West Cork (UK Parliament constituency)

West Cork, a division of County Cork, was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1885 to 1922 it returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

This article is about 1885–1922 constituency of the United Kingdom House of Commons and of the 1919–1921 First Dáil. For the 1923–1961 constituency, see Cork West (Dáil constituency).
West Cork
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1922
Number of membersOne
Created fromCounty Cork

Until the 1885 general election the area was part of the Cork County constituency. From 1922 it was not represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom UK Parliament, as it was no longer in the UK.

Boundaries

This constituency comprised the baronies of Bantry, Bear and West Carbery (West Division) and that part of the barony of West Carbery (East Division) consisting of the parishes of Aghadown, Clear Island, Creagh (except the townlands of Gortnaclohy and Smorane), and Tullagh.[1]

Members of Parliament
ElectionMemberParty
1885 James Gilhooly Irish Parliamentary Party
1891 Anti-Parnellite
1900 Irish Parliamentary Party
1910 All-for-Ireland League
1916 by-election Daniel O'Leary Irish Parliamentary Party
1918 Seán Hayes Sinn Féin
1922 Constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary James Gilhooly 3,920 91.3 N/A
Irish Conservative John Warren Payne 373 8.7 N/A
Majority 3,547 82.6 N/A
Turnout 4,293 70.1 N/A
Registered electors 6,124
Irish Parliamentary win (new seat)
General election 1886: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary James Gilhooly Unopposed
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation James Gilhooly 3,155 90.6 N/A
Irish Unionist Somers Payne 329 9.4 N/A
Majority 2,826 81.2 N/A
Turnout 3,484 59.5 N/A
Registered electors 5,854
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election 1895: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation James Gilhooly Unopposed
Irish National Federation hold

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary James Gilhooly Unopposed
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 1906: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary James Gilhooly Unopposed
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1910s
General election, January 1910: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
All-for-Ireland James Gilhooly 2,155 60.9 New
Irish Parliamentary Daniel O'Leary 1,382 39.1 N/A
Majority 773 21.8 N/A
Turnout 3,537 61.8 N/A
Registered electors 5,727
All-for-Ireland gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election, December 1910: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
All-for-Ireland James Gilhooly 2,218 53.1 −7.8
Irish Parliamentary Daniel O'Leary 1,959 46.9 +7.8
Majority 259 6.2 −15.6
Turnout 4,177 72.9 +11.1
Registered electors 5,727
All-for-Ireland hold Swing −7.8
By-election, 1916: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Daniel O'Leary1 1,866 46.8 −0.1
All-for-Ireland Frank Healy2 1,750 43.9 −9.2
Independent All-for-Ireland League Michael Birchmans Slipsey3 370 9.3 New
Majority 116 2.9 N/A
Turnout 3,986 71.4 −1.5
Registered electors 5,582
Irish Parliamentary gain from All-for-Ireland Swing +4.6

1O'Leary had pledged to join the Irish Parliamentary Party and was a supporter of John Redmond. However, the official Nationalists' organisation (the United Irish League) had withheld approval of his candidacy.

2Healy was imprisoned in Frongoch internment camp for supposedly being associated with Sinn Féin, but Sinn Féin repudiated his candidacy for not revoking to take his seat at Westminster, instead had been supported by William O'Brien, who was leader of the All-for-Ireland League.

3Shipsey was a local member of the All-for-Ireland League who stood in protest against William O'Brien's adoption of an unofficial candidate.[3]

The 1916 by-election, which contrasted so obviously with Gilhooly's long tenure of the seat, was viewed as a farce by Unionist opinion.[4]

General election 1918: West Cork[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Sinn Féin Séan Hayes Unopposed
Sinn Féin gain from All-for-Ireland

Notes
  1. https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1886londuoft#page/178/mode/2up
  2. Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  3. A bitter by-election in 1916: West Cork pivotal point in transition to new era; Southern Star Centenary Edition – 1889–1989
    Article pp 89–90 by George D. Kelleher, Inniscarra, co. Cork
  4. West Cork Election. Candidates And Sinn Féin Prisoners. In: The Times (London), Tuesday, November 14, 1916 p. 5 col. C

Sources
  • Tony Williams, House of Commons Information Office
  • Brian M. Walker, Parliamentary Election Results In Ireland 1801 -1922 (Royal Irish Academy, 1978)
  • Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, Who's Who in British Members of Parliament 1919 -1945 p. 156 (Hayes)
  • Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, Who's Who in British Members of Parliament 1886 -1918 p. 136 (Gilhooley), p. 273 (O'Leary)
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
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