1874 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

The 1874 United Kingdom general election in Ireland produced the first major electoral appearance of the Home Rule League under chairman Isaac Butt. The party's electoral success, in which it won 60 MPs, taking control of Irish electoral politics from the previously dominant Conservative and the Liberal parties was, the beginning of a dominance that was to see the party as the Irish Parliamentary Party control the political landscape in Ireland until its wipeout in the 1918 general election.

1874 United Kingdom general election in Ireland
31 January – 17 February 1874 (1874-01-31 1874-02-17)

103 of the 652 seats to the House of Commons[lower-alpha 1]
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Isaac Butt Benjamin Disraeli William Ewart Gladstone
Party Home Rule Conservative Liberal
Leader since 1873 27 February 1868 3 December 1868
Leader's seat Limerick Buckinghamshire Greenwich
Last election New 39 66
Seats won 60 33 10
Seat change Increase60 Decrease6 Decrease56
Popular vote 90,234 91,702 39,778
Percentage 39.6% 40.8% 18.4%
Swing Increase39.6% Decrease1.1% Decrease39.5%

Results of the 1874 election in Ireland

However its success in 1874 was marred by the lack of unity within the party in the House of Commons, where many of its members in effect sat as Liberal MPs and voted against their own Irish colleagues. It was not until then chairman Charles Stewart Parnell in the early 1880s introduced a strict whip that the party began to exercise serious influence, and act as a unit, at Westminster.

Results

Party Seats Seats change Votes  %  % Change
Home Rule 60 New 90,234 39.6 Increase39.6%
Irish Conservative 33 Decrease6 91,702 40.8 Decrease1.1%
Liberal 10 Decrease56 39,778 18.4 Decrease39.5%
  Other (Incl. the Catholic Union) 0 2,934 1.2 Increase1.0%
Total 103 Decrease2 224,648 100
Popular vote
Irish Conservative
40.82%
Home Rule
40.17%
Liberal
17.71%
Others
1.31%
Parliamentary seats
Home Rule
58.35%
Irish Conservative
31.42%
Liberal
9.71%

See also

Notes

  1. Sligo Borough and Cashel had been disenfranchised by the Sligo and Cashel Disfranchisement Act 1870, so there was a reduction in two seats from Ireland.

Sources

  • Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987.

References


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