Isn’t it interesting how political landscapes shift? Today, we’re looking at Dublin Constituency 1947. This constituency existed due to the Electoral Amendment Act of 1947. This act significantly reshaped Irish political representation.
The Electoral Amendment Act 1947 was Irish law. It revised the Dáil constituencies. The 13th Dáil used these new constituencies first. The 1948 general election occurred on 4 February 1948.
Before 1947, the constituencies were defined by the Electoral Revision of Constituencies Act 1935. The 1947 Act repealed this earlier act. It also increased the number of seats in the Dáil. The number went from 138 to 147. This change was used in the 1951, 1954, and 1957 general elections.
The Electoral Amendment Act 1961 repealed the 1947 revision. This later act created a new schedule of constituencies. These were first used in the 1961 general election. This was for the 17th Dáil.
In 1947, Clann na Poblachta threatened Fianna Fáil’s dominance. Éamon de Valera’s government introduced the Act. It increased three-seat constituencies from fifteen to twenty-two. Tim Pat Coogan called it a blatant gerrymander.
In the 1948 general election, Clann na Poblachta won ten seats. They might have secured nineteen seats proportionally. Since 1948, no Dáil constituency has had over five seats. A 2013 recommendation suggested larger constituencies. The Fine Gael–Labour government rejected it. They argued the three, four, or five-seat arrangement had served the State well since 1948.
The 1947 Act brought specific changes to Dublin. Dublin North Central gained three seats. Dublin North East gained two seats. Dublin North West lost two seats. Dublin South Central gained five seats. Dublin South-East gained three seats. Dublin South-West gained five seats.
Several constituencies were abolished. These included Athlone–Longford and Carlow–Kildare. Others like Dublin South and Dublin Townships also disappeared. New constituencies emerged, like Carlow–Kilkenny. Cork East, Cork South, Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown, Galway North, Galway South, and Kildare were also new. Limerick East, Limerick West, Longford–Westmeath, Meath, Sligo–Leitrim, Tipperary North and Tipperary South were created, too.
Dublin City Libraries offer Dublin Electoral Lists from 1938 to 1964 online. These records list registered voters in Dublin City. They were used in Dáil and local elections. You can search the database by name or street.
The Dublin Constituency 1947 and the Electoral Amendment Act marked a turning point. They reshaped Irish electoral politics. The effects are still felt today. They influenced constituency sizes and political representation.