Dublin University is a university constituency in Ireland, which currently elects three senators to Seanad Éireann. Its electorate comprises the undergraduate scholars and graduates of the University of Dublin, whose sole constituent college is Trinity College Dublin, so it is often also referred to as the Trinity College constituency. Between 1613 and 1937 it elected MPs or TDs to a series of representative legislative bodies.

Representation

House of Commons of Ireland (1613–1800)

When

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

first convened the Parliament of Ireland, the University of Dublin was given two MPs, elected by the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College. It was not represented among the 30 Irish MPs which were part of the

Protectorate Parliament This is a list of parliaments of England from the reign of Henry III of England, King Henry III, when the ''Curia Regis'' developed into a body known as Parliament, until the creation of the Parliament of Great Britain in 1707. For later parlia ...

during the

Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with " republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from th ...

. Party organisations were not persistent during this time period, and have been added where appropriate. Among the MPs for the university in this period was John FitzGibbon, who later as

Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...

played a key role in the passage of the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the

Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland ( ga, label=Classical Irish, an Ríoghacht Éireann; ga, label=Modern Irish, an Ríocht Éireann, ) was a monarchy on the island of Ireland that was a client state of England and then of Great Britain. It existed fro ...

with the Kingdom of Great Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

House of Commons of the United Kingdom (1801–1922)

The Acts of Union 1800 merged the Parliament of Ireland with the Parliament of Great Britain, to form the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The 300 seats in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the Irish House of Lords, House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a h ...

were reduced to 100 Irish members in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The union took effect on 1 January 1801. The University of Dublin had one seat in this Parliament. There was no new election for the

First Parliament of the United Kingdom In the first Parliament to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801, the first House of Commons of the United Kingdom was composed of all 558 members of the former Parliament of Great Britain and 100 of the member ...

: for constituencies like the University of Dublin which were reduced to one MP, they were chosen by lot, in this instance,

George Knox The Honourable George Knox PC, FRS (14 January 1765 – 13 June 1827), was an Irish Tory politician. Knox was the fifth son of Thomas Knox, 1st Viscount Northland. In 1790, Knox entered the Irish House of Commons for Dungannon. Subsequently, ...

. In the

Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832 The Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, commonly called the Irish Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the election laws of Ireland. The act was passed at approximately the same time as t ...

, the university was given a second seat in Parliament, elected by

plurality-at-large Plurality block voting, also known as plurality-at-large voting, block vote or block voting (BV) is a non- proportional voting system for electing representatives in multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of sea ...

, and the franchise was extended to all those with a Master of Arts degree. At this stage, there were 2,073 voters on the register.

Plural voting Plural voting is the practice whereby one person might be able to vote multiple times in an election. It is not to be confused with a plurality voting system which does not necessarily involve plural voting. Weighted voting is a generalisation of ...

, by those who held a vote in the university constituency and also in a geographical one, was allowed and prevalent. ''A Topographical Directory of Ireland'', published in 1837, describes the Parliamentary history of the university. The Representation of the People Act 1918 extended the electorate to include all male graduates and scholars over the age of 21 and all female graduates and scholars over the age of 30, to be elected by single transferable vote. There were 4,541 voters registered for the 1918 general election. Plural voting continued to be allowed. During the period of the Union between Ireland and Great Britain, the constituency predominantly elected Tory, Conservative and Unionist MPs, including

Edward Gibson Edward George Gibson (born November 8, 1936) is a former NASA astronaut, pilot, engineer, and physicist. Before becoming an astronaut, Gibson graduated from the University of Rochester and the California Institute of Technology. He became a rese ...

, who was later (as Lord Ashbourne) responsible for the

Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act 1885 The Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act 1885 ( 48 & 49 Vict. c.73), commonly known as the Ashbourne Act is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, passed by a Conservative Party government under Lord Salisbury. It extended the terms that had ...

, and Edward Carson, who led the Irish Unionist Alliance. Dublin University was represented in the House of Commons until the dissolution of Parliament on 26 October 1922, shortly before the establishment of the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between the ...

became a dominion on 6 December 1922.

House of Commons of Southern Ireland (1921–1922)

The

Government of Ireland Act 1920 The Government of Ireland Act 1920 (10 & 11 Geo. 5 c. 67) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill ...

established a devolved home rule legislature, within the United Kingdom, for twenty-six Irish counties which were designated Southern Ireland. Dublin University was given four seats in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The seats were filled by Independent Unionist MPs who were returned unopposed. They were the only MPs who attended the abortive first meeting of the House. After the signing of the

Anglo-Irish Treaty The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...

, the four MPs met with the Pro-Treaty members of the Second Dáil to ratify the Treaty. The Parliament was formally dissolved as part of the arrangements under the Treaty and the establishment of the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922.

Dáil Éireann (1918–1937)

Sinn Féin contested the 1918 Westminster election on the basis that they would not take seats in the United Kingdom Parliament but would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. The university was, in Irish republican theory, entitled to return two Teachtaí Dála (known in English as Deputies and abbreviated as TDs) in 1918 to serve in the

Irish Republic The Irish Republic ( ga, Poblacht na hÉireann or ) was an unrecognised revolutionary state that declared its independence from the United Kingdom in January 1919. The Republic claimed jurisdiction over the whole island of Ireland, but by ...

First Dáil The First Dáil ( ga, An Chéad Dáil) was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919 to 1921. It was the first meeting of the unicameral parliament of the revolutionary Irish Republic. In the December 1918 election to the Parliament of the Unite ...

. This revolutionary body assembled on 21 January 1919. In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland, including the two Unionist MPs from Dublin University, was a member of the First Dáil. In practice only Sinn Féin members participated. The First Dáil passed a motion at its last meeting on 10 May 1921, the first three parts of which make explicit the republican view: #That the Parliamentary elections which are to take place during the present month be regarded as elections to Dáil Éireann. #That all deputies duly returned at these elections be regarded as members of Dáil Éireann and allowed to take their seats on subscribing to the proposed Oath of Allegiance. #That the present Dáil dissolve automatically as soon as the new body has been summoned by the President and called to order. The Second Dáil first met on 16 August 1921, thereby dissolving the First Dáil. Sinn Féin used the polls for the

Northern Ireland House of Commons The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the ''Government of Ireland Act 1920''. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished wi ...

and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as an election for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. No actual voting was necessary in Southern Ireland as all the seats were filled by unopposed returns. Except for this university all other constituencies elected Sinn Féin TDs. The university elected four Independent Unionist members unopposed. As with the First Dáil, those Deputies could have joined the Dáil if they chose. The

Third Dáil The Third Dáil was elected at the general election held on 16 June 1922. This election was required to be held under the Anglo-Irish Treaty signed on 6 December 1921. It first met on 9 September and until 6 December 1922, it was the Provision ...

elected in 1922 was, in United Kingdom law, the

constituent assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

for the

. From this time the Dáil represented only the twenty-six Irish counties and not the six counties of Northern Ireland. Non-Sinn Féin Deputies, including those from the university, began to participate in the Dáil. In the

Electoral Act 1923 The Electoral Act 1923 was a law in Ireland which established the electoral law of the Irish Free State and provided for parliamentary constituencies in Dáil Éireann. Franchise Article 14 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State adopted ...

, the Irish Free State defined its own Dáil constituencies. The University of Dublin was granted three seats, to be elected by single transferable vote by all graduates and scholars, regardless of sex, over the age of 21.

was not allowed. The Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 1936, removed the provisions in

Constitution of the Irish Free State The Constitution of the Irish Free State ( ga, Bunreacht Shaorstát Eireann) was adopted by Act of Dáil Éireann sitting as a constituent assembly on 25 October 1922. In accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution,

Article 18.4 of the

Constitution of Ireland The Constitution of Ireland ( ga, Bunreacht na hÉireann, ) is the fundamental law of Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. The constitution, based on a system of representative democracy, is broadly within the traditio ...

adopted in 1937, provided that the university would have three seats in the new Seanad Éireann. The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 gave effect to the constitutional provision, and provided that they would be elected by single transferable vote. The first Seanad election took place in 1938, and thereafter elections to the Seanad take place within 90 days of the dissolution of the Dáil. The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution, adopted in 1979, allows for a redistribution of the six university seats among the University of Dublin, the National University of Ireland, and any other institutions of higher education in the State which do not have representation. No legislation followed since to make any such change. The electorate is Irish citizens who have received a degree from the university, or undergraduates who have been awarded a foundation scholarship or non-foundation scholarship at Trinity College. After the Fourth Amendment in 1972, the age of eligibility was lowered from 21 to 18. Voting for the Seanad is distinct from that for the Dáil, so it is not considered

plural voting Plural voting is the practice whereby one person might be able to vote multiple times in an election. It is not to be confused with a plurality voting system which does not necessarily involve plural voting. Weighted voting is a generalisation of ...

; however, plural voting is possible for those who have received degrees from both the University of Dublin and the National University of Ireland. Trinity College Dublin is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, so the electorate is predominantly composed of graduates of Trinity; however, from 1975 to 1998, the University of Dublin also awarded the degrees of graduates at the

Dublin Institute of Technology Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT, ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath) was a major third-level institution in Dublin, Ireland. On 1 January 2019 DIT was dissolved and its functions were transferred to the Technological U ...

. Nominations are by electors in their personal capacity; unlike Dáil elections, there is no provision for nomination by parties. Most of the senators for the constituency have campaigned as Independents, though Mary Robinson and Ivana Bacik took the Labour Party whip for periods of their time in the Seanad. A number of the senators have a reputation of being quite socially liberal, including

Owen Sheehy-Skeffington Owen Lancelot Sheehy-Skeffington (19 May 1909 – 7 June 1970) was an Irish university lecturer and senator. The son of pacifists, feminists and socialists Francis and Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, he was politically likeminded and as a member of t ...

Noël Browne Noël Christopher Browne (20 December 1915 – 21 May 1997) was an Irish politician who served as Minister for Health from 1948 to 1951 and Leader of the National Progressive Democrats from 1958 to 1963. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from ...

, and Catherine McGuinness. Three Senators were later appointed to the Supreme Court: T. C. Kingsmill Moore,

Gardner Budd Frederick Gardner Orford Budd (11 February 1904 – 1 December 1976) was an Irish judge, barrister and politician who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1966 to 1975, a Judge of the High Court from 1951 to 1966, and a Senator for the Du ...

and Catherine McGuinness. Mary Robinson, first elected in 1969, was later elected as President of Ireland in 1990. In 1987, David Norris became the first openly gay member of either house of the Oireachtas. The senators have often included current or recent academics within Trinity College, such as professor of Latin and provost

Ernest Alton Ernest Henry Alton (21 September 1873 – 18 February 1952) was an Irish university professor and an Independent Teachta Dála (TD) and Senator. Born near Mullingar, County Westmeath, Alton attended The High School in Dublin. He graduated fro ...

, professor of Greek William Bedell Stanford, professor of mathematics

Trevor West Timothy Trevor West (8 May 1938 – 30 October 2012) was an Irish mathematician, academic and politician. Biography He was born on 8 May 1938 in County Cork, the eldest of four sons of Timothy Roberts West, headmaster of Midleton College, and ...

, professor of medicine Mary Henry, Ivana Bacik in law, and David Norris in English.

Elections

From 1832 (when registers of electors were first prepared) a turnout figure is given, for the percentage of the registered electors who voted. If the number of registered electors eligible to take part in a contested election is unknown, then the last known electorate figure is used to calculate an estimated turnout. If the numbers of registered electors and electors taking part in the poll are known, an exact turnout figure is calculated. In two member bloc vote elections (in which an elector could cast one or two votes as he chose), where the exact number of electors participating is unknown, an estimated turnout figure is given. This is calculated by dividing the total number of votes cast by two. To the extent that electors used only one of their votes the estimated turnout figure is an underestimate.

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

In 2011 Karin Dubsky, who was listed on the printed ballot papers, discovered after their distribution that she was not an Irish citizen and thus ineligible, and advised electors not to vote for her. The returning officer ruled that ballots giving her a first preference would be excluded, but ballots giving her a lower preference would be transferred to the next lower preference when relevant.

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Following the resignation of

Conor Cruise O'Brien Donal Conor David Dermot Donat Cruise O'Brien (3 November 1917 – 18 December 2008), often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish diplomat, politician, writer, historian and academic, who served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs from 1973 ...

on 13 June 1979.

Elections in the 1960s

Following the death of William Fearon on 27 December 1959.

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Held on 13 October 1933, following the death of independent TD Sir James Craig.

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

*Caused by Samuels' appointment to the

High Court of Justice in Ireland The High Court of Justice in Ireland was the court created by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland) 1877 to replace the existing court structure in Ireland. Its creation mirrored the reform of the courts of England and Wales five years e ...

. :This was the last UK Parliament election held in the 26 counties which became the Irish Free State. : ''Note: The Times edition of 23 December 1918 reported that the Provost of the University, as returning officer, did not announce the figures. It was ascertained that Woods had 1,094 votes when elected. The above is the best reconstruction of the later counts which is possible with the available information.'' *Caused by Samuels' appointment as

Solicitor-General for Ireland The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. On ra ...

. *Caused by Campbell's appointment as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. *Caused by Campbell's appointment as

Attorney-General for Ireland The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office-holder. He was senior in rank to the Solicitor-General for Ireland: both advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. With the e ...

Elections in the 1900s

*Caused by Lecky's resignation. *Caused by Carson's appointment as

Solicitor General for England and Wales His Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, known informally as the Solicitor General, is one of the law officers of the Crown in the government of the United Kingdom. They are the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to a ...

Elections in the 1890s

*Caused by Plunket's succession to the peerage, becoming Baron Rathmore.

Elections in the 1880s

*Caused by Madden's appointment as

. *Caused by Holmes' appointment as a judge. *Caused by Plunket's appointment as First Commissioner of Works, and Holmes' appointment as

. *Caused by Plunket's appointment as First Commissioner of Works, and Gibson's appointment as

, becoming

Baron Ashbourne Baron Ashbourne, of Ashbourne in the County of Meath, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1886 for Edward Gibson, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. His grandson, the third Baron (who succeeded his uncle), was a vi ...

Elections in the 1870s

*Caused by Gibson's appointment as

. *Caused by Plunket's appointment as

. *Caused by Ball's appointment as

. *Caused by Lefroy's resignation.

Elections in the 1860s

*Caused by Chatterton's appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Ireland. *Caused by Chatterton's appointment as

. *Caused by Walsh's appointment as Master of the Rolls in Ireland *Caused by Whiteside's appointment as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland

Elections in the 1850s

*Caused by Hamilton's resignation. *Caused by Napier's appointment as

. *Caused by Napier's appointment as

Elections in the 1840s

*Caused by Shaw's resignation. *Caused by Jackson's appointment as Justice of the

Court of Common Pleas A court of common pleas is a common kind of court structure found in various common law jurisdictions. The form originated with the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which was created to permit individuals to press civil grievances against o ...

in Ireland. *Caused by Lefroy's appointment as Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland.

Elections in the 1830s

*The constituency gained a second seat at the 1832 general election under the

Elections in the 1820s

*Caused by Plunket's succession to the peerage, becoming

Baron Plunket Baron Plunket, of Newtown in the County of Cork, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for the prominent Irish lawyer and Whig politician William Plunket. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1830 a ...

. *Caused by Plunket's appointment as

Elections in the 1810s

Elections in the 1800s

*Caused by Knox's appointment as a

Lord Commissioner of the Treasury In the United Kingdom there are at least six Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Treasurer of the Exchequer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the ...

. *The constituency had two seats in the

. This was reduced to one seat for the 1801 co-option. Lots were drawn to determine which of the two MPs, George Knox and Arthur Browne, would get the seat.

References

Sources

* *''The Parliaments of England'' by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973) * * * * *''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' *''The Times'' (of London), editions of 23 December 1918 and 17 June 1927

Citations

{{Authority control 1613 establishments in Ireland Constituencies established in 1613

Dublin University The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Du ...

Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1922 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1801 Dublin University of Dublin Westminster constituencies in County Dublin (historic) Dublin Seanad constituencies Constituencies of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801)