Dublin South was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, from 1981 to 2016 representing an area in the south of County Dublin (later Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown and South Dublin). A previous constituency of the same name existed in Dublin City from 1921 to 1948. The method of election was proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
History and boundaries 1921 to 1948 A Dublin South constituency existed in Dublin City from 1921 to 1948. The first constituency of this name was created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 as a 4-seat constituency for the Southern Ireland House of Commons and a single-seat constituency for the United Kingdom House of Commons at Westminster, combining the former Westminster constituencies of St Patrick's and St Stephen's Green. At the 1921 election for the Southern Ireland House of Commons, the four seats were won uncontested by Sinn Féin, who treated it as part of the election to the Second Dáil. It was never used as a Westminster constituency; under s. 1(4) of the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922, no writ was to be issued "for a constituency in Ireland other than a constituency in Northern Ireland". Therefore, no vote was held in Dublin South at the 1922 United Kingdom general election on 15 November 1922, shortly before the Irish Free State left the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922. It was restructured by the Electoral Act 1923, the first electoral act of the new state.
+Changes to the Dublin South constituency 1921–1937YearsTDsBoundariesNotes1921–19234Merchants' Quay and Wood Quay; and Royal Exchange, Fitzwilliam and Mansion House wards and those parts of the South Dock and Trinity wards not contained within the Dublin Mid constituencyAmalgamation of former St Patrick's and St Stephen's Green constituencies.1923–19377Dublin No. 3 [Fitzwilliam, Mansion House, Royal Exchange, South City], Dublin No. 5 [Merchant's Quay], Dublin No. 7 [New Kilmainham and Usher's Quay], Dublin No. 9 [Wood Quay] and Dublin No. 10 [South Dock and Trinity].New Kilmainham and Usher's Quay from the Dublin North-West; balance of South Dock and Trinity from Dublin Mid1937–19485The Fitzwilliam, Merchants Quay, Mansion House, New Kilmainham, Royal Exchange, South City, South Dock, Trinity, Ushers Quay and Wood Quay Wards, and so much of the townland of Ringsend as is situate in the county borough of Dublin and was not included in the former urban district of Pembroke.Added Ringsend from Dublin County1948—Constituency abolishedAreas moved to Dublin South-Central, Dublin South-East and Dublin South-West
1981–2016 A new constituency was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980 and was first used at the 1981 general election. This Dublin South (1981–2016) was one of Ireland's most affluent constituencies. The 2006 census reported that residents tended to have higher-than-average levels of educational attainment, especially in terms of third-level qualifications, and were much more likely to work in professional and managerial positions. "Volatile, unpredictable and utterly ruthless, Dublin South voters have hired and fired TDs with abandon over the years" – The Irish Times description of the constituency in August 2012. + Changes to the Dublin South constituency 1981–2016YearsTDsBoundariesNotes1981–199251992–19975In the county borough of Dublin the ward of Pembroke East D;Transfer of the Kilternan-Stepaside area to Dún Laoghaire;
New definitions of wards and DEDs.1997–20025Transfer of Pembroke East D and the Belfield/Woodbine/Seafield area to Dublin South-East;
transfer of part of Glencullen from Dún Laoghaire.
Establishment of new counties and new electoral division definitions.2002–20075Transfer of Belfield area from Dublin South-East; transfer of Stillorgan, Leopardstown and Glenamuck area from Dún Laoghaire;
transfer of area around Firhouse and Bohernabreena area to Dublin South-West.2007–20115Transfer of remainder of Firhouse Village to Dublin South-West2011–201652016—Constituency abolishedwith remainder reconstituted as Dublin Rathdown
TDs TDs 1921–1948
TDs 1981–2016 Note that the boundaries of Dublin South from 1981–2016 share no common territory with the 1921–1948 boundaries. See §History and boundaries
Elections
2011 general election
2009 by-election Séamus Brennan died on 9 July 2008. The 2009 Dublin South by-election was held on 5 June 2009.
George Lee resigned from the Dáil on 8 February 2010. On 23 June 2010, a Labour Party motion to issue a writ of election to fill the vacancy was opposed by the government, and was defeated by a vote of 66 to 71. On 29 September 2010, a Fine Gael motion to issue the writ was opposed by the government and was defeated by a vote of 77 to 81. On 4 November 2010, a Labour Party motion to issue the writ was opposed by the government and was defeated by a vote of 71 to 76. The seat remained vacant until the dissolution of the 30th Dáil on 1 February 2011.
2007 general election
2002 general election
1997 general election
1992 general election
1989 general election
1987 general election
November 1982 general election
February 1982 general election
1981 general election
1944 general election Full figures for the second count to the eighth count are unavailable. Byrne, Bourke and Hannigan all lost their deposits.
1943 general election Full figures for the second to the fifteenth counts are unavailable. Dowling, Donnelly, Hynes, Sheehy-Skeffington, Rice, Keogh, Hosey and O'Higgins all lost their deposits.
1939 by-election Following the death of Fine Gael TD James Beckett, a by-election was held on 6 June 1939. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate John McCann.
1938 general election
1937 general election
1933 general election
1932 general election
September 1927 general election
1927 by-election Fianna Fáil TD Constance Markievicz died on 15 July 1927. The by-election was held on 24 August 1927.
June 1927 general election
1925 by-election Following the resignation of Cumann na nGaedheal TD Daniel McCarthy, a by-election was held on 11 March 1925. The seat was won by the Cumann na nGaedheal candidate Thomas Hennessy.
November 1924 by-election Following the appointment of Cumann na nGaedheal TD Hugh Kennedy as Chief Justice, a by-election was held on 18 November 1924. The seat was won by the Republican candidate Seán Lemass.
March 1924 by-election Cumann na nGaedheal TD Philip Cosgrave died on 22 October 1923. The by-election was held on 12 March 1924. The seat was won by the Cumann na nGaedheal candidate James O'Mara.
1923 by-election Michael Hayes was also elected for the National University constituency and resigned his seat in Dublin South when the Dáil met on 19 September 1923. A by-election was held on 25 October, won by Cumann na nGaedheal candidate Hugh Kennedy.
1923 general election
1922 general election Kenneth Reddin, an election agent, published a sample ballot incorrectly stating that voters had only six preferences. Markievicz secured an injunction in the Republican Supreme Court against Reddin, who published an apology on election day in The Irish Times. The official notice of poll listed Markievicz's name first, but the ballot (and Reddin's sample) listed her third. She later complained that the electoral register was "rotten".;
1921 general election
See also Dáil constituencies Politics of the Republic of Ireland Historic Dáil constituencies Elections in the Republic of Ireland
References
External links Oireachtas Members Database Dublin Historic Maps: Parliamentary & Dail Constituencies 1780-1969 (a work in progress) Dublin Historic Maps: Some Dublin and Kingstown Wards, Between 1780 and 1954 Dublin Historic Maps: Townlands of County Dublin