1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids ← 1857 28 April – 18 May 1859 (1859-04-28 – 1859-05-18) 1865 →
← List of MPs elected in the 1857 United Kingdom general election List of MPs elected in the 1859 United Kingdom general election →
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
First party Second party   Leader Earl of Derby Viscount Palmerston Party Conservative Whig Leader since July 1846 6 February 1855 Leader's seat House of Lords Tiverton Seats before 42 48 Seats won 55 50 Seat change 11 2 Popular vote 35,258 57,409 Percentage 38.9% 61.1% Swing 4.7% 13.3%
Results of the 1859 election in Ireland

The 1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland was a big event. It was the last time the Conservatives won the most seats in Ireland. Even though the Liberals got more votes, the Conservatives won more seats. This happened partly because many Conservative candidates ran without anyone opposing them.

Back then, not everyone could vote. Only people from the middle and upper classes had the right to vote. Later, rules about voting changed. This led to more people voting for the Conservatives. However, the number of seats they won actually went down. This was also because of how many candidates ran without opposition.

What Was This Election About?

This election was part of a bigger election across the whole United Kingdom. People in Ireland voted for their representatives. These representatives would then go to the House of Commons in London. The House of Commons is where laws are made.

Who Were the Main Parties?

There were two main groups in this election:

• The Conservative Party: Led by the Earl of Derby. They aimed to keep traditional values.
• The Whigs (who were like the Liberals): Led by Viscount Palmerston. They often supported changes and reforms.

Why Did the Conservatives Win More Seats?

The Conservatives won 55 seats, while the Whigs won 50 seats. This was a surprise because the Whigs actually got more votes overall. The Whigs received about 61% of the votes, and the Conservatives got about 39%.

The main reason for this was that many Conservative candidates ran unopposed. This means they were the only person running in their area. So, they automatically won without anyone needing to vote for them. This helped them get more seats even with fewer total votes.

Election Results at a Glance

Here's a quick look at what happened:

• The Whigs got the most votes, with 57,409 votes.
• The Conservatives got 35,258 votes.
• The Conservatives won 55 seats.
• The Whigs won 50 seats.
• In total, 105 seats were up for grabs in Ireland.

This election showed how important it was to have candidates in every area. Winning seats without opposition was a big advantage for the Conservatives in 1859.

See also

• History of Ireland (1801–1923)