Antrim Mid (constituency)
Encyclopedia
Mid Antrim was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland.
. 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 District
s of Ballymena
, Ballymoney
and Larne
. The division also included the whole of the Urban District
of Ballymena
.
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.
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
. Elections to both assemblies were conducted not under the first past the post system, but instead under the Single Transferable Vote
. Mid Antrim was incorporated in a seven-member constituency of Antrim
.
, U Irish Unionist (1886 – April 1921) and Ulster Unionist (May 1921–1922).
Note: Hon. R.T. O'Neill became (U) in July 1886. The Unionists were affiliated with the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom Parliament.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1885–1922: This county constituency comprised the central part of County AntrimCounty Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. It comprised the baronies of Glenarm
Glenarm
Glenarm is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies on the North Channel coast north of the town of Larne and the village of Ballygalley, and south of the village of Carnlough. It had a population of 582 people in the 2001 Census. Glenarm takes it name from the glen in which it lies,...
Lower, Toome
Toome
Toome or Toom is a small village and townland on the northwest corner of Lough Neagh in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 722.-History:...
Lower, part of the barony of Antrim Lower and parts of the parishes of Connor and Ahoghill
Ahoghill
Ahoghill or Ahohill is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, four miles from Ballymena. It has a population of 3,055 people . It is within the Borough of Ballymena....
. 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
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
1885–1922.
Prior to the United Kingdom general election, 1885
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
and from the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was part of the Antrim
Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
Antrim is former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:...
constituency).
In terms of the then local government areas the constituency in 1929 comprised parts of the Rural District
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
s of Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, Ballymoney
Ballymoney
Ballymoney is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 9,021 people in the 2001 Census. It is currently served by Ballymoney Borough Council....
and Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
. The division also included the whole of the Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
of Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
.
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 FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
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.
The First Dáil
Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
contested the general election of 1918
Irish (UK) general election, 1918
The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland. It is seen as a key moment in modern Irish history...
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
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
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
Second Dáil
The Second Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 16 August 1921 until 8 June 1922. From 1919–1922 Dáil Éireann was the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The Second Dáil consisted of members elected in 1921...
. 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
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
's Second Dáil
Second Dáil
The Second Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 16 August 1921 until 8 June 1922. From 1919–1922 Dáil Éireann was the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The Second Dáil consisted of members elected in 1921...
. Elections to both assemblies were conducted not under the first past the post system, but instead under the Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
. Mid Antrim was incorporated in a seven-member constituency of Antrim
Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Antrim was a county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1929. It returned seven MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
.
Members of Parliament
Key to parties: C ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, 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 Robert Torrens O'Neill Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill , was an Irish Conservative, and later Irish Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1910.... (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.
Elections
The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.External links
- http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0
- http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/en.toc.dail.html
- For the exact definition of Northern Ireland constituency boundaries see http://www.election.demon.co.uk/stormont/boundaries.html
See also
- List of Irish constituencies
- List of UK Parliament Constituencies in Ireland and Northern Ireland
- Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918The Redistribution of Seats Act 1918 was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom which redistributed the parliamentary constituencies in Ireland for the House of Commons...
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 1918
- List of Dáil Éireann constituencies in Ireland (historic)
- Members of the 1st DáilMembers of the 1st DáilThis is a list of the 105 MPs who were elected for Irish seats at the 1918 United Kingdom general election. Sinn Féin emerged as the largest party, but refused to attend the British House of Commons in Westminster...