Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918
# Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918

The Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918 (7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 65) was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom which redistributed the parliamentary constituencies in Ireland for the House of Commons. It was enacted on the same day as the Representation of the People Act 1918 which extended the franchise throughout the United Kingdom.

This Act replaced the distribution of seats which had been enacted by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and had been in use since the general election of that year. The number of seats was increased from 103 to 105 (and the number of constituencies increased from 101 to 103) with the enfranchisement of two additional universities. The revision was based on a report of a Boundary Commission carried out in 1917 taking population changes in the 1911 census into account. It also followed administrative county boundaries, which in some cases had been altered under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (or in the case of Dublin, shortly after).

The new constituencies came into effect at the 1918 general election. Sinn Féin had adopted an abstentionist policy since its foundation, and none of its MPs elected in by-elections prior to this election had taken their seats. In its election manifesto, it called for the establishment of an assembly "comprising persons chosen by Irish constituencies as the supreme national authority to speak and act in the name of the Irish people", which would become the revolutionary Dáil Éireann. The First Dáil met in January 1919 and made a Declaration of Independence of the Irish Republic.

The constituencies in the 1918 Act were superseded by those in the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which created two home rule parliaments in Ireland and reduced the Irish seats at Westminster from 105 to 46. The seats designated in the 1920 Act for the Southern Ireland House of Commons and the Northern Ireland House of Commons were used as the 1921 election to the Second Dáil. The seats designated for Westminster in the 1920 Act would only apply in the six counties of Northern Ireland which remained part of the UK, taking effect at the 1922 general election. The remaining twenty-six Irish counties became the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922, ceasing to be part of the United Kingdom.

## Redistributed seats

Antrim

Representation increased from 8 to 13 MPs

‡ The parliamentary borough of Belfast was partly in County Down :

| Boroughs |||
| - | - | - |
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Belfast, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Cromac Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Duncairn Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Falls Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Ormeau Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Pottinger Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, St. Anne's Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Shankill Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Victoria Division (1 MP) |
| Belfast, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into nine single-member divisions. | Belfast, Woodvale Division (1 MP) |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Antrim, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Antrim, East Division (1 MP) |
| Antrim, Mid Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Antrim, Mid Division (1 MP) |
| Antrim, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Antrim, North Division (1 MP) |
| Antrim, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Antrim, South Division (1 MP) |
| Armagh Representation unchanged (3 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Armagh, Mid Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Armagh, Mid Division (1 MP) |
| Armagh, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Armagh, North Division (1 MP) |
| Armagh, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Armagh, South Division (1 MP) |
| Carlow Representation unchanged (1 MP) |||
| County Division |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| County Carlow (1 MP) | No change. | County Carlow (1 MP) |
| Cavan Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Cavan, East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cavan, East Division (1 MP) |
| Cavan, West Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cavan, West Division (1 MP) |
| Clare Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Clare, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Clare, East Division (1 MP) |
| Clare, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Clare, West Division (1 MP) |
| Cork Representation unchanged (9 MPs) |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Cork City (2 MPs) | No change | Cork City (2 MPs) |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Cork, East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, East Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, Mid Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, Mid Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, North Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, North East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, North East Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, South Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, South East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, South East Division (1 MP) |
| Cork, West Division (1 MP) | No change. | Cork, West Division (1 MP) |
| Donegal Representation unchanged (4 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Donegal, East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Donegal, East Division (1 MP) |
| Donegal, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Donegal, North Division (1 MP) |
| Donegal, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Donegal, South Division (1 MP) |
| Donegal, West Division (1 MP) | No change. | Donegal, West Division (1 MP) |
| Down Representation unchanged (5 MPs) ‡ The parliamentary borough of Newry was partly in County Armagh |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Newry (1 MP) | Abolished. | Abolished. |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Down, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Newry was absorbed into South Down. Divided into five single-member divisions. | Down, East Division (1 MP) |
| Down, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Newry was absorbed into South Down. Divided into five single-member divisions. | Down, Mid Division (1 MP) |
| Down, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Newry was absorbed into South Down. Divided into five single-member divisions. | Down, North Division (1 MP) |
| Down, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Newry was absorbed into South Down. Divided into five single-member divisions. | Down, South Division (1 MP) |
| Down, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Newry was absorbed into South Down. Divided into five single-member divisions. | Down, West Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin Representation increased from 6 to 11 MPs |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| County Dublin, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. Divided into four single-member divisions. | County Dublin, North Division (1 MP) |
| County Dublin, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. Divided into four single-member divisions. | County Dublin, Pembroke Division (1 MP) |
| County Dublin, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. Divided into four single-member divisions. | County Dublin, Rathmines Division (1 MP) |
| County Dublin, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. Divided into four single-member divisions. | County Dublin, South Division (1 MP) |
| Boroughs |||
| Before 1885 | Change | After 1885 |
| Dublin, College Green Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, Clontarf Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, College Green Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, College Green Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, Dublin Harbour Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, Dublin Harbour Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, Dublin Harbour Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, St James's Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, St Patrick's Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, St Michan's Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, St Patrick's Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, St Patrick's Division (1 MP) |
| Dublin, St Stephen's Green Division (1 MP) | Boundaries extended to include entire county borough. Divided into seven single-member divisions. | Dublin, St Stephen's Green Division (1 MP) |
| Fermanagh Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Fermanagh, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Fermanagh, North Division (1 MP) |
| Fermanagh, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Fermanagh, South Division (1 MP) |
| Galway Representation reduced from 5 to 4 MPs |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Galway Borough (1 MP) | Abolished. | Abolished. |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Galway, Connemara Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Galway was absorbed into Galway Connemara. Divided into four single-member divisions. | Galway, Connemara Division (1 MP) |
| Galway, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Galway was absorbed into Galway Connemara. Divided into four single-member divisions. | Galway, East Division (1 MP) |
| Galway, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Galway was absorbed into Galway Connemara. Divided into four single-member divisions. | Galway, North Division (1 MP) |
| Galway, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Galway was absorbed into Galway Connemara. Divided into four single-member divisions. | Galway, South Division (1 MP) |
| Kerry Representation unchanged (4 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Kerry, East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kerry, East Division (1 MP) |
| Kerry, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kerry, North Division (1 MP) |
| Kerry, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kerry, South Division (1 MP) |
| Kerry, West Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kerry, West Division (1 MP) |
| Kildare Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Kildare, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kildare, North Division (1 MP) |
| Kildare, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Kildare, South Division (1 MP) |
| Kilkenny Representation reduced from 3 to 2 MPs |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Kilkenny City (1 MP) | Abolished. | Abolished. |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Kilkenny, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Kilkenny was absorbed into North Kilkenny. Divided into two single-member divisions. | Kilkenny, North Division (1 MP) |
| Kilkenny, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. The parliamentary borough of Kilkenny was absorbed into North Kilkenny. Divided into two single-member divisions. | Kilkenny, South Division (1 MP) |
| King's County Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| King's County, Birr Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | King's County (1 MP) |
| King's County, Tullamore Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | King's County (1 MP) |
| Leitrim Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Leitrim, North Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Leitrim (1 MP) |
| Leitrim, South Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Leitrim (1 MP) |
| Limerick Representation unchanged (3 MPs) |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Limerick City (1 MP) | No change. | Limerick City (1 MP) |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Limerick, East Division (1 MP) | No change. | Limerick, East Division (1 MP) |
| Limerick, West Division (1 MP) | No change. | Limerick, West Division (1 MP) |
| Londonderry Representation unchanged (3 MPs) |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Londonderry City (1 MP) | No change. | Londonderry City (1 MP) |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Londonderry, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Londonderry, North Division (1 MP) |
| Londonderry, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Londonderry, South Division (1 MP) |
| Longford Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Longford, North Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Longford (1 MP) |
| Longford, South Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Longford (1 MP) |
| Louth Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Louth, North Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Louth (1 MP) |
| Louth, South Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Louth (1 MP) |
| Mayo Representation unchanged (4 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Mayo, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Mayo, East Division (1 MP) |
| Mayo, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Mayo, North Division (1 MP) |
| Mayo, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Mayo, South Division (1 MP) |
| Mayo, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Mayo, West Division (1 MP) |
| Meath Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Meath, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Meath, North Division (1 MP) |
| Meath, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Meath, South Division (1 MP) |
| Monaghan Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Monaghan, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Monaghan, North Division (1 MP) |
| Monaghan, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Monaghan, South Division (1 MP) |
| Queen's County Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Queen's County, Leix Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Queen's County (1 MP) |
| Queen's County, Ossory Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Queen's County (1 MP) |
| Roscommon Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Roscommon, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Roscommon, North Division (1 MP) |
| Roscommon, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Roscommon, South Division (1 MP) |
| Sligo Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Sligo, North Division (1 MP) | No change. | Sligo, North Division (1 MP) |
| Sligo, South Division (1 MP) | No change. | Sligo, South Division (1 MP) |
| Tipperary Representation unchanged (4 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Tipperary, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative counties of North Tipperary and South Tipperary. | Tipperary, East Division (1 MP) |
| Tipperary, Mid Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative counties of North Tipperary and South Tipperary. | Tipperary, Mid Division (1 MP) |
| Tipperary, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative counties of North Tipperary and South Tipperary. | Tipperary, North Division (1 MP) |
| Tipperary, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative counties of North Tipperary and South Tipperary. | Tipperary, South Division (1 MP) |
| Tyrone Representation reduced from 4 to 3 MPs |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Tyrone, East Division (1 MP) | Divided into three single-member divisions. | Tyrone, North East Division (1 MP) |
| Tyrone, Mid Division (1 MP) | Divided into three single-member divisions. | Tyrone, North East Division (1 MP) |
| Tyrone, North Division (1 MP) | Divided into three single-member divisions. | Tyrone, North West Division (1 MP) |
| Tyrone, South Division (1 MP) | Divided into three single-member divisions. | Tyrone, South Division (1 MP) |
| Waterford Representation reduced from 3 to 2 MPs |||
| Boroughs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Waterford City (1 MP) | Extended to include entire county borough of Waterford and the part of the rural district of Waterford No. 1 which consisted of the district electoral divisions of Ballynakill, Kilbarry, Killoteran and Waterford Rural. | Waterford City (1 MP) |
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Waterford, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county, and to exclude the area of the extended parliamentary borough of Waterford. Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Waterford County (1 MP) |
| Waterford, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county, and to exclude the area of the extended parliamentary borough of Waterford. Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Waterford County (1 MP) |
| Westmeath Representation reduced from 2 to 1 MP |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Westmeath, North Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Westmeath (1 MP) |
| Westmeath, South Division (1 MP) | Undivided parliamentary county returned one MP. | Westmeath (1 MP) |
| Wexford Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Wexford, North Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Wexford, North Division (1 MP) |
| Wexford, South Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Wexford, South Division (1 MP) |
| Wicklow Representation unchanged (2 MPs) |||
| County Divisions |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Wicklow, East Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Wicklow, East Division (1 MP) |
| Wicklow, West Division (1 MP) | Boundaries of parliamentary county altered to align with administrative county. | Wicklow, West Division (1 MP) |
| Universities Representation increased from 2 to 4 MPs |||
| 1885 Act | Change | 1918 Act |
| Dublin University (2 MPs) | No change | Dublin University (2 MPs) |
| New constituency | New constituency | National University of Ireland (1 MP) |
| New constituency | New constituency | Queen's University, Belfast (1 MP) |
