As the constituency for the Parliamentary borough of Waterford in County Waterford, it returned one MP 1801–1832, two in 1832–1885 and one 1885–1922.[2] It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.[3]
In 1918, the boundary was redefined to exclude the Kilculliheen area which had been transferred to County Kilkenny[4] under the 1898 Local Government (Ireland) Act.[5] It was defined as consisting of the county borough of Waterford and the District Electoral Divisions of Ballynakill, Kilbarry, Killoteran and Waterford Rural in the rural district of Waterford.
Following the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was no longer represented in the United Kingdom House of Commons.[6]
The constituency was a predominantly Nationalist area in 1918.[7] The seat was contested by William Redmond, the son of the IPP leader John Redmond whom he replaced in the Waterford City constituency in a by-election held in March 1918.[8] In the general election of December 1918, it was the only Irish seat the IPP won outside Ulster.[9]
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.[10] 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.[11] 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. This area, in republican theory, was incorporated in the five member Dáil constituency of Waterford–Tipperary East.
MPs 1801–32
MPs 1832–85
Representation increased to two members
Election | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
---|
1832 | | Henry Barron | Repeal Association[14] | | William Christmas | Tory[12][14] |
1834 | | Conservative[12][14] |
1835 | | Thomas Wyse | Whig[12][15][16] |
1841 | | William Christmas | Conservative[12][14] | | William Morris Reade | Conservative[12][14] |
1841 | | Henry Barron | Whig[12][15][16] | | Thomas Wyse | Whig[12][15][16] |
1847 | | Thomas Meagher | Repeal Association[14] | | Daniel O'Connell Jnr | Repeal Association[14] |
1848 by-election | | Henry Barron | Whig[12][15][16] |
1852 | | Ind. Irish[14] | | Robert Keating | Ind. Irish[14] |
1857 | | John Aloysius Blake | Ind. Irish[14] | | Michael D. Hassard | Conservative[14] |
1859 | | Liberal[14] |
1865 | | Henry Barron | Liberal[14] |
1868 | | James Delahunty | Liberal[14] |
1869 | | Henry Barron | Liberal[14] |
1870 by-election | | Ralph Bernal Osborne | Liberal[14] |
1874 | | Richard Power | Home Rule League[14] | | Purcell O'Gorman | Home Rule League[14] |
1880 | | Edmund Leamy | Home Rule League (Parnellite)[14] |
1882 | | Irish Parliamentary Party[14] | | Irish Parliamentary Party[14] |
1885 | Reduced to 1 seat |
MPs 1885–1918
Representation reduced to one member
Election | Member | Party |
---|
| 1885 | Richard Power | Nationalist |
| 1890 | Parnellite |
| 1892 by-election | John Redmond | Parnellite |
| 1900 | Nationalist |
| 1918 by-election | William Redmond | Nationalist |
1922 | UK constituency abolished |
The single-member elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system. Multi-member elections used the plurality-at-large voting system.[17]
Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Waterford City (2 seats) [14][12][18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Whig | John Newport | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig hold |
General election 1831: Waterford City (2 seats) [14][12][18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Whig | John Newport | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 1,300 | |
---|
| Whig hold |
General election 1832: Waterford City (2 seats) [14][12]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Irish Repeal | Henry Barron | 570 | 28.9 |
| Tory | William Christmas | 570 | 28.9 |
| Irish Repeal | Roger Hayes | 453 | 23.0 |
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | 379 | 19.2 |
Turnout | 1,140 | 91.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,241 | |
---|
Majority | 0 | 0.0 |
---|
| Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
Majority | 117 | 5.9 |
---|
| Tory win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Waterford City (2 seats) [14][12]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | 587 | 34.2 | +15.0 |
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Henry Barron | 561 | 32.7 | −19.2 |
| Conservative | William Christmas | 440 | 25.6 | +11.2 |
| Conservative | William Morris Reade | 129 | 7.5 | −7.0 |
Turnout | 965 | 65.5 | −26.4 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,473 | | |
---|
Majority | 26 | 1.5 | N/A |
---|
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.5 | |
---|
Majority | 121 | 7.1 | +7.1 |
---|
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −10.7 | |
---|
General election 1837: Waterford City (2 seats) [14][12]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | 632 | 31.5 | −2.7 |
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Henry Barron | 602 | 30.0 | −2.7 |
| Conservative | William Beresford | 427 | 21.3 | −4.3 |
| Conservative | John Tracy O'Reilly | 347 | 17.3 | +9.8 |
Turnout | 1,035 | 69.7 | +4.2 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,486 | | |
---|
Majority | 30 | 1.5 | ±0.0 |
---|
| Whig hold | Swing | −2.7 | |
---|
Majority | 175 | 8.7 | +1.6 |
---|
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −2.7 | |
---|
Wyse was appointed as a Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 6 September 1839: Waterford City [14][12]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig hold |
Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | William Christmas | 285 | 30.2 | +8.9 |
| Conservative | William Morris Reade | 259 | 27.4 | +10.1 |
| Whig | Henry Barron | 202 | 21.4 | −10.1 |
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | 199 | 21.1 | −8.9 |
Majority | 57 | 6.0 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | c. 473 | c. 59.0 | c. −10.7 |
---|
Registered electors | 802 | | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +8.9 | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +10.1 | |
---|
On petition, Christmas and Reade were unseated and Wyse and Barron were declared elected on 13 June 1842.
General election 1847: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Repeal | Thomas Meagher | 521 | 33.3 | New |
| Irish Repeal | Daniel O'Connell | 499 | 31.9 | New |
| Whig | Henry Barron | 294 | 18.8 | −2.6 |
| Whig | Thomas Wyse | 252 | 16.1 | −5.0 |
Majority | 205 | 13.1 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 783 (est) | 46.2 (est) | −12.8 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,696 | | |
---|
| Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
---|
O'Connell resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 1 March 1848: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Whig | Henry Barron | 318 | 41.1 | +6.2 |
| Irish Repeal | Patrick Costello | 301 | 38.9 | −26.3 |
| Irish Confederate | Thomas Francis Meagher | 154 | 19.9 | New |
Majority | 17 | 2.2 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 773 | 45.6 (est) | −0.6 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,696 (1847 figure) | | |
---|
| Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +16.3 | |
---|
Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Independent Irish | Thomas Meagher | 463 | 29.5 | −3.8 |
| Independent Irish | Robert Keating | 445 | 28.3 | −3.6 |
| Conservative | William Christmas | 355 | 22.6 | New |
| Whig | Henry Barron | 309 | 19.7 | −15.2 |
Majority | 90 | 5.7 | −7.4 |
---|
Turnout | 786 (est) | 69.3 (est) | +27.1 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,135 | | |
---|
| Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +1.9 | |
---|
| Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +2.0 | |
---|
General election 1857: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Independent Irish | John Aloysius Blake | 519 | 33.1 | −24.7 |
| Conservative | Michael D. Hassard | 479 | 30.5 | +7.9 |
| Whig | Henry Barron | 330 | 21.0 | +1.3 |
| Radical | Andrew Carew O'Dwyer[19][20] | 242 | 15.4 | New |
Turnout | 785 (est) | 67.7 (est) | −1.6 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,160 | | |
---|
Majority | 40 | 2.6 | -3.1 |
---|
| Independent Irish hold | Swing | −16.3 | |
---|
Majority | 149 | 9.5 | N/A |
---|
| Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | +16.3 | |
---|
General election 1859: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Michael D. Hassard | 536 | 35.3 | +4.8 |
| Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 529 | 34.8 | +1.7 |
| Liberal | Henry Barron | 455 | 29.9 | +8.9 |
Majority | 7 | 0.5 | −9.0 |
---|
Turnout | 760 (est) | 67.0 (est) | −0.7 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,134 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | −0.4 | |
---|
Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 592 | 40.8 | +6.0 |
| Liberal | Henry Barron | 516 | 35.5 | +5.6 |
| Liberal | John Barrington | 344 | 23.7 | N/A |
Majority | 172 | 11.8 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 726 (est) | 62.8 (est) | −4.2 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,156 | | |
---|
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1868: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 796 | 44.0 | +3.2 |
| Liberal | James Delahunty | 583 | 32.2 | N/A |
| Liberal | Henry Barron | 430 | 23.8 | +0.1 |
Majority | 153 | 8.4 | −3.4 |
---|
Turnout | 905 (est) | 65.4 (est) | +2.6 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Blake resigned after he was appointed inspector of Irish fisheries, causing a by-election.
By-election, 22 November 1869: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | Henry Barron | 487 | 50.8 | +27.0 |
| Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 471 | 49.2 | N/A |
Majority | 16 | 1.6 | −6.8 |
---|
Turnout | 958 | 69.3 | +3.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Elections in the 1870s
Barron was unseated on petition, causing a by-election.
By-election, 25 Feb 1870: Waterford City (1 seat) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 483 | 50.4 | N/A |
| Independent Nationalist | Patrick Joseph Smyth | 475 | 49.6 | New |
Majority | 8 | 0.8 | −7.8 |
---|
Turnout | 958 | 69.3 | 0.0 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1874: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Home Rule | Richard Power | 526 | 27.8 | New |
| Home Rule | Purcell O'Gorman | 480 | 25.4 | New |
| Conservative | Edward Gibson | 365 | 19.3 | New |
| Home Rule | James Delahunty | 360 | 19.0 | New |
| Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 160 | 8.5 | N/A |
Majority | 115 | 6.1 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 1,208 (est) | 87.7 (est) | +22.3 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,378 | | |
---|
| Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Waterford City (2 seats) [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Home Rule | Richard Power | 661 | 42.0 | +14.2 |
| Home Rule League (Parnellite) | Edmund Leamy | 494 | 31.4 | +12.4 |
| Home Rule | Purcell O'Gorman | 420 | 26.7 | +1.3 |
Majority | 74 | 4.6 | −1.5 |
---|
Turnout | 788 (est) | 54.3 (est) | −33.4 |
---|
Registered electors | 1,449 | | |
---|
| Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1885: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | Richard Power | 2,420 | 89.8 | N/A |
| Irish Conservative | Fitzmaurice Gustavus Bloomfield | 276 | 10.2 | New |
Majority | 2,144 | 79.6 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 2,696 | 68.3 | +14.0 (est) |
---|
Registered electors | 3,946 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1886: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | Richard Power | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 3,946 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold |
Elections in the 1890s
Power died, causing a by-election.
By-election 1891: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,775 | 59.1 | N/A |
| Irish National Federation | Michael Davitt | 1,229 | 40.9 | N/A |
Majority | 546 | 18.2 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 3,004 | 74.2 | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 4,046 | | |
---|
| Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1892: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,676 | 56.4 | N/A |
| Irish National Federation | David Sheehy | 1,293 | 43.6 | N/A |
Majority | 383 | 12.8 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 2,969 | 74.7 | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 3,974 | | |
---|
| Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General election 1895: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,788 | 59.3 | +2.9 |
| Irish National Federation | Thomas Joseph Farrell | 1,229 | 40.7 | −2.9 |
Majority | 559 | 18.6 | +5.8 |
---|
Turnout | 3,017 | 76.8 | +2.1 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,927 | | |
---|
| Irish National League hold | Swing | +2.9 | |
---|
Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 3,941 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold |
General election 1906: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 3,354 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold |
Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 3,104 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold |
General election December 1910: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 3,104 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold |
By-election, 1918: Waterford City [14]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | William Redmond | 1,242 | 62.5 | N/A |
| Sinn Féin | Vincent White | 745 | 37.5 | New |
Majority | 497 | 25.0 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 1,987 | 66.9 | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 2,972 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
General Election 14 December 1918: Waterford City Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary | William Redmond | 4,915 | 52.6 | N/A |
| Sinn Féin | Vincent White | 4,431 | 47.4 | N/A |
Majority | 484 | 5.2 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 9,346 | 77.5 | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 12,063 | | |
---|
| Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|