“St Patrick’s, a division of Dublin, was a borough constituency in Ireland.” That’s quite a mouthful isn’t it? But within those words lies a story of political change and a nation finding its voice right here at St Patricks Division 1918.
Let’s step back to 1918. It was a year of immense change in Ireland and across the world. World War I still raged. Ireland was on the cusp of significant political upheaval. Imagine Dublin then. A city teeming with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
St Patricks Division 1918 was more than just a name on a map. It represented a community. It comprised the Merchants’ Quay and Wood Quay wards of Dublin. These wards pulsed with the lives of ordinary Dubliners. They worked. They dreamed. They yearned for self-determination.
Before 1885 Dublin City was an undivided two-member constituency. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 changed everything. Dublin was divided into four divisions. St Patrick’s was one of them. The others were College Green, Dublin Harbour, and St Stephen’s Green.
The Redistribution of Seats Act in 1918 brought further changes. The city was allocated seven seats. Clontarf, St James’s, and St Michan’s were the new divisions. St Patrick’s lost some of its territory to St James’s.
The 1918 election was a watershed moment. Sinn Féin used it to elect members to Dáil Éireann. They invited all those elected in Ireland to sit as Teachta Dála in the Dáil. Sinn Féin won 66% of the vote in St Patrick’s.
Constance Markievicz made history here. She was the first woman to win a parliamentary election in Britain and Ireland. This was the first election where women could stand as candidates. However, she did not take her seat in the British Parliament.
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 brought further restructuring. St Patrick’s was combined with the St Stephen’s Green Division. Together they formed Dublin South. This was a 4-seat constituency for the Southern Ireland House of Commons.
In the 1921 election Sinn Féin won all four seats uncontested. They treated it as part of the election to the Second Dáil. Markievicz was one of the four TDs for Dublin South.
In 1918 St Patrick’s Day fell on a Sunday. Celebrations were muted because of World War I. Still it was a glorious spring day in Ireland with sunshine and a refreshing breeze.
The area was no longer represented in the UK Parliament after 1922.
William Martin Murphy was MP for St Patrick’s from 1885 to 1892. William Field then held the seat from 1892 to 1918. Constance Markievicz took over in 1918.
So, as we stand here at St Patricks Division 1918 remember the winds of change. Remember the individuals who shaped this place. Remember Constance Markievicz. Her election victory broke barriers. It paved the way for women in politics.