1938 Irish general election

The 1938 Irish general election was held on 17 June 1938. The 138 newly elected members of the 10th Dáil assembled on 30 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed. Fianna Fáil retained power, and won the first overall majority in the history of the State. It was a snap election, the proximate cause being the government's loss of an opposition motion recommending use of arbitration to resolve Civil Service labour disputes.[1]

1938 Irish general election

17 June 1938
137 of 138 seats in Dáil Éireann 70 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	76.7% 0.5pp
Leader Éamon de Valera W. T. Cosgrave William Norton Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Leader since 26 March 1926 September 1934 19 July 1932 Leader's seat Clare Cork Borough Kildare Last election 69 seats, 45.2% 48 seats, 34.8% 13 seats, 10.3% Seats won 77 45 9 Seat change 8 3 4 Popular vote 667,996 428,633 128,945 Percentage 51.9% 33.3% 10.0% Swing 6.7% 1.5% 0.3%
Percentage of seats gained by each of the three major parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.
Taoiseach before election Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil Subsequent Taoiseach Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil

The general election took place in 34 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 138 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann.

Result

10th Irish general election – 17 June 1938[2][3][4]
Party		Leader	Seats	±	% of seats	First Pref votes	% FPv	±%
	Fianna Fáil	Éamon de Valera	77	+8	55.8	667,996	51.9	+6.7
	Fine Gael	W. T. Cosgrave	45	–3	32.6	428,633	33.3	–1.5
	Labour	William Norton	9	–4	6.5	128,945	10.0	–0.3
	Independent	N/A	7	–1	5.1	60,685	4.7	–5.0
Spoilt votes						15,811	—	—
Total			138	0	100	1,302,070	100	—
Electorate/Turnout						1,770,422	76.7%	—

• Fianna Fáil majority government formed.

Voting summary

First preference vote Fianna Fáil   51.93% Fine Gael   33.32% Labour   10.02% Independent   4.72%

Seats summary

Assembly seats Fianna Fáil   55.80% Fine Gael   32.61% Labour   6.52% Independent   5.07%

First time TDs

• Erskine H. Childers
• Daniel Hogan
• James Hughes
• Frank Loughman
• Henry McDevitt
• Thomas Mullen
• Peter O'Loghlen
• Mícheál Ó Móráin

Re-elected TDs

• William Broderick
• Eamonn Cooney
• Richard Mulcahy
• James Reidy

Outgoing TDs

• Archibald Heron (Lost seat)
• Gerrard McGowan (Retired)
• Edward Moane (Lost seat)
• Sydney Minch (Lost seat)
• Daniel O'Leary (Lost seat)

See also

• Members of the 10th Dáil
• Government of the 10th Dáil
• Parliamentary Secretaries of the 10th Dáil

References

1. "To Caesar". The Irish Times. 28 May 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 30 March 2020.; "Private Deputies' Business — Civil Service and Arbitration". Dáil Éireann (9th Dáil) debates. Houses of the Oireachtas. 25 May 1938. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
2. "10th Dáil 1938 General Election". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
3. "Dáil elections since 1918". ARK Northern Ireland. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
4. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, pp1009-1017 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7