March 1925 Dáil by-elections

The March 1925 Dáil by-elections were held in seven Dáil constituencies to fill nine vacancies in the 4th Dáil. They occurred following the resignation from the Dáil of members of the National Group, who had each been elected at the 1923 general election as TDs for Cumann na nGaedheal. It has been described as a "mini-general election".[1] It is the only occasion at a Dáil by-election in which more than one seat was filled within the same constituency; this occurred in Dublin North and Leitrim–Sligo.[2]

Background

In March 1924, Joseph McGrath, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, resigned from the Executive Council in the aftermath of differences in the handling of the Army Mutiny. He left Cumann na nGaedheal and set up a new organisation, ultimately known as the National Group.[3]

On 29 October 1924, McGrath resigned from the Dáil.[4][5] The following day, eight other National Group members also resigned.[6] One further member, Osmond Esmonde, was out of the country at the time of the resignations, and did not resign.[7]

Timing

On 18 February 1925, James Dolan, the Government Chief Whip moved motions to issue the writ of election to fill the vacancies. Osmond Esmonde objected to the fact that the government moved the motion, against "that the practice [...] to reserve to the Party to which the deceased or resigned member belonged the right of moving for the writ". The motions were agreed to.[8]

Results

The by-elections were held on 11 March 1925. Seán Milroy was the only one of the former TDs to seek re-election, contesting in Dublin North rather than his former constituency of Cavan. Seven of the seats were won by Cumann na nGaedheal candidates, with two won by abstentionist candidates of Sinn Féin, led by Éamon de Valera.[9][10][11]

Carlow–Kilkenny

Resignation of Seán Gibbons.

Carlow–Kilkenny[12]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Cumann na nGaedheal Thomas Bolger 58.9 24,142
Republican Michael Barry 41.1 16,830
Electorate: 63,112   Valid: 40,972   Quota: 20,487   Turnout: 64.9%  

Cavan

Resignation of Seán Milroy.

Cavan[13]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2
Cumann na nGaedheal John Joe O'Reilly 38.5 12,560 12,980
Farmers' Party John O'Hanlon 31.5 10,285 12,119
Republican Philip Baxter 30.0 9,774  
Electorate: 54,419   Valid: 32,619   Quota: 16,310   Turnout: 59.9%  

Dublin North (2 seats)

Resignations of Francis Cahill and Seán McGarry.

Dublin North[14]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Cumann na nGaedheal Patrick Leonard 34.8 17,329      
Republican Oscar Traynor 31.3 15,598 15,603 15,888 16,360
Labour Denis Cullen 16.9 8,422 8,466 9,195 13,957
Cumann na nGaedheal Donal O'Connor 12.6 6,294 6,938 7,798  
National Group Seán Milroy 4.4 2,188 2,213    
Electorate: 90,280   Valid: 49,831   Quota: 16,611   Turnout: 55.2%  

Dublin South

Resignation of Daniel McCarthy.

Dublin South[15]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Cumann na nGaedheal Thomas Hennessy 57.0 24,075
Republican Michael O'Mullane 32.9 13,900
Labour Thomas Lawlor 10.0 4,237
Electorate: 78,353   Valid: 42,212   Quota: 21,107   Turnout: 53.9%  

Leitrim–Sligo (2 seats)

Resignations of Thomas Carter and Alexander McCabe.

Leitrim–Sligo[16]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2
Cumann na nGaedheal Martin Roddy 32.9 16,332 16,868
Cumann na nGaedheal Andrew Mooney 28.3 14,054 14,343
Republican Samuel Holt 20.3 10,062 18,287
Republican Frank O'Beirne 18.6 9,232  
Electorate: 79,234   Valid: 49,680   Quota: 16,561   Turnout: 62.7%  

Mayo

Resignation of Joseph McGrath.

Mayo North[17]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Cumann na nGaedheal Michael Tierney 57.7 18,385
Republican Thomas Derrig 42.3 13,458
Electorate: 46,134   Valid: 31,843   Quota: 15,922   Turnout: 69.0%  

Roscommon

Resignation of Henry Finlay.

Roscommon[18]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Cumann na nGaedheal Martin Conlon 61.2 21,118
Republican John J. O'Kelly 38.8 13,410
Electorate: 52,929   Valid: 34,528   Quota: 17,265   Turnout: 65.2%  

References

  1. ^ Manning, Maurice (1972). Irish Political Parties: An Introduction. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-0536-6.
  2. ^ Gallagher, Michael (1996). "By-elections to Dáil Éireann 1923–96: The anomaly that conforms" (PDF). Irish Political Studies. 11 (1): 34. doi:10.1080/07907189608406556.
  3. ^ "National Group". The Irish Times. 10 May 1924. p. 7.
  4. ^ "Mr. J. McGrath: Resignation from Dail". 30 October 1924. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Resignation of a Deputy". Dáil Debates. 9 (5). Houses of the Oireachtas. 29 October 1924. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  6. ^ "Resignation of Deputies". Dáil Debates. 9 (6). Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 October 1924. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  7. ^ "National Group: Eight Resignations from Dail". 31 October 1924. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Writs for vacant constituencies". Dáil Debates. 10 (4). Houses of the Oireachtas. 18 February 1925. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Returns to writs". Dáil Debates. 10 (14). Houses of the Oireachtas. 18 March 1925. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  10. ^ "New Deputies". Dáil Debates. 10 (13). Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 March 1925.
  11. ^ "Deputy for South Dublin Takes His Seat". Dáil Debates. 10 (13). Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 March 1925.
  12. ^ "By-election 1925: Carlow–Kilkenny". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  13. ^ "By-election 1925: Cavan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  14. ^ "By-election 1925: Dublin North". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  15. ^ "By-election 1925: Dublin South". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  16. ^ "By-election 1925: Leitrim–Sligo". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  17. ^ "By-election 1925: Mayo North". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  18. ^ "By-election 1925: Roscommon". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 1 October 2010.

Sources

  • Gallagher, Michael (2009). Irish Elections 1948–77: Results and Analysis Sources for the Study of Irish Politics 2. Routledge. ISBN 9781138973343.
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