Historic Dáil constituencies explained

This page lists Dáil constituencies that have been used for elections to Dáil Éireann from the 1918 election to the next general election.

Overview of legislation and seat distribution

In the case of the First Dáil, the constituencies were created for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom; in the case of the Second Dáil, they were created for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. Although only Sinn Féin members took their seats as TDs in the revolutionary period of Dáil Éireann, MPs from other parties were invited; on this basis, all constituencies used in 1918 and 1921 are included in this list of Dáil constituencies. From the Fourth Dáil on, they were adjusted by Irish legislation.

Alterations to constituencies take effect on the dissolution of the Dáil sitting when a revision is made; therefore, any by-elections take place according to the constituency boundaries in place at the previous election.

Period	Legislation	×1	×2	×3	×4	×5	×6	×7	×8	×9	Total C	Total TDs	Elections
1918–1921	Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918	101	2								103	105	1918
1921–1922	Government of Ireland Act 1920			3	22	5	2	2	4		38	180	1921
1922–1923				3	16	4	2	1	2		28	128	1922
1923–1937	Electoral Act 1923			8	4	9		5	3	1	30	153	1923, June 1927, Sept. 1927, 1932, 1933
1937–1948	Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935			15	8	8		3			34	138	1937, 1938, 1943, 1944
1948–1961	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947			22	9	9					40	147	1948, 1951, 1954, 1957
1961–1969	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961			17	12	9					38	144	1961, 1965
1969–1977	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1969			26	14	2					42	144	1969, 1973
1977–1981	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1974			26	10	6					42	148	1977
1981–1987	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980			13	13	15					41	166	1981, Feb. 1982, Nov. 1982
1987–1992	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1983			13	13	15					41	166	1987, 1989
1992–1997	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1990			12	15	14					41	166	1992
1997–2002	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1995			12	15	14					41	166	1997
2002–2007	Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1998			16	12	14					42	166	2002
2007–2011	Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005			18	13	12					43	166	2007
2011–2016	Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009			17	15	11					43	166	2011
2016–2020	Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013			13	16	11					40	158	2016
2020–date	Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017			9	17	13					39	160	2020

List of constituencies

Notes

• Constituencies which include all or part of two or more counties are attributed to the first county mentioned in the constituency name or (if none) the predominant county.
• Constituency names are based upon those used in the Oireachtas database of former members, except that borough division names in 1918 and 1977 are not placed in brackets. These names are sometimes not identical to those used in electoral legislation, i.e. compass points always follow the county or borough name in the database.
• In Irish legislation up to 1961, constituencies in the cities of Cork and Dublin (then known as county boroughs) were designated as borough constituencies. The official designation of borough and county constituencies under Irish electoral law ended in 1969. In UK legislation, relevant for the constituencies of the First and Second Dáil, it was also used to designate Belfast, Limerick, Londonderry and Waterford in 1918, and Belfast in 1921.

Constituency	County or city	Created	Abolished	Seats
Antrim	Antrim	1921	1922	7
Antrim East	Antrim	1918	1921	1
Antrim Mid	Antrim	1918	1921	1
Antrim North	Antrim	1918	1921	1
Antrim South	Antrim	1918	1921	1
Armagh	Armagh	1921	1922	4
Armagh Mid	Armagh	1918	1921	1
Armagh North	Armagh	1918	1921	1
Armagh South	Armagh	1918	1921	1
Athlone–Longford	Westmeath / Longford	1937	1948	3
Belfast Cromac	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast Duncairn	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast East	Belfast	1921	1922	4
Belfast Falls	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast North	Belfast	1921	1922	4
Belfast Ormeau	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast Pottinger	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast Shankill	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast South	Belfast	1921	1922	4
Belfast St. Anne's	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast Victoria	Belfast	1918	1921	1
Belfast West	Belfast	1921	1922	4
Belfast Woodvale	Belfast	1918	1921	1
County Carlow	Carlow	1918	1921	1
Carlow–Kildare	Carlow / Kildare	1937	1948	4
Carlow–Kilkenny	Carlow / Kilkenny	1921	1937	4,5
Carlow–Kilkenny	Carlow / Kilkenny	1948		5
Cavan	Cavan	1921	1977	3,4,3
Cavan East	Cavan	1918	1921	1
Cavan–Monaghan	Cavan / Monaghan	1977		5,4,5
Cavan West	Cavan	1918	1921	1
Clare	Clare	1921		4,5,4,3,4
Clare East	Clare	1918	1921	1
Clare–South Galway	Clare / Galway	1969	1977	3
Clare West	Clare	1918	1921	1
Cork Borough	Cork city	1921	1969	4,5,4,5
Cork City	Cork city	1918	1921	2
Cork City	Cork city	1977	1981	5
Cork City North-West	Cork city	1969	1977	3
Cork City South-East	Cork city	1969	1977	3
Cork East	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork East	Cork	1923	1937	5
Cork East	Cork	1948	1961	3
Cork East	Cork	1981		4
Cork East and North East	Cork	1921	1923	3
Cork Mid	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork Mid	Cork	1961	1981	4,5
Cork Mid, North, South, South East and West	Cork	1921	1923	8
Cork North	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork North	Cork	1923	1961	3,4,3
Cork North-Central	Cork city	1981		5,4
Cork North East	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork North-East	Cork	1961	1981	5,4
Cork North-West	Cork	1981		3
Cork South	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork South	Cork	1948	1961	3
Cork South-Central	Cork city	1981		5,4
Cork South East	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork South-East	Cork	1937	1948	3
Cork South-West	Cork	1961		3
Cork West	Cork	1918	1921	1
Cork West	Cork	1923	1961	5,3
Donegal	Donegal	1921	1937	6,8
Donegal	Donegal	1977	1981	5
Donegal	Donegal	2016		5
Donegal East	Donegal	1918	1921	1
Donegal East	Donegal	1937	1961	4
Donegal–Leitrim	Donegal / Leitrim	1969	1977	3
Donegal North	Donegal	1918	1921	1
Donegal North-East	Donegal	1961	1977	3
Donegal North-East	Donegal	1981	2016	3
Donegal South	Donegal	1918	1921	1
Donegal South-West	Donegal	1961	1969	3
Donegal South-West	Donegal	1981	2016	3
Donegal West	Donegal	1918	1921	1
Donegal West	Donegal	1937	1961	3
Down	Down	1921	1922	8
Down East	Down	1918	1921	1
Down Mid	Down	1918	1921	1
Down North	Down	1918	1921	1
Down South	Down	1918	1921	1
Down West	Down	1918	1921	1
Dublin Artane	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin Ballyfermot	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin Bay North	Dublin city	2016		5
Dublin Bay South	Dublin city	2016		4
Dublin Cabra	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin Central	Dublin city	1969	1977	4
Dublin Central	Dublin city	1981		5,4,3,4
Dublin Clontarf	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin Clontarf	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin College Green	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin County	Dublin	1921	1969	6,8,5,3,5
Dublin County Mid	Dublin	1977	1981	3
Dublin County North	Dublin	1969	1981	4,3
Dublin County South	Dublin	1969	1981	3
Dublin County West	Dublin	1977	1981	3
Dublin Fingal	Fingal	2016		5
Dublin Finglas	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin Harbour	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin Mid	Dublin city	1921	1923	4
Dublin Mid-West	South Dublin	2002		3,4
Dublin County North	Dublin	1918	1921	1
Dublin North	Dublin city	1923	1937	8
Dublin North	Dublin	1981	2016	3,4
Dublin North-Central	Dublin city	1948	2016	3,4,3,4,3
Dublin North-East	Dublin city	1937	1977	3,5,4
Dublin North-East	Dublin city	1981	2016	4,3
Dublin North-West	Dublin city	1921	1923	4
Dublin North-West	Dublin city	1937	1977	5,3,4
Dublin North-West	Dublin city	1981		4,3
Dublin Pembroke	Dublin	1918	1921	1
Dublin Rathdown	Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown	2016		3
Dublin Rathmines	Dublin	1918	1921	1
Dublin Rathmines West	Dublin city	1977	1981	3
Dublin County South	Dublin	1918	1921	1
Dublin South	Dublin city	1921	1948	4,7
Dublin South	Dublin	1981	2016	5
Dublin South-Central	Dublin city	1948		5,4,3,5,4,5,4
Dublin South-East	Dublin city	1948	2016	3,4
Dublin South-West	Dublin city	1948	1977	5,4
Dublin South-West	Dublin (South Dublin)	1981		4,5,4,5
Dublin St. James's	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin St. Michan's	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin St. Patrick's	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin St. Stephen's Green	Dublin city	1918	1921	1
Dublin Townships	Dublin city	1937	1948	3
Dublin University	Universities	1918	1937	2,4,3
Dublin West	Dublin	1981		5,4,3,4
Dún Laoghaire	Dublin (Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown)	1977		4,5,4
Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown	Dublin	1948	1977	3,4
Fermanagh and Tyrone	Fermanagh / Tyrone	1921	1922	8
Fermanagh North	Fermanagh	1918	1921	1
Fermanagh South	Fermanagh	1918	1921	1
Galway	Galway	1921	1937	7,9
Galway Connemara	Galway	1918	1921	1
Galway East	Galway	1918	1921	1
Galway East	Galway	1937	1948	4
Galway East	Galway	1961	1969	5
Galway East	Galway	1977		4,3,4,3
Galway North	Galway	1918	1921	1
Galway North	Galway	1948	1961	3
Galway North-East	Galway	1969	1977	3
Galway South	Galway	1918	1921	1
Galway South	Galway	1948	1961	3
Galway West	Galway	1937		3,4,5
Kerry	Kerry	1923	1937	7
Kerry	Kerry	2016		5
Kerry East	Kerry	1918	1921	1
Kerry–Limerick West	Kerry / Limerick	1921	1923	8
Kerry North	Kerry	1918	1921	1
Kerry North	Kerry	1937	2011	4,3
Kerry North–West Limerick	Kerry	2011	2016	3
Kerry South	Kerry	1918	1921	1
Kerry South	Kerry	1937	2016	3
Kerry West	Kerry	1918	1921	1
Kildare	Kildare	1923	1937	3
Kildare	Kildare	1948	1997	3,4,3,5
Kildare North	Kildare	1918	1921	1
Kildare North	Kildare	1997		3,4
Kildare South	Kildare	1918	1921	1
Kildare South	Kildare	1997		3,4
Kildare–Wicklow	Kildare / Wicklow	1921	1923	5
Kilkenny	Kilkenny	1937	1948	3
Kilkenny North	Kilkenny	1918	1921	1
Kilkenny South	Kilkenny	1918	1921	1
King's County	King's	1918	1921	1
Laois	Laois	2016	2020	3
Laois–Offaly	Laois / Offaly	1921	2016	4,5
Laois–Offaly	Laois / Offaly	2020		5
Leitrim	Leitrim	1918	1921	1
Leitrim	Leitrim	1937	1948	3
Leitrim–Roscommon North	Leitrim / Roscommon	1921	1923	4
Leitrim–Sligo	Leitrim / Sligo	1923	1937	7
Limerick	Limerick	1923	1948	7
Limerick	Limerick	2011	2016	3
Limerick City	Limerick city	1918	1921	1
Limerick City	Limerick	2011		4
Limerick City–Limerick East	Limerick	1921	1923	4
Limerick County	Limerick	2016		3
Limerick East	Limerick	1918	1921	1
Limerick East	Limerick	1948	2011	4,5
Limerick West	Limerick	1918	1921	1
Limerick West	Limerick	1948	2011	3
Londonderry	Londonderry	1921	1922	5
Londonderry City	Derry city	1918	1921	1
Londonderry North	Londonderry	1918	1921	1
Londonderry South	Londonderry	1918	1921	1
Longford	Longford	1918	1921	1
Longford–Roscommon	Longford / Roscommon	1992	2007	4
Longford–Westmeath	Longford / Westmeath	1921	1937	4,5
Longford–Westmeath	Longford / Westmeath	1948	1992	5,4
Longford–Westmeath	Longford / Westmeath	2007		4
Louth	Louth	1918	1921	1
Louth	Louth	1923		3,4,5
Louth–Meath	Louth / Meath	1921	1923	5
Mayo	Mayo	1997		5,4
Mayo East	Mayo	1918	1921	1
Mayo East	Mayo	1969	1997	3
Mayo North	Mayo	1918	1921	1
Mayo North	Mayo	1923	1969	4,3
Mayo North and West	Mayo	1921	1923	4
Mayo South	Mayo	1918	1921	1
Mayo South	Mayo	1923	1969	5,4
Mayo South–Roscommon South	Mayo / Roscommon	1921	1923	4
Mayo West	Mayo	1918	1921	1
Mayo West	Mayo	1969	1997	3
Meath	Meath	1923	1937	3
Meath	Meath	1948	2007	3,4,5
Meath East	Meath	2007		3
Meath North	Meath	1918	1921	1
Meath South	Meath	1918	1921	1
Meath West	Meath	2007		3
Meath–Westmeath	Meath / Westmeath	1937	1948	5
Monaghan	Monaghan	1921	1977	3
Monaghan North	Monaghan	1918	1921	1
Monaghan South	Monaghan	1918	1921	1
National University	Universities	1918	1937	1,4,3
Offaly	Offaly	2016	2020	3
Queen's County	Queen's	1918	1921	1
Queen's University of Belfast	Universities	1918	1921	1
Queen's University of Belfast	Universities	1921	1922	4
Roscommon	Roscommon	1923	1969	4,3,4
Roscommon	Roscommon	1981	1992	3
Roscommon–Galway	Roscommon / Galway	2016		3
Roscommon–Leitrim	Roscommon / Leitrim	1969	1981	3
Roscommon–South Leitrim	Roscommon / Leitrim	2007	2016	3
Roscommon North	Roscommon	1918	1921	1
Roscommon South	Roscommon	1918	1921	1
Sligo	Sligo	1937	1948	3
Sligo–Leitrim	Sligo / Leitrim	1948	2007	5,4,3,4
Sligo–Leitrim	Sligo / Leitrim	2016		4
Sligo–North Leitrim	Sligo / Leitrim	2007	2016	3
Sligo–Mayo East	Sligo / Mayo	1921	1923	5
Sligo North	Sligo	1918	1921	1
Sligo South	Sligo	1918	1921	1
Tipperary	Tipperary	2016		5
Tipperary North	Tipperary	1948	2016	3
Tipperary East	Tipperary	1918	1921	1
Tipperary Mid	Tipperary	1918	1921	1
Tipperary Mid, North and South	Tipperary	1921	1923	4
Tipperary North	Tipperary	1918	1921	1
Tipperary North	Tipperary	1948	2016	3
Tipperary South	Tipperary	1918	1921	1
Tipperary South	Tipperary	1948	2016	4,3,4,3
Tyrone North East	Tyrone	1918	1921	1
Tyrone North West	Tyrone	1918	1921	1
Tyrone South	Tyrone	1918	1921	1
Waterford	Waterford	1923		4,3,4
Waterford City	Waterford city	1918	1921	1
Waterford County	Waterford	1918	1921	1
Waterford–Tipperary East	Waterford / Tipperary	1921	1923	5
Westmeath	Westmeath	1918	1921	1
Westmeath	Westmeath	1992	2007	3
Wexford	Wexford	1921		4,5,4,5
Wexford North	Wexford	1918	1921	1
Wexford South	Wexford	1918	1921	1
Wicklow	Wicklow	1923		3,4,5
Wicklow East	Wicklow	1918	1921	1
Wicklow West	Wicklow	1918	1921	1

See also

• Irish House of Commons for constituencies in the Irish House of Commons between 1297 and 1801.
• List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies in Ireland and Northern Ireland for constituencies in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom
• List of Irish constituencies for a combined list of all Irish constituencies.

Sources

• Book: Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. B. M.. Walker. Royal Irish Academy. 1978.
• Book: Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921–1972. Sydney. Elliott. Political Reference Publications. 1973.

External links

• Houses of the Oireachtas – TDs & Senators
• Web site: Parliamentary & Dail Constituencies 1780-1969 (a work in progress.) . 28 August 2022 . Dublin Historic Maps.