Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918


The 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. The new constituencies were used for the 1918 general election, and were also used by Sinn Féin to elect members of the revolutionary First Dáil, which first met in January 1919.
This Act replaced the distribution of seats which had been used since 1885. The number of seats was increased from 103 to 105, with the enfranchisement of two additional universities. There continued to be two two-member constituencies, so the number of constituencies increased from 101 to 103.
In 1922 this redistribution was replaced, for the six counties in Northern Ireland which remained part of the UK, by new UK Parliament constituencies. The remaining twenty-six Irish counties ceased to be represented at Westminster.
Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, provision was made for new constituencies, to be used for the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. Sinn Féin used both sets of constituencies to elect the Second Dáil of 1921–1922, and the Southern Ireland ones for the election to the Third Dáil of 1922–1923.

Redistributed seats

Antrim

Representation increased from 8 to 13 MPs
‡ The parliamentary borough of Belfast was partly in County Down
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Armagh

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Carlow

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Division
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Cavan

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Clare

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Cork

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Donegal

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Down

Representation unchanged
‡ The parliamentary borough of Newry was partly in County Armagh
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Dublin

Representation increased from 6 to 11 MPs
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1885!!Change!!After 1885

Fermanagh

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Galway

Representation reduced from 5 to 4 MPs
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Kerry

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Kildare

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Kilkenny

Representation reduced from 3 to 2 MPs
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

King's County

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Leitrim

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Limerick

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Londonderry

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Longford

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Louth

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Mayo

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Meath

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Monaghan

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Queen's County

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Roscommon

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Sligo

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Tipperary

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Tyrone

Representation reduced from 4 to 3 MPs
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Waterford

Representation reduced from 3 to 2 MPs
!colspan=3| Boroughs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Westmeath

Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Wexford

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Wicklow

Representation unchanged
!colspan=3| County Divisions
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918

Universities

Representation increased from 2 to 4 MPs
!Before 1918!!Change!!After 1918