1857 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

Main article: 1857 United Kingdom general election

1857 United Kingdom general election in Ireland
27 March – 24 April 1857 (1857-03-27 – 1857-04-24)
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Viscount Palmerston Earl of Derby George Henry Moore
Party Whig Conservative Independent Irish
Leader since 6 February 1855 July 1846 October 1855
Leader's seat Tiverton House of Lords Mayo (defeated)
Last election 63 seats 42 seats 13 seats
Seats won 48 44 13
Seat change 15 2
Popular vote 67,935 61,741 12,099
Percentage 47.8% 43.6% 8.6%
Swing 4.9% 2.7% N/A

The 1857 British general election in Ireland produced a victory in Ireland for the Whigs under Lord Palmerston. The election was the first to be contested by the Independent Irish Party under their own banner. The Independent Irish Party had been formed following the 1852 election by Liberal candidates who had pledged to form an independent party in parliament should they be elected. A total of 48 Liberal candidates made the pledge.

The election underscored Ireland's integration into UK parliamentary politics, with the success of the Whig party reflecting Catholic support of Palmerston's post-Famine stability measures over Conservatives and landlords.[1]

At the election, the Independent Irish Party had adopted a pledge-bound electoral approach to produce candidates committed to "independent opposition" who supported land reform, fair rents and tenure security.[2] Notable candidates included George Henry Moore, the Tenant League chairman, who won re-election in Mayo but was later unseated by parliamentary petition over alleged undue clerical influence to be replaced by his Tory rival.[2]

Results

Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes % % Change
Whigs 77 27 48 15 67,935 47.8 4.9
Conservative & Peelite 52 14 42 2 61,741 43.6 2.7
Independent Irish 19 4 13 13 12,099 8.6 N/A
148 45 103 141,775 100.0
Popular vote
Whigs
 
 47.92%
Irish Conservative
 
 43.55%
Independent Irish
 
 8.54%
Parliamentary seats
Whigs
 
 46.60%
Irish Conservative
 
 40.78%
Independent Irish
 
 12.62%

University Constituencies

1857 General Election: Dublin University
(2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. Joseph Napier 829 41.28
Conservative George Alexander Hamilton 791 39.39
Whig James Anthony Lawson 272 13.55
Whig John Wilson 116 5.78
Majority 557 27.73
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Turnout 2,008 59.06 N/A

See also

References

  1. ^ Barr, Colin (2008). "Lord Acton's Irish Elections". The Historical Journal. 51 (1). Cambridge University Press: 87–114. ISSN 0018-246X. JSTOR 20175148. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Moore, George Henry". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
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