North Dublin (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

North Dublin was a special area in County Dublin, Ireland. From 1885 to 1922, it was a "parliamentary constituency." This means it was a specific region that elected one person, called a Member of Parliament (MP), to represent them in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London.

Later, from 1918 to 1921, North Dublin was also used as a constituency for Dáil Éireann, which was the parliament of the Irish Republic. After 1922, this area was no longer represented in the UK Parliament because Ireland became independent.

What Area Did North Dublin Cover?

This constituency covered the northern and western parts of County Dublin. Imagine a map of County Dublin; North Dublin was mostly the top and left sides.

From 1885 to 1918, it included many towns and areas like Stepaside, Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Blanchardstown, Lucan, Howth, Swords, Balbriggan, Skerries, Malahide, and Clontarf.

In 1900, the city of Dublin grew bigger. Some areas like Kilmainham and Clontarf became part of the city. Because of this, these areas were moved to city constituencies in 1918.

From 1918 to 1922, the boundaries changed slightly. It included rural areas like Balrothery and North Dublin, plus parts of South Dublin's rural areas such as Clondalkin, Palmerstown, and Tallaght.

A Brief History of North Dublin's Representation

Before 1885, County Dublin was one large area that elected two MPs. But in 1885, it was split into two smaller areas: North Dublin and South Dublin. Each of these new areas elected one MP.

Later, in 1918, the number of MPs for County Dublin increased from two to four. This led to the creation of two new areas: Pembroke and Rathmines.

The Rise of Sinn Féin

In the 1918 general election, a political party called Sinn Féin had a big goal. They wanted to create a new Irish parliament. After the election, Sinn Féin invited all elected Irish MPs to join Dáil Éireann. These elected members were called Teachta Dála (TDs). Most of the Sinn Féin members, including Frank Lawless from North Dublin, attended this new Irish parliament.

Changes in 1920 and 1922

In 1920, the North Dublin area, along with Pembroke, Rathmines, and South Dublin, were combined. They formed a new, larger area called Dublin County. This new area elected six TDs to the Southern Ireland House of Commons.

In the 1921 election, Sinn Féin won all six seats in Dublin County without anyone else running against them. Frank Lawless was one of these six TDs.

However, things changed quickly. In 1922, the Irish Free State was formed, and Ireland left the United Kingdom. This meant that Irish areas, including North Dublin, no longer elected MPs to the UK Parliament. So, the North Dublin constituency was officially ended.

People Who Represented North Dublin

Here are the Members of Parliament who represented North Dublin: