1920 Rathmines Urban District Council election

Elections to the Rathmines Urban District Council took place on Thursday 15 January 1920 as part of that year's Irish local elections. The election saw Unionists reduced to a majority of 1 on the council. Prior to the election the Rathmines council had been composed almost entirely of Unionists.[1]

Following the election Robert Benson (Unionist) was elected Chairman, and William Ireland (Unionist) was elected as Vice-Chairman. Mary Kettle, the only Irish Party representative, did not vote for a Chairman, however she voted for Áine Ceannt for Vice-Chairman. Ceannt lost to Ireland by a single vote.[2]

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 had changed the electoral system for local government in Ireland from First-past-the-post to Single transferable vote.

Results by party
Party Seats ± First Pref. votes FPv% ±%
Irish Unionist 11 4,589 45.83
Sinn Féin 9 3,952 39.46
Irish Nationalist 1 987 9.86
Independent 0 486 4.85
Totals 21 10,014 100% —

Results by electoral area

No. 1 West Ward
No. 1 West Ward - 5 seats[1]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1
Sinn Féin William Sears MP 678
Irish Unionist George Metcalfe (incumbent) 502
Irish Unionist J. J. McKenzie 297 377
Sinn Féin Sean Doyle 245
Irish Nationalist J. J. Kiernan 180
Sinn Féin Madeleine ffrench-Mullen 133
Irish Unionist A. A. O'Malley 111
Sinn Féin George Irvine 93
Electorate: 3,158   Valid: 2,239   Spoilt: 30   Quota: 374   Turnout: 2,269

    No. 2 West Ward
    No. 2 West Ward - 5 seats[1]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    1
    Irish Unionist Robert Benson (incumbent) 508
    Sinn Féin Robert Brennan 499
    Irish Unionist Mrs M. K. Dixon 392
    Irish Unionist William Ireland (incumbent) 256
    Irish Nationalist P. J. Munden 244
    Independent C. B. W. Boyle 226
    Sinn Féin Mrs M. J. Mulcahy 205
    Irish Unionist S. G. Slater 130
    Sinn Féin Archibald J. Nicolls 116
    Irish Unionist F. W. Giddings 78
    Electorate: 3,585   Valid: 2,654   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 433   Turnout: 2,688

      No. 1 East Ward
      No. 1 East Ward - 4 seats[3]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      1
      Irish Unionist Mr. Carruthers 494
      Sinn Féin Dr. Kathleen Lynn 427
      Sinn Féin James Dwyer 382 383 410
      Irish Unionist John Russell 221
      Irish Nationalist Patrick Moore 202
      Irish Unionist William M. Hatte 117
      Sinn Féin Thomas O'Conner 83
      Electorate: 2,673   Valid: 1,926   Spoilt: 48   Quota: 386   Turnout: 1,974

        No. 2 East Ward
        No. 2 East Ward saw the return of republican activist Áine Ceannt, Mary Kettle (daughter of David Sheehy and widow of Thomas Kettle), along with the abstentionist Sinn Féin MP Joseph MacDonagh.

        Ceannt's husband, Éamonn (left) had died fighting for the Irish Republican Brotherhood during the Easter Rising four years prior. Kettle's husband, Tom (right), a Home Ruler and former MP for East Tyrone, had died the same year fighting during the Somme.
        No. 2 East Ward - 7 seats[3]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1
        Sinn Féin Joseph MacDonagh MP 549
        Irish Unionist John Sibthorpe 456
        Irish Unionist J. C. Anderson 422
        Sinn Féin Frances Ceannt 363 449
        Irish Nationalist Mary Kettle 361
        Irish Unionist David Jackson M.D. 267
        Independent Thomas Saul 260
        Irish Unionist H. B. Goulding 235
        Sinn Féin Thomas Cullen M.R.I.A. 127
        Irish Unionist R. D. Bolton 103
        Sinn Féin George Daly 52
        Electorate: 4,435   Valid: 3,195   Spoilt: 48   Quota: 400   Turnout: 3,243

          References
          1. "Municipal elections: Dublin Townships". Dublin Evening Telegraph. Dublin. 19 January 1920. pp. 1–3.
          2. A City in Turmoil – Dublin 1919–1921: The War of Independence, Pádraig Yeates
          3. "Dublin Townships: Two ladies elected to the Rathmines Council". Dublin Evening Telegraph. Dublin. 17 January 1920. p. 5.
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