The 1899 Irish local elections were the first local elections following the reorganisation of Irish local government caused by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The 1898 Act had changed the nature of Irish local governance, replacing the unrepresentative grand jury system, and making local government more democratic and representative. As a result, the 1899 election saw the traditional Unionist Landowning class, which had previously dominated much of Irish local politics, being replaced by a newer nationalist representation. Ulster's local government, however, remained Unionist in political outlook.
The elections also saw the expansion of Labour representation. In the 1898 elections, only Ulster had Unionist and unaligned Labourite Councillors. Following the election however the overall Labour representation increased to 303. Of these 303, 218 were nationalists (affiliated to an IPP faction), whilst 56 were extremist (with links to the IRB). There were 14 Unionist Labourites in Ulster, 4 in Munster, 2 in Leinster, 1 in Connaught, but none in Dublin.
They were held in two stages; Urban area local elections in January 1899 and Rural areas in March 1899
Detailed results County Councils AuthorityOtherTotal ResultDetailsAntrim2121 DetailsArmagh9716 DetailsCarlow11819 DetailsCavan2020 DetailsClare2020 DetailsCork3232 DetailsDonegal21820 DetailsDown15621 DetailsDublin County61420 DetailsFermanagh101020 DetailsGalway20 DetailsKerry21 DetailsKildare00311721 DetailsKilkenny11718 DetailsQueen's County (Laois)12122 DetailsLeitrim1818 DetailsLimerick DetailsLondonderry DetailsLongford DetailsLouth12324 DetailsMayo DetailsMeath DetailsMonaghan111719 DetailsKing's County (Offaly)1121721 DetailsRoscommon DetailsSligo DetailsTipperary DetailsTyrone101020 DetailsWaterford DetailsWestmeath DetailsWexford DetailsWicklow DetailsTotals113546659 Waterford Standard - Wednesday 12 April 1899 pg.4 - THE COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS: COMPLETE RETURNS
Borough Councils AuthorityOtherTotal ResultDetailsBelfast12DetailsCorkDetailsDublin278701860 DetailsLimerick241640 DetailsLondonderryDetailsWaterfordDetailsTotals
District Councils AuthorityOtherTotal ResultDetailsArmagh UDDetailsCastlebar UD66 DetailsKilrush UDDetailsDerry No. 1 RDDetailsDerry No. 2 RDDetailsRathmines UDDetailsDublin South RDDetailsGalway UDDetailsSligo UDDetailsTotals1,806
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