1879 County Cork by-election

The 1879 County Cork by-election was fought on 17 February 1879. The by-election was fought due to the death of the incumbent Home Rule MP, McCarthy Downing. It was won by the Home Rule candidate David la Touche Colthurst.[1]

The main issues were Home Rule and fixed tenure for tenant farmers, with the Home Rule candidate (a Catholic convert) being backed by the Catholic church.[2]

1879 County Cork by-election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule Colonel David la Touche Colthurst 8,157 80.1 N/A
Conservative Sir George Colthurst 2,027 19.9 New
Majority 6,130 60.2 N/A
Turnout 10,184 66.3 N/A
Home Rule hold Swing N/A

References

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  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
  2. ^ "Cork County Election". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 18 February 1879. Retrieved 6 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Cork County Election". The Irishman. 22 February 1879. Retrieved 6 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.