1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

Main article: 1859 United Kingdom general election

The 1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland produced the last overall victory for the Conservatives in Ireland. They won a majority of seats on the island despite the Liberals receiving over 60% of the vote; this was partly due to a disproportionately large number of Conservative candidates standing unopposed. The franchise was restricted to the middle and upper classes.

1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

28 April – 18 May 1859 (1859-04-28 – 1859-05-18)
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
First party Second party   Leader Earl of Derby Viscount Palmerston Party Conservative Whig Leader since July 1846 6 February 1855 Leader's seat House of Lords Tiverton Seats before 42 48 Seats won 55 50 Seat change 11 2 Popular vote 35,258 57,409 Percentage 38.9% 61.1% Swing 4.7% 13.3%
Results of the 1859 election in Ireland

Electoral reform in subsequent decades saw something of a rise in the Tory vote in Ireland accompanied by a diminution in the number of seats the party won. This was again due in some degree to the relative numbers of candidates standing unopposed for the two parties.

Results

1859 general election in Ireland

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Irish Conservative	67	36	55	11	35,258	38.9	4.7
	Whig	73	26	50	2	57,409	61.1	13.3
Total		140	62	105		92,667	100

Popular vote Whigs   61.95% Irish Conservative   38.05%

Parliamentary seats Irish Conservative   52.38% Whigs   47.62%

See also

• History of Ireland (1801–1923)