1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

The 1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland produced the last overall victory for the Conservatives in Ireland. They won a majority of seats on the island despite the Liberals receiving over 60% of the vote; this was partly due to a disproportionately large number of Conservative candidates standing unopposed. The franchise was restricted to the middle and upper classes.

Main article: 1859 United Kingdom general election
1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland
28 April – 18 May 1859 (1859-04-28 – 1859-05-18)
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
  First party Second party
 
Leader Earl of Derby Viscount Palmerston
Party Conservative Whig
Leader since July 1846 6 February 1855
Leader's seat House of Lords Tiverton
Seats before 42 48
Seats won 55 50
Seat change Increase11 Increase2
Popular vote 35,258 57,409
Percentage 38.9% 61.1%
Swing Decrease4.7% Increase 13.3%
Results of the 1859 election in Ireland

Electoral reform in subsequent decades saw something of a rise in the Tory vote in Ireland accompanied by a diminution in the number of seats the party won. This was again due in some degree to the relative numbers of candidates standing unopposed for the two parties.

Results
1859 general election in Ireland[1]
Party Candidates Unopposed Seats Seats change Votes  %  % Change
Irish Conservative 67 36 55 Increase11 35,258 38.9 Decrease4.7
Whig 73 26 50 Increase2 57,409 61.1 Increase13.3
Total 140 62 105 Steady 92,667 100
Popular vote
Whigs
 
 61.95%
Irish Conservative
 
 38.05%
Parliamentary seats
Irish Conservative
 
 52.38%
Whigs
 
 47.62%

See also

References
  1. Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. British Electoral Facts: 1832–2012. p. 8.


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