 1987 Michael D. Higgins Labour Party 18 April 1941 1987 1992 John A. Murphy Independent 17 January 1927 1987 date Joe O'Toole Independent 20 July 1947 1993 1997 Joe Lee Independent 9 July 1942 1993 date Feargal Quinn Independent 27 November 1936 1997 2007 Brendan Ryan[6] Independent /
Labour Party from 14 January 19991 August 1946 2007 date Rónán Mullen Independent 13 October 1970 Elections
UK House of Commons and Dáil Éireann
The 1918 general election took place on 14 December and the results were declared on 28 December, except for the university constituencies. NUI voted between 18 December–22 December and the result was declared on 23 December.
1918 general election: National University of Ireland[7] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Sinn Féin Eoin MacNeill 1,644 66.9 N/A Irish Parliamentary Arthur W. Conway 813 33.1 N/A Majority 831 33.8 N/A Turnout 3,819 64.3 N/A House of Commons of Southern Ireland and Dáil Éireann
1921 general election: National University of Ireland[8] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Sinn Féin Ada English Unopposed N/A 1 Sinn Féin Michael Hayes Unopposed N/A 2 Sinn Féin Eoin MacNeill Unopposed N/A 3 Sinn Féin William Stockley Unopposed N/A 4 Dáil Éireann
1922 general election
1922 general election: National University of Ireland[9] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Eoin MacNeill 888 33.7 1 1 Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) Michael Hayes 294 11.2 2 2 Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty) William Stockley 349 13.2 3 3 Independent William Magennis 381 14.5 4 4 Independent Arthur W. Conway 410 15.6 Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty) Ada English 314 11.9 Electorate: 5,053 Valid: 2,636 Quota: 528 Turnout: 52.2% 1923 general election
1923 general election: National University of Ireland[10] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Cumann na nGaedheal Eoin MacNeill 418 34.8 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Hayes 210 17.5 2 Cumann na nGaedheal William Magennis 201 16.7 3 Republican William Stockley 144 12.0 Independent Agnes O'Farrelly 136 11.3 Republican Hugh Ryan 93 7.7 Electorate: 1,561 Valid: 1,202 Quota: 301 Turnout: 77.0% - Hayes also stood successfully for Dublin South but chose to sit for this constituency.
- MacNeill also stood successfully for Clare but chose to sit for that constituency.
1923 by-election
1923 by-election: National University of Ireland[11] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGilligan 849 76.5 1 1 Republican William Stockley 261 23.5 Electorate: 1,567 Valid: 1,110 Quota: 556 Turnout: 70.8% - By-election was caused by the resignation of Eoin MacNeill.
June 1927 general election
June 1927 general election: National University of Ireland[12] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Ceann Comhairle Michael Hayes Automatically returned N/A 1 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGilligan 1,090 50.7 2 1 Independent Arthur Clery 514 23.9 3 4 Cumann na nGaedheal Eoin MacNeill 228 10.6 Independent Agnes O'Farrelly 163 7.6 Clann Éireann William Magennis 155 7.2 Electorate: ? Valid: 2,150 Quota: 717 Turnout: September 1927 general election
September 1927 general election: National University of Ireland[12] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Ceann Comhairle Michael Hayes Automatically returned N/A 1 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGilligan 1,229 55.8 2 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Tierney 319 14.5 3 Fianna Fáil Conor Maguire 652 29.6 Electorate: ? Valid: 2,200 Quota: 734 Turnout: 1932 general election
1932 general election: National University of Ireland[13] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Ceann Comhairle Michael Hayes Automatically returned N/A 1 1 Fianna Fáil Conor Maguire 1,396 44.3 2 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGilligan 1,332 42.2 3 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Tierney 426 13.5 Electorate: ? Valid: 3,154 Quota: 1,052 Turnout: 1933 general election
1933 general election: National University of Ireland[14] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Fianna Fáil Conor Maguire 1,306 34.6 1 1 Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick McGilligan 1,028 27.3 2 1 Fianna Fáil Helena Concannon 773 20.5 2 3 Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Hayes 664 17.6 Electorate: 4,655 Valid: 3,771 Quota: 943 Turnout: 81.0% - Seat vacant in November 1936 on appointment of Maguire as a Justice of the High Court
Seanad Éireann
2002 election
2002 election: National University of Ireland Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Independent Feargal Quinn 5,640 17.5 1 12 Independent Joe O'Toole 5,463 16.9 2 13 Labour Party Brendan Ryan 4,264 13.2 3 13 Independent Bernardine O'Sullivan 4,054 12.6 Independent Valerie Bresnihan 2,856 8.9 Independent Brendan Price 2,035 6.3 Independent Linda O'Shea Farren 1,533 4.8 Independent Pierce Purcell 1,295 4.0 Independent Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh 1,273 4.0 Independent Jim O'Callaghan 1,239 3.8 Independent Michael Griffin 961 3.0 Independent Matthew Harmey 590 1.8 Independent Noel Murphy 356 1.1 Independent Michael Cosgrave 273 0.9 Independent Colm O'Higgins 226 0.7 Independent Liam Ó Gógáin 191 0.6 Electorate: 101,952 Valid: 32,249 Quota: 8,063 Turnout: 31.6% 2007 election
2007 election: National University of Ireland[15][16] Party Candidate 1st Pref % Seat Count Independent Joe O'Toole 5,412 1 21 Independent Rónán Mullen 4,661 3 21 Independent Feargal Quinn 3,863 2 21 Labour Party Brendan Ryan 3,283 Independent Valerie Bresnihan 3,282 Independent Bernardine O'Sullivan 2,395 Independent John Hillery 1,734 Independent Paddy Healy 1,393 Fine Gael John Kennedy 1,303 Independent Brendan Price 1,289 Independent Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh 1,005 Independent Mark Garavan 951 Fianna Fáil Liam Crowley 814 Independent Susan Philips 706 Green Party Martin Hogan 683 Independent Martina Lowe 596 Independent Linda O'Shea Farren 563 Independent Mary O'Riordan 538 Independent Daniel K. Sullivan 372 Independent Oonagh Monahan 327 Independent Bernie O'Callaghan 305 Independent Shane Brodbin 220 Fathers Rights Liam Ó Gógáin 174 Independent Mark Connolly 120 Electorate: ? Valid: 35,989 Quota: 8,998 Turnout: ?% See also
- National University of Ireland
- List of Irish constituencies
- List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies in Ireland and Northern Ireland
- MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1918
- List of historic Dáil Éireann constituencies
- Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic)
- Members of the 1st Dáil
References
- ^ "Seanad Reform". Green Party website. 15 November 2004. http://www.greenparty.ie/en/library/discussion_documents/seanad_reform.
- ^ MacNeill was also TD for Londonderry City 1918–1921, Londonderry (Derry in the Oireachtas members database) 1921–1922 and Clare 1923–1927. He resigned the NUI seat to sit for Clare. He was Pro-Treaty, and Cumann na nGaedheal from 1923. He served as Ceann Comhairle 1921–1922.
- ^ Hayes was also elected TD for Dublin South 1923, but chose to sit for NUI. He served as Ceann Comhairle 1923–1932.
- ^ Stockley was Anti-Treaty. He did not take his seat in the Third Dáil 1922–1923.
- ^ Clery did not take his seat in the 5th Dáil in 1927.
- ^ A different Brendan Ryan currently serves on the Administrative Panel of the Seanad.
- ^ "General election 1918: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1918&cons=189. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "General election 1921: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1921&cons=189. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "General election 1922: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1922&cons=189. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "General election 1923: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1923&cons=189. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ "By-election 1923: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1923B&cons=189&ref=2. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ a b "General election June 1927: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1927jun&cons=189. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ "General election 1932: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1932&cons=189. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ "General election 1933: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1933&cons=189. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ "Result of election and transfer of votes, Seanad Éireann election held on 24 July 2007, Constituency of National University of Ireland". http://www.seanadcount.ie/sc/seanadcount.nsf/0bddb7722ed754f88025730d003dac51/f9c5a2da439d4b2d8025732c0028697f/$FILE/NUI%20Seanad%20Result%202007.pdf. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ^ "Seanad Election: 23 July 2007. National University of Ireland". http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2007S&cons=189. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
Sources
- Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1979)
- The Times of London, various editions
External links
Seanad Éireann Positions 
Vocational Panels University constituencies National University of Ireland • University of DublinOther members Related topics Senate of Southern Ireland • Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State) • Irish Free State Seanad election, 1925University constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Cambridge University (1603–1950) • Combined English Universities (1918–1950) • Combined Scottish Universities (1918–1950) • Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities (1918–1950) • Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities (1868–1918) • London University (1868–1950) • National University of Ireland (1918–1922) • Oxford University (1603–1950) • Queen's University of Belfast (1918–1950) • University of Dublin (1801–1922) • University of Wales (1918–1950)
Categories:- Dáil Éireann constituencies in the Republic of Ireland (historic)
- Historic Westminster constituencies in Ireland
- Politics of the Republic of Ireland
- National University of Ireland
- University constituencies in the United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1918
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies disestablished in 1922
- Seanad constituencies
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