| Cork Borough | |
| Type: | Dáil |
| Year: | 1921 |
| Abolished: | 1969 |
| Map Entity: | Ireland |
| Map Size: | 200px |
| Local Council Label: | Local government areas |
| Previous: | Cork City |
Cork Borough was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament), from 1921 to 1969. The method of election was proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
The constituency was created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 as a 4-seat constituency for the Southern Ireland House of Commons from the Cork City constituency in which Cork had been represented in the United Kingdom House of Commons at Westminster since 1801. The constituency would have continued as a single-seat constituency at Westminster.[1]
At the 1921 election for the Southern Ireland House of Commons, the four seats were won uncontested by Sinn Féin, who treated it as part of the election to the Second Dáil.[2] It was never used as a Westminster constituency; under s. 1(4) of the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922, no writ was to be issued "for a constituency in Ireland other than a constituency in Northern Ireland".[3] Therefore, no vote was held in Cork Borough at the 1922 United Kingdom general election on 15 November 1922, shortly before the Irish Free State left the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922.
Under the Electoral Act 1923, it became a 5-seat constituency and was first used at the 1923 general election. Its representation fluctuated between 4 and 5 seats until its abolition for the 1969 general election.
| +Changes to the Cork Borough constituency | |||
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921–1923 | 4 | The county borough of Cork[4] | |
| 1923–1937 | 5 | The county borough of Cork; and the county electoral area of Ballincollig.[5] | |
| 1937–1948 | 4 | The county borough of Cork; and the DED of Blackrock, in the administrative county of Cork[6] | |
| 1948–1961 | 5 | The county borough of Cork; and the DEDs of Bishopstown, Blackrock and St. Mary's in the administrative county of Cork[7] | |
| 1961–1969 | 5 | The county borough of Cork; and the DEDs of Bishopstown, Rathcooney and St. Mary's in the administrative county of Cork[8] | |
| 1969[9] | — | Constituency abolished |
Following the death of Labour Party TD Seán Casey, a by-election was held on 9 November 1967. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Seán French.
Following the death of Fianna Fáil TD John Galvin, a by-election was held on 19 February 1964. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Sheila Galvin, widow of the deceased TD.
The surplus votes of the elected candidate were distributed after being declared elected because there was a possibility another candidate could have reached the threshold of a third of a quota which would have meant their election deposit was returned to them.
Following the death of Fianna Fáil TD Patrick McGrath, a by-election was held on 2 August 1956. The seat was won by Fianna Fáil candidate John Galvin.
Following the death of Fine Gael TD Thomas F. O'Higgins, a by-election was held on 3 March 1954. The seat was won by the Fine Gael candidate Stephen Barrett.
Following the resignation of Independent TD William Dwyer, a by-election was held on 14 June 1946. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Patrick McGrath.
The surplus votes of the elected candidate were distributed after being declared elected because there was a possibility another candidate could have reached the threshold of a third of a quota which would have meant their election deposit was returned to them.
Information on the number of transfers received by Richard Anthony on the fifth and sixth counts is unavailable so his number of votes on the fifth count is unknown.
Following the resignation of Cumann na nGaedheal TD Alfred O'Rahilly, a by-election was held on 19 November 1924. The seat was won by the Cumann na nGaedheal candidate Michael Egan.
The Business and Professional Group candidates were members of the Cork Progressive Association.
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