The system of local government Ireland, then wholly within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, was reformed by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, which came into force in 1899. The new system divided Ireland into the following entities:
At the county level: 33 Administrative counties; and 6 County boroughs
Within the administrative counties: Municipal boroughs, governed by the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840; Urban districts; and Rural districts
Some counties contained rural districts only, with no municipal boroughs or urban districts.
A number of small towns located in rural districts also had town commissioners with limited powers under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854.
County boroughs Name of county boroughElectoral areasNotesBelfastCromac, Duncairn, Falls, Ormeau, Pottinger, St. Anne's, Shankill, Victoria, and WoodvaleAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 1CorkCentre, North-East, North-West No. 1, North-West No. 2, North-West No. 3, South No. 1, and South No. 2DublinDublin No. 1, Dublin No. 2, Dublin No. 3, Dublin No. 4, Dublin No. 5, Dublin No. 6, Dublin No. 7, Dublin No. 8, Dublin No. 9, and Dublin No. 10Absorbed three urban districts in County Dublin 1900LimerickLimerick No. 1, Limerick No. 2, Limerick No. 3, Limerick No. 4, and Limerick No. 5LondonderryEast and South, North, Waterside, and WestAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 2Commonly called DerryWaterfordWaterford No. 1, Waterford No. 2, Waterford No. 3, Waterford No. 4, and Waterford No. 5
County Antrim Name of administrative areaElectoral areasNotesBallycastle Urban DistrictEstablished as an Urban District on 1 April 1921 from part of Ballycastle RDCensus of Northern Ireland 1926 (County of Antrim), publ. HMSO, Belfast, 1928, p. viiBallyclare Urban DistrictEstablished as an Urban District on 1 October 1905Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1905 (Cd 2655), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1905, p. xxxixBallymena Urban DistrictHarryville, Market, and Town HallAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 3Ballymoney Urban DistrictBallymoney North Urban, and Ballymoney South UrbanCarrickfergus Urban DistrictCarrickfergus Central Urban, Carrickfergus East Urban, and Carrickfergus West UrbanAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 4Larne Urban DistrictCentral, Curran, Gardenmore, and Townparks [sic]Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 8Lisburn Urban DistrictLisburn Central Urban, Lisburn North Urban, and Lisburn South East [sic] UrbanPortrush Urban DistrictPortrush East Urban, Portrush North Urban, and Portrush West UrbanAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 10Aghalee Rural DistrictBriefly known as Lurgan No. 3 Rural District, renamed in 1899. Antrim Rural DistrictAntrim, Ballyclare Rural, Crumlin, Randalstown, and TemplepatrickAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 20Ballycastle Rural DistrictBallintoy, Ballycastle, and CushendallBallymena Rural DistrictBroughshane, Clogh, Galgorm, Kells, and PortglenoneBallymoney Rural DistrictBushmills, Castle Quarter, Dervock, Enagh, and KilloquinBelfast Rural DistrictBelfast Rural (sole electoral area)Originally known as Belfast No. 1 Rural District; renamed in January 1901.Census of Ireland, 1901, Part I, Vol. III, No. 1 (County of Antrim) (Cd 1123), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1902, p. viiLarne Rural DistrictCarrickfergus Rural, Island Magee, and KilwaughterLisburn Rural DistrictAghalee, Glenavy, Knocknadona, and MaloneBriefly known as Lisburn No. 1 Rural District, renamed by March 1900 following renaming of Lisburn No.2 Rural District.
County Armagh Name of administrative areaElectoral areasNotesArmagh Urban DistrictArmagh East Urban, Armagh North Urban, and Armagh South UrbanKeady Urban DistrictKeady Urban (sole electoral area)Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 7Constituted Urban District 1903Lurgan Urban DistrictLurgan North Urban, Lurgan South East Urban, and Lurgan South West UrbanPortadown Urban DistrictPortadown North Urban, Portadown South East Urban, and Portadown South West UrbanTanderagee Urban DistrictTanderagee Urban (sole electoral area)Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 11Armagh Rural DistrictArmagh Rural, Keady Rural, Loughgall, Markethill, and TynanAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 21Crossmaglen Rural DistrictCrossmaglen, and Newtown HamiltonOriginally known as Castleblayney No. 2 Rural District; renamed in June 1899Census of Ireland, 1901, Part I, Vol. III, No. 2 (County of Armagh) (Cd 1123-I), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1902, p. vii incorporated into Newry No. 2 Rural District on 1 April 1921Census of Northern Ireland 1926 (County of Armagh), publ. HMSO, Belfast, 1928, p. viLurgan Rural DistrictLurgan Rural, Portadown Rural, and TartaraghanOriginally known as Lurgan No. 1 Rural District; renamed by 1902Newry No. 2 Rural DistrictCamlough, and Poyntz PassTandragee Rural DistrictTanderagee Rural (sole electoral area)Briefly known as Banbridge No. 2 Rural District; renamed Tandragee Rural District in June 1899, sometimes spelt Tanderagee.
County Carlow Name of administrative areaElectoral areasNotesCarlow Urban DistrictCarlow North Urban, Carlow South Urban, and GraiguecullenBaltinglass No. 2 Rural DistrictHacketstown, and RathvillyCarlow Rural DistrictBagenalstown, Borris, Carlow Rural, Clonegall, Fennagh & Myshall, Leighlinbridge, and TullowOriginally known as Carlow No. 1 Rural District; renamed by 1912Census of Ireland, 1911 (County of Carlow) (Cd 6049), publ. HMSO, London, 1912, p. viIdrone Rural DistrictIdrone Rural (sole electoral area)Originally known as New Ross No. 3 Rural District; renamed 1899
County Cavan Name of administrative areaElectoral areasNotesBelturbet Urban DistrictBelturbet Urban (sole electoral area)Cavan Urban DistrictCavan East Urban, Cavan North West Urban, and Cavan South West [sic]Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 5Created in 1900Cootehill Urban DistrictCootehill Urban (sole electoral area)Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 6 Bailieborough Rural DistrictBailieborough, Crossbane, and KingscourtBawnboy Rural DistrictBawnboy, and SwanlinbarAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 22Originally known as Bawnboy No. 1 Rural District; renamed by 1902Census of Ireland, 1901, Part I, Vol. III, No. 3 (County of Cavan) (Cd 1123-II), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1902, p. viiCastlerahan Rural DistrictCastlerahan (sole electoral area)Originally known as Oldcastle No. 2 Rural District; renamed in 1903.Cavan Rural DistrictArvagh, Ballyhaise, Bellananagh, Cavan Rural, Cootehill Rural, Drumcarn, Killeshandra, Kilnaleck, Larah, and Stradone Absorbed Cootehill No.1 Rural District 1 April 1917Cootehill No. 1 Rural DistrictAbsorbed into Cavan Rural District 1 April 1917.Enniskillen No. 2 Rural DistrictEnniskillen No. 2 Rural (sole electoral area)Census of Ireland, 1911 (County of Cavan) (Cd 6051-III), publ. HMSO, London, 1912, p. viMullaghoran Rural DistrictMullaghoran Rural (sole electoral area)Originally known as Granard No. 2 Rural District; renamed between 1902 and 1912
County Clare Name of administrative areaElectoral areasNotesEnnis Urban DistrictEnnis North East Urban, and Ennis South West UrbanKilrush Urban DistrictKilrush East Urban, and Kilrush West UrbanBallyvaghan Rural DistrictDrumcreehy, and LisdoonvarnaCorrofin Rural DistrictCorrofin, and MuckanaghEnnis Rural DistrictEnnis Rural, Killanniv, Newmarket, and TemplemaleyEnnistymon Rural DistrictEnnistymon, Killilagh, Magherareagh, and Miltown MalbayKilladysert Rural DistrictCoolmeen, and KilladysertAnnual Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland, for the Year Ended 31st March, 1920 (Cmd 1432), publ. HMSO, Dublin, 1921, Appendix p. 23Kilrush Rural DistrictDoonbeg, Kilkee, Kilmihil, Kilrush Rural, Moyarta, and MullaghLimerick No. 2 Rural DistrictMountievers, and O'BriensbridgeScariff Rural DistrictFeakle, Killaloe, and ScariffTulla Rural DistrictCaher, Kilkishen, Quinn, and Tulla
County Cork