Mid Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)

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For other constituencies of the same name, see Mid Antrim.
Mid Antrim
County constituency
Created: 1885
Abolished: 1922
Type: House of Commons

Mid Antrim was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries and boundary changes

1885-1922: This county constituency comprised the central part of County Antrim. It comprised the baronies of Glenarm Lower, Toome Lower, part of the barony of Antrim Lower and parts of the parishes of Connor and Ahoghill. To the north was Antrim North, to the west was Londonderry South, to the south were Antrim South and Antrim East and to the east was the sea.

It returned one Member of Parliament 1885-1922.

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

In terms of the then local government areas the constituency in 1929 comprised parts of the Rural Districts of Ballymena, Ballymoney and Larne. The division also included the whole of the Urban District of Ballymena.

[edit] Politics

The Westminster Parliamentary constituency was a predominantly Unionist area. It was also a safe seat for the O'Neill family. All three of the MPs who represented the constituency were related. In 1918 the Unionists defeated Sinn Féin by about 4 to 1.

From 1886 to 1974 the Conservative and Unionist members of the United Kingdom House of Commons formed a single Parliamentary party.

[edit] The First Dáil

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. Mid Antrim, in republican theory, was incorporated in a seven-member Dáil constituency of Antrim.

[edit] Members of Parliament

Key to parties: C Conservative, U Irish Unionist (1886-April 1921) and Ulster Unionist (May 1921-1922).

From To Name (Party) Born Died
1885 1910 Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill (C) 1845 25 July 1910
1910 1914 Hon. Arthur Edward Bruce O'Neill (U) 19 September 1876 4 November 1914
1915 1922 Hon. (Robert William) Hugh O'Neill (U) 8 June 1883 28 November 1982

Note: Hon. R.T. O'Neill became (U) in July 1886. The Unionists were affiliated with the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom Parliament.

[edit] Elections

The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.

General Election 2 December 1885: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill 3,832 58.55 N/A
Liberal Thomas Alexander Dickson 2,713 41.45 N/A
Majority 1,119 17.10 N/A
Turnout 8,307 78.79 N/A
Conservative gain from new seat Swing N/A
General Election 10 July 1886: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill 4,631 83.23 +83.23
Liberal James Hamilton McKelvey 933 16.77 -24.61
Majority 3,698 66.46 N/A
Turnout 8,307 66.98 -11.81
Irish Unionist gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General Election 8 July 1892: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 19 July 1895: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 5 October 1900: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 22 January 1906: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill 3,367 56.65 N/A
Russellite Unionist John Hamilton Verschoyle 2,577 43.35 N/A
Majority 790 13.29 N/A
Turnout 7,337 81.01 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 18 January 1910: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. A.E.B. O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 8 December 1910: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. A.E.B. O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
  • Death of O'Neill
By-Election 17 February 1915: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. R.W.H. O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 14 December 1918: Mid Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Hon. R.W.H. O'Neill 10,711 79.33 N/A
Sinn Féin Joseph Connolly 2,791 20.67 N/A
Majority 7,920 58.76 N/A
Turnout 18,032 74.88 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

[edit] References

  • 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 II 1886-1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1979)
  • Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972, compiled and edited by Sydney Elliott (Political Reference Publications 1973)

[edit] External links

[edit] See also