# County Waterford (UK Parliament constituency)

County Waterford was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the British House of Commons.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

This constituency comprised County Waterford, except for the parliamentary boroughs of Dungarvan (1801–1885) and Waterford City (1801–1885 and 1918–1922). It returned two Members of Parliament 1801–1885 and one 1918–1922.
It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.
Between 1885 and 1918 the area had been divided between the constituencies of East Waterford and West Waterford. From 1922 it was no longer represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

## Politics

In the 1918 election Sinn Féin defeated by 3 to 1 the Nationalist candidate J. J. O'Shee representing the Irish Parliamentary Party.
The newly elected Sinn Féin MP for the constituency was Cathal Brugha. Like other Sinn Féin MPs elected that year, he did not take his seat at Westminster but instead, took a seat in the revolutionary First Dáil which assembled in Dublin on 21 January 1919. As better known figures were under arrest, Brugha became the first presiding officer (with the title of Ceann Comhairle) and a day later the first head of government (with the title of President of Dáil Éireann), of the Irish Republic.

## The First Dáil

Sinn Féin contested the general election of 1918 on the platform that instead of taking up any seats they won in the United Kingdom Parliament, they would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland was a potential Deputy to this assembly. In practice only the Sinn Féin members accepted the offer.
The revolutionary First Dáil assembled on 21 January 1919 and last met on 10 May 1921. The First Dáil, according to a resolution passed on 10 May 1921, was formally dissolved on the assembling of the Second Dáil. This took place on 16 August 1921.
In 1921 Sinn Féin used the UK authorised elections for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as a poll for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. This area was part of the five-seat Dáil constituency of Waterford–Tipperary East.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1801–1885

| Year | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801 | | Hon. John Beresford | | | Richard Power | Whig |
| 21 Jul 1802 | | Hon. John Beresford | | | Edward Lee | Whig |
| 6 Jan 1806 | | John Claudius Beresford | Tory | | Edward Lee | Whig |
| 18 Nov 1806 | | John Claudius Beresford | Tory | | Richard Power | Whig |
| 28 Jun 1811 | | Sir William Beresford | Tory | | Richard Power | Whig |
| 25 Apr 1814 | | Sir William Beresford | Tory | | Richard Power | Whig/Catholic Association |
| 25 May 1814 | | Lord George Beresford | Tory | | Richard Power | Whig/Catholic Association |
| 1 Jul 1826 | | Henry Villiers-Stuart | Whig | | Richard Power | Whig/Catholic Association |
| 2 Mar 1830 | | Lord George Beresford | Tory | | Richard Power | Whig/Catholic Association |
| 13 Aug 1830 | | Lord George Beresford | Tory | | Daniel O'Connell | Repeal/Catholic Association |
| 11 May 1831 | | Sir Richard Musgrave, Bt | Whig | | Robert Power | Whig |
| 26 Dec 1832 | | John Matthew Galwey | Repeal Association | | Sir Richard Keane, Bt | Whig |
| 19 Jan 1835 | | Sir Richard Musgrave, Bt | Repeal Association | | Patrick Power | Whig |
| 21 Sep 1835 | | Sir Richard Musgrave, Bt | Repeal Association | | William Villiers-Stuart | Whig |
| 9 Aug 1837 | | John Power | Whig | | William Villiers-Stuart | Whig |
| 24 Aug 1840 | | Hon. Robert Carew | Whig | | William Villiers-Stuart | Whig |
| 11 Aug 1847 | | Nicholas Mahon Power | Repeal | | Robert Keating | Repeal |
| 26 Jul 1852 | | Nicholas Mahon Power | Independent Irish | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Independent Irish |
| 2 Apr 1857 | | Nicholas Mahon Power | Radical | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Whig |
| 12 May 1859 | | Walter Talbot | Conservative | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Liberal |
| 18 Jul 1865 | | Earl of Tyrone | Conservative | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Liberal |
| 31 Dec 1866 | | Edmond de la Poer | Liberal | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Liberal |
| 5 Jul 1873 | | Henry Villiers-Stuart | Liberal | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Liberal |
| 10 Feb 1874 | | Lord Charles Beresford | Conservative | | Sir John Esmonde, Bt | Home Rule League |
| 24 Jan 1877 | | Lord Charles Beresford | Conservative | | James Delahunty | Home Rule League |
| 9 Apr 1880 | | Henry Villiers-Stuart | Liberal | | John Aloysius Blake | Home Rule League |
| 25 Aug 1884 | | Henry Villiers-Stuart | Liberal | | Patrick Joseph Power | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1885 | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford | Constituency divided: see East Waterford and West Waterford |

### MPs 1918–1922

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1918 | Cathal Brugha | Sinn Féin |
| 1922 | 1922 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections

The single-member elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system. Multi-member elections used the plurality-at-large voting system.

### Elections in the 1830s

Villiers Stuart resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 March 1830: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | George Beresford | 461 | 59.2 |
| | Whig | John Barron | 318 | 40.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 143 | 18.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 779 | 100.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 779 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | |
General election 1830: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | George Beresford | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal | Daniel O'Connell | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,210 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
General election 1831: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Richard Musgrave | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Robert Power (British politician) | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,210 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal |
General election 1832: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal | John Matthew Galwey | 443 | 41.1 |
| | Whig | Richard Keane | 332 | 30.8 |
| | Whig | Robert Power (British politician) | 303 | 28.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 675 | 46.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,448 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 13.0 |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 2.7 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Richard Musgrave | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Patrick Power | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,478 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Power's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 21 September 1835: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Villiers-Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Villiers-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | John Power (Irish MP) | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,563 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal |

### Elections in the 1840s

Power resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 24 August 1840: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Carew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1841: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Carew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Villiers-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 802 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1847: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Nicholas Mahon Power | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal | Robert Keating | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 872 | | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Nicholas Mahon Power | 1,404 | 36.1 | N/A |
| | Independent Irish | John Esmonde | 1,261 | 32.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Hely-Hutchinson | 1,228 | 31.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,561 (est) | 78.8 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,248 | | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Nicholas Mahon Power | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | John Esmonde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,293 | | |
| | Radical gain from Independent Irish | Radical gain from Independent Irish | Radical gain from Independent Irish | Radical gain from Independent Irish | Radical gain from Independent Irish |
| | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish |
General election 1859: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Esmonde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Talbot | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,384 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Beresford | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | John Esmonde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,477 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Esmonde was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, causing a by-election.
By-election, 7 June 1866: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Esmonde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,477 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Beresford succeeded as 5th Marquess of Waterford, causing a by-election.
By-election, 31 December 1866: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmond de la Poer | 1,481 | 60.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Walter Talbot | 984 | 39.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 497 | 20.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,465 | 70.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,477 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1868: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmond de la Poer | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | John Esmonde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,445 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1870s

de la Poer resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 5 Jul 1873: County Waterford (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Villiers-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,407 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1874: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Beresford | 1,767 | 49.0 | New |
| | Home Rule | John Esmonde | 1,390 | 38.6 | New |
| | Home Rule | Abraham Pearson Longbottom | 446 | 12.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 377 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,157 (est) | 95.2 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,317 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
Esmonde's death caused a by-election.
1877 County Waterford by-election (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | James Delahunty | 1,799 | 77.1 | +26.1 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Lehmann | 534 | 22.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,265 | 54.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,333 | 71.2 | −24.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,276 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: County Waterford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Villiers-Stuart | 1,751 | 41.2 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | John Aloysius Blake | 1,625 | 38.3 | −12.7 |
| | Conservative | Charles Beresford | 870 | 20.5 | −28.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,558 (est) | 81.6 (est) | −13.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,135 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 881 | 20.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 755 | 17.8 | N/A |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
Blake resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 21 Aug 1884: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Patrick Joseph Power | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,060 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

General Election 14 December 1918: County Waterford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | Cathal Brugha | 12,890 | 75.3 | |
| | Irish Parliamentary | J. J. O'Shee | 4,217 | 24.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,673 | 50.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,107 | 70.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,439 | | |
| | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) |