1920 Rathmines Urban District Council election

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Elections to the Rathmines Urban District Council took place on Thursday 15 January 1920 as part of that year's Irish local elections. The election saw Unionists reduced to a majority of 1 on the council. Prior to the election the Rathmines council had been composed almost entirely of Unionists.[1]

Following the election Robert Benson (Unionist) was elected Chairman, and William Ireland (Unionist) was elected as Vice-Chairman. Mary Kettle, the only Irish Party representative, did not vote for a Chairman, however she voted for Áine Ceannt for Vice-Chairman. Ceannt lost to Ireland by a single vote.[2]

The had changed the electoral system for local government in Ireland from First-past-the-post to Single transferable vote.

Results by party[]

Party Seats ± First Pref. votes FPv% ±%
Irish Unionist 11 Decrease 4,589 45.83
Sinn Féin 9 Increase 3,952 39.46
Irish Nationalist 1 987 9.86
Independent 0 486 4.85
Totals 21 10,014 100% —

Results by electoral area[]

No. 1 West Ward[]

No. 1 West Ward - 5 seats[1]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Sinn Féin William Sears MP 678
Irish Unionist George Metcalfe (incumbent) 502
Irish Unionist J. J. McKenzie 297 377
Sinn Féin Sean Doyle 245
Irish Nationalist J. J. Kiernan 180
Sinn Féin Madeleine ffrench-Mullen 133
Irish Unionist A. A. O'Malley 111
Sinn Féin George Irvine 93
Electorate: 3,158   Valid: 2,239   Spoilt: 30   Quota: 374   Turnout: 2,269

No. 2 West Ward[]

No. 2 West Ward - 5 seats[1]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Irish Unionist Robert Benson (incumbent) 508
Sinn Féin Robert Brennan 499
Irish Unionist Mrs M. K. Dixon 392
Irish Unionist William Ireland (incumbent) 256
Irish Nationalist P. J. Munden 244
Independent C. B. W. Boyle 226
Sinn Féin Mrs M. J. Mulcahy 205
Irish Unionist S. G. Slater 130
Sinn Féin Archibald J. Nicolls 116
Irish Unionist F. W. Giddings 78
Electorate: 3,585   Valid: 2,654   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 433   Turnout: 2,688

No. 1 East Ward[]

No. 1 East Ward - 4 seats[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Irish Unionist Mr. Carruthers 494
Sinn Féin Dr. Kathleen Lynn 427
Sinn Féin James Dwyer 382 383 410
Irish Unionist John Russell 221
Irish Nationalist Patrick Moore 202
Irish Unionist William M. Hatte 117
Sinn Féin Thomas O'Conner 83
Electorate: 2,673   Valid: 1,926   Spoilt: 48   Quota: 386   Turnout: 1,974

No. 2 East Ward[]

Éamonn Ceannt
Tom Kettle
No. 2 East Ward saw the return of republican activist Áine Ceannt, Mary Kettle (daughter of David Sheehy and widow of Thomas Kettle), along with the abstentionist Sinn Féin MP Joseph MacDonagh.

Ceannt's husband, Éamonn (left) had died fighting for the Irish Republican Brotherhood during the Easter Rising four years prior. Kettle's husband, Tom (right), a Home Ruler and former MP for East Tyrone, had died the same year fighting during the Somme.
No. 2 East Ward - 7 seats[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Sinn Féin Joseph MacDonagh MP 549
Irish Unionist John Sibthorpe 456
Irish Unionist J. C. Anderson 422
Sinn Féin Frances Ceannt 363 449
Irish Nationalist Mary Kettle 361
Irish Unionist David Jackson M.D. 267
Independent Thomas Saul 260
Irish Unionist H. B. Goulding 235
Sinn Féin Thomas Cullen M.R.I.A. 127
Irish Unionist R. D. Bolton 103
Sinn Féin George Daly 52
Electorate: 4,435   Valid: 3,195   Spoilt: 48   Quota: 400   Turnout: 3,243

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Municipal elections: Dublin Townships". Dublin Evening Telegraph. Dublin. 19 January 1920. pp. 1–3.
  2. ^ A City in Turmoil – Dublin 1919–1921: The War of Independence, Pádraig Yeates
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Dublin Townships: Two ladies elected to the Rathmines Council". Dublin Evening Telegraph. Dublin. 17 January 1920. p. 5.
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