Meath–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)

Meath–Westmeath was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1937 to 1948. The constituency elected 5 deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) to the Dáil, on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

Meath–Westmeath
Former Dáil constituency
Former constituency
Created1937
Abolished1948
Seats5
Local government areas
Created from
Replaced by

History

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The constituency was created under the Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935 for the 1937 general election to the 9th Dáil.[1] It was last used for the 1944 general election to the 12th Dáil.

Meath–Westmeath was abolished under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947, and replaced by the two new constituencies of Meath and Longford–Westmeath.

Boundaries

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The 1935 Act defined its area as: "The administrative County of Meath and the administrative County of Westmeath except the portion thereof which is comprised in the County Constituency of Athlone–Longford."[1]

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Meath–Westmeath 1937–1948[2]
Key to parties
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
9th 1937[3] Matthew O'Reilly
(FF)
Michael Kennedy
(FF)
James Kelly
(FF)
Charles Fagan
(FG)
Patrick Giles
(FG)
10th 1938[4]
11th 1943[5] Michael Hilliard
(FF)
12th 1944[6]
13th 1948 Constituency abolished. See Meath and Longford–Westmeath

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Elections

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1944 general election

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1944 general election: Meath–Westmeath[6][7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Fianna Fáil Michael Hilliard 19.5 8,648                
Fine Gael Charles Fagan 14.9 6,606 6,617 6,705 6,845 6,960 7,967      
Fianna Fáil Michael Kennedy 12.6 5,560 5,677 5,717 5,730 7,113 7,244 7,274 8,750  
Fine Gael Patrick Giles 12.4 5,497 5,548 5,564 5,783 5,791 6,393 6,846 7,007 7,085
Fianna Fáil Matthew O'Reilly 10.9 4,828 5,143 5,152 5,188 5,416 5,536 5,565 8,114  
Labour Peadar Cowan 8.9 3,961 3,986 4,622 4,795 4,857 4,977 5,051 5,153 5,208
Fianna Fáil James Kelly 8.0 3,522 4,233 4,256 4,286 4,404 4,445 4,449    
Fianna Fáil Patrick McKenna 4.5 1,970 1,991 2,001 2,007          
Clann na Talmhan Gerry L'Estrange 3.6 1,613 1,622 1,642 2,169 2,230        
Clann na Talmhan Michael Bracken 2.7 1,189 1,195 1,205            
Labour Owen Comiskey 1.9 863 868              
Electorate: 64,104   Valid: 44,257   Quota: 7,377   Turnout: 69.0%  

1943 general election

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1943 general election: Meath–Westmeath[5][7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Fine Gael Charles Fagan 14.9 7,163 7,227 7,332 7,372 7,470 7,947 8,017 8,045      
Fianna Fáil Michael Hilliard 14.8 7,160 7,166 7,456 7,491 7,627 7,770 8,027 9,126      
Fianna Fáil Michael Kennedy 10.7 5,161 5,226 5,255 5,269 6,362 6,377 6,418 6,995 7,287 7,599 7,663
Fine Gael Patrick Giles 8.7 4,202 4,206 4,383 4,544 4,560 5,861 6,134 6,245 8,465    
Labour Peadar Cowan 8.3 3,983 4,305 4,484 4,502 4,553 4,629 6,276 6,337 6,937 6,956 7,113
Fianna Fáil Matthew O'Reilly 7.8 3,786 3,796 3,882 3,942 4,107 4,207 4,261 6,241 6,561 7,210 7,415
Fianna Fáil James Kelly 7.7 3,736 3,750 3,840 3,852 3,924 3,958 4,034        
Clann na Talmhan Joseph Cooney 6.8 3,284 3,304 3,345 4,278 4,366 4,603 4,668 4,691      
Fine Gael Michael Sweeney 5.1 2,439 2,444 2,479 2,529 2,536            
Labour John Fitzgerald 4.3 2,081 2,312 2,571 2,582 2,596 2,660          
Fianna Fáil Patrick McKenna 3.6 1,719 1,772 1,778 1,800              
Clann na Talmhan Patrick McMahon 2.8 1,351 1,358 1,378                
Independent Seán Doyle 2.8 1,349 1,356                  
Labour Charles McGurk 1.7 818                    
Electorate: 64,104   Valid: 48,232   Quota: 8,039   Turnout: 75.2%  

1938 general election

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1938 general election: Meath–Westmeath[4][7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Fianna Fáil James Kelly 19.9 9,690      
Fianna Fáil Michael Kennedy 18.8 9,139      
Fine Gael Charles Fagan 15.8 7,665 7,673 7,915 8,413
Fianna Fáil Matthew O'Reilly 15.5 7,552 9,066    
Fine Gael Patrick Giles 14.3 6,959 6,986 7,085 9,309
Labour Peadar Cowan 9.5 4,621 4,656 5,160 5,305
Fine Gael Michael Sweeney 6.1 2,962 2,969 3,164  
Electorate: 61,877   Valid: 48,588   Quota: 8,099   Turnout: 78.5%  

1937 general election

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1937 general election: Meath–Westmeath[3][7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Fianna Fáil James Kelly 19.4 9,328            
Fine Gael Charles Fagan 15.6 7,514 7,515 7,671 7,883 8,124    
Fianna Fáil Matthew O'Reilly 14.8 7,111 7,950 7,992 8,056      
Fianna Fáil Michael Kennedy 13.8 6,641 7,058 7,069 7,435 7,463 7,489 7,535
Fine Gael Patrick Giles 13.2 6,354 6,366 6,519 6,546 7,428 9,849  
Fianna Fáil Eugene Robbins 5.9 2,815 2,830 2,836 3,032 3,049 3,117 3,162
Fine Gael Gerald Williamson 4.8 2,292 2,294 2,313 2,320 2,788    
Labour Peadar Cowan 4.5 2,160 2,173 2,202 2,934 2,971 3,031 3,253
Fine Gael Michael Sweeney 3.6 1,750 1,753 1,780 1,793      
Labour John Hayden 3.5 1,667 1,671 1,684        
Independent James Daly 1.0 486 488          
Electorate: 61,654   Valid: 48,118   Quota: 8,020   Turnout: 78.1%  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act, 1935". Irish Statute Book database. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  2. ^ Walker, Brian M, ed. (1992). Parliamentary election results in Ireland, 1918–92. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0-901714-96-8. ISSN 0332-0286.
  3. ^ a b "General election 1937: Meath–Westmeath". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  4. ^ a b "General election 1938: Meath–Westmeath". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  5. ^ a b "General election 1943: Meath–Westmeath". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  6. ^ a b "General election 1944: Meath–Westmeath". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d Gallagher, Michael (1993). Irish Elections 1922-44: Results and Analysis. PSAI Press. ISBN 0951974815.
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