North Armagh (UK Parliament constituency)

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North Armagh
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
18851922
Seats1
Created fromArmagh
Replaced byArmagh

North Armagh 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[edit]

This constituency comprised the northern part of County Armagh.

1885–1922: The barony of Oneilland East, and that part of the barony of Oneilland West contained within the parishes of Clonfeacle, Drumcree, Killyman, Newry and Tartaraghan, the parish of Loughgall excluding the townlands of Drumnasoo and Turcarra, and the townlands of Annaboe, Annahugh, Ballintaggart, Ballyhagan, Ballytrue, Ballywilly, Bottlehill, Castleraw, Clonroot, Creenagh, Derryloughan, Drumard Primate, Kilmacanty, Kilmore, Kincon, Lissheffield, Lurgancot, Money and Tullymore in the parish of Kilmore.

Until 1918 it was bounded to the north-east by South Antrim, to the north-west by East Tyrone, to the west by South Tyrone, to the south by Mid Armagh and to the east by West Down. From 1918 to 1922 the adjoining constituencies were the same, except that North-East Tyrone replaced East Tyrone.

Prior to the 1885 United Kingdom general election and from the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was part of the Armagh constituency.

Politics[edit]

The constituency was a predominantly Conservative then Unionist area. There were few contested elections. In 1918 the Unionists defeated Sinn Féin by about 3 to 1. This was the first contested election for the seat since a 1906 by-election.

The First Dáil[edit]

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 assembled on 21 January 1919 and last met on 10 May 1921. The First Dáil, according to a resolution passed on 10 May 1921, was formally dissolved on the assembling of the Second Dáil. This took place on 16 August 1921.

In 1921 Sinn Féin decided to use the UK authorised elections for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as a poll for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. Armagh North, in republican theory, was incorporated in a four-member Dáil constituency of Armagh.

Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member Party
1885 Rt Hon. Edward James Saunderson Conservative
1891 Irish Unionist
1906 (b) William Moore Irish Unionist
1917 (b) William Allen Irish Unionist
May 1921 Ulster Unionist
1922 constituency abolished

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

1918 general election: North Armagh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Allen 10,239 78.2 N/A
Sinn Féin Ernest Blythe 2,860 21.8 New
Majority 7,379 56.4 N/A
Turnout 13,099 67.1 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
By-Election 22 November 1917: North Armagh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Allen Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
General election 6 December 1910: North Armagh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Moore Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
General election 18 January 1910: North Armagh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Moore Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold

Elections in the 1900s[edit]

By-Election 16 November 1906: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Moore 4,228 74.7 N/A
Ind. Unionist Lindsay Crawford 1,433 25.3 New
Majority 2,795 49.4 N/A
Turnout 5,661 74.9 N/A
Registered electors 7,555
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 16 January 1906: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Edward James Saunderson Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
General election 12 October 1900: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Edward James Saunderson 3,579 59.2 N/A
Ind. Unionist James Orr 2,468 40.8 New
Majority 1,111 18.4 N/A
Turnout 6,047 60.4 N/A
Registered electors 10,014
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s[edit]

General election 16 July 1895: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Edward James Saunderson Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
General election 6 July 1892: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Edward James Saunderson Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 9 July 1886: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Edward James Saunderson 4,570 73.1 +9.2
Irish Parliamentary James Williamson 1,677 26.8 New
Majority 2,893 46.3 +18.5
Turnout 6,247 78.6 -4.0
Registered electors 7,947
Irish Conservative hold Swing
General election 30 November 1885: North Armagh[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Edward James Saunderson 4,192 63.9
Liberal Thomas Shillington 2,373 36.1
Majority 1,819 27.8
Turnout 6,565 82.6
Registered electors 7,947
Irish Conservative win (new seat)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 327, 383. ISBN 0901714127.

Walker, Brian M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.