Belfast West (Dáil constituency)

54°35′42″N 5°57′50″W / 54.595°N 5.964°W / 54.595; -5.964 Belfast West, was a former potential Dáil Éireann parliamentary constituency. It was a Dáil constituency 1921-1922.

Representation

The constituency was, in Irish republican theory,^{[clarification needed]} entitled to return four Teachtaí Dála (known in English as Deputies) in 1921 to serve in the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. None of the four took their seat in the Dáil.

The First Dáil, passed a motion at its last meeting on 10 May 1921, the first three parts of which make explicit the republican view.

1. That the Parliamentary elections which are to take place during the present month be regarded as elections to Dáil Éireann.
2. That all deputies duly returned at these elections be regarded as members of Dáil Éireann and allowed to take their seats on subscribing to the proposed Oath of Allegiance.
3. That the present Dáil dissolve automatically as soon as the new body has been summoned by the President and called to order.

Sinn Féin used the elections in 1921 to elect the Dáil. The Second Dáil first met on 16 August 1921. It last met on 8 June 1922.

From the Third Dáil onwards the Dáil represented only the twenty-six counties which formed the Irish Free State.

Belfast West is also a United Kingdom Parliament constituency. It has been represented by one member from 1922. The constituency sent four MPs to the Northern Ireland House of Commons 1921-1929.

Boundaries and Boundary Changes

Belfast West was a borough constituency comprising part of the county borough of Belfast. It included Court, Falls, St. Anne's, St. George's, Smithfield and Woodvale wards.

Between 1918-1921 the area was divided into three single-member constituencies, Belfast Falls, Belfast St Anne's and Belfast Woodvale.

Politics of the constituency

In 1921 the area was predominantly Unionist, with the party winning three seats. The Nationalists won the remaining seat (the only non Unionist one in Belfast). Sinn Féin's combined vote did not amount to a quota of more than one-fifth of the ballots.

Thomas Burn was a member of the Ulster Unionist Labour Association. He sat in the United Kingdom House of Commons as a Labour Unionist.

Joe Devlin, the Nationalist leader, was also elected for Antrim. Although he was more associated with Belfast and preferred to represent this seat, as he did not take either seat in the Northern Ireland House of Commons, he could not formally disclaim one.

William Twaddell was assassinated in 1922. The by-election to fill the vacancy in the Northern Ireland Parliament did not take place until after the election of the Third Dáil, so it is not relevant for this article.

MPs

Key to parties: Ind Lab Independent Labour, N Nationalist, SF Sinn Féin, U Ulster Unionist.

From	To	Name (Party)	Born	Died
1921	1922	Thomas Henry Burn (U)	19 January 1875
1921	1922	Joseph Devlin (N)	1872	18 January 1934
1921	1922	Robert John Lynn (U)	1873	5 August 1945
1921	1922	William Twaddell (U)	1884	22 May 1922

Elections

In 1921 parliamentary representatives of the constituency were elected using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.

1921 (24 May) general election (4 seats)
57,914 electors; 53,452 voted; turnout 92.3%; quota 10,691
First count
T.H. Burn (U) 13,298 (elected)
J. Devlin (N) 10,621
W.J. Twaddell (U) 10,316
R.J. Lynn (U) 9,315
D. McCullough (SF) 6,270
S.F. McEntee (SF) 2,954
J.A. Hanna (Ind Lab) 367
R. Byrne (N) 311
Second count (distribution of Burn's surplus)
T.H. Burn (U) (-2,607) 10,691 (elected)
J. Devlin (N) (+7) 10,628
W.J. Twaddell (U) (+242) 10,558
R.J. Lynn (U) (+2,331) 11,646 (elected)
D. McCullough (SF) (+2) 6,272
S.F. McEntee (SF) (..) 2,954
J.A. Hanna (Ind Lab) (+13) 380
R. Byrne (N) (+12) 323
Third count (distribution of Lynn's surplus)
T.H. Burn (U) (..) 10,691 (elected)
J. Devlin (N) (+1) 10,629
W.J. Twaddell (U) (+951) 11,509 (elected)
R.J. Lynn (U) (-955) 10,691 (elected)
D. McCullough (SF) (+2) 6,274
S.F. McEntee (SF) (+1) 2,955
J.A. Hanna (Ind Lab) (..) 380
R. Byrne (N) (..) 323
Fourth count (distribution of Twaddell's surplus)
T.H. Burn (U) (..) 10,691 (elected)
J. Devlin (N) (+3) 10,632 (elected)
W.J. Twaddell (U) (-818) 10,691 (elected)
R.J. Lynn (U) (..) 10,691 (elected)
D. McCullough (SF) (..) 6,274
S.F. McEntee (SF) (..) 2,955
J.A. Hanna (Ind Lab) (+3) 383
R. Byrne (N) (..) 323
Non-transferable (+812) 812
Seat vacant, before the last sitting of the Second Dáil, due to the killing of Twaddell

References

Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972, compiled and edited by Sydney Elliott (Political Reference Publications 1973)