# Waterford City (UK Parliament constituency)

Waterford City was a United Kingdom parliamentary constituency, in southeast Ireland.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

As the constituency for the parliamentary borough of Waterford in County Waterford, it returned one MP from 1801 to 1832, two from 1832 to 1885 and one from 1885 to 1922. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.
In 1918, the boundary was redefined to exclude the Kilculliheen area which had been transferred to County Kilkenny under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 37). It was defined as consisting of the county borough of Waterford and the district electoral divisions of Ballynakill, Kilbarry, Killoteran and Waterford Rural in the rural district of Waterford.
Following the dissolution of parliament in 1922 the area was no longer represented in the United Kingdom House of Commons.

## Politics

The constituency was a predominantly Nationalist area in 1918. The seat was contested by William Redmond, the son of the IPP leader John Redmond whom he replaced in the Waterford City constituency in a by-election held in March 1918. In the general election of December 1918, it was the only Irish seat the IPP won outside Ulster.

## 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 1801–32

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Life |
| | 1801 | William Congreve Alcock | Tory | c. 1771–1813 |
| | 1803 | Sir John Newport, Bt. | Whig | 1756–1843 |

### MPs 1832–85

Representation increased to two members
| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | Henry Barron | Repeal Association | | William Christmas | Tory |
| 1834 | | Henry Barron | Repeal Association | | William Christmas | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Henry Barron | Repeal Association | | Thomas Wyse | Whig |
| 1841 | | William Christmas | Conservative | | William Morris Reade | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Henry Barron | Whig | | Thomas Wyse | Whig |
| 1847 | | Thomas Meagher | Repeal Association | | Daniel O'Connell Jnr | Repeal Association |
| 1848 by-election | | Thomas Meagher | Repeal Association | | Henry Barron | Whig |
| 1852 | | Thomas Meagher | Ind. Irish | | Robert Keating | Ind. Irish |
| 1857 | | John Aloysius Blake | Ind. Irish | | Michael D. Hassard | Conservative |
| 1859 | | John Aloysius Blake | Liberal | | Michael D. Hassard | Conservative |
| 1865 | | John Aloysius Blake | Liberal | | Henry Barron | Liberal |
| 1868 | | John Aloysius Blake | Liberal | | James Delahunty | Liberal |
| 1869 | | Henry Barron | Liberal | | James Delahunty | Liberal |
| 1870 by-election | | Ralph Bernal Osborne | Liberal | | James Delahunty | Liberal |
| 1874 | | Richard Power | Home Rule League | | Purcell O'Gorman | Home Rule League |
| 1880 | | Richard Power | Home Rule League | | Edmund Leamy | Parnellite Home Rule League |
| 1882 | | Richard Power | Irish Parliamentary Party | | Edmund Leamy | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1885 | Reduced to 1 seat | Reduced to 1 seat | Reduced to 1 seat | Reduced to 1 seat | Reduced to 1 seat | Reduced to 1 seat |

### MPs 1885–1918

Representation reduced to one member
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Richard Power | Nationalist |
| | 1890 | Richard Power | Parnellite |
| | 1892 by-election | John Redmond | Parnellite |
| | 1900 | John Redmond | Nationalist |
| | 1918 by-election | William Redmond | Nationalist |
| 1922 | 1922 | UK constituency abolished | UK 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

General election 1830: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | John Newport | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | John Newport | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,300 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1832: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal | Henry Barron | 570 | 28.9 |
| | Tory | William Christmas | 570 | 28.9 |
| | Irish Repeal | Roger Hayes | 453 | 23.0 |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | 379 | 19.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,140 | 91.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,241 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 191 | 9.7 |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117 | 5.9 |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | 587 | 34.2 | +15.0 |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Henry Barron | 561 | 32.7 | −19.2 |
| | Conservative | William Christmas | 440 | 25.6 | +11.2 |
| | Conservative | William Morris Reade | 129 | 7.5 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 965 | 65.5 | −26.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,473 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 8.6 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 121 | 7.1 | −2.6 |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −10.7 | |
General election 1837: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | 632 | 31.5 | −2.7 |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Henry Barron | 602 | 30.0 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | William Beresford | 427 | 21.3 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | John Tracy O'Reilly | 347 | 17.3 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,035 | 69.7 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,486 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 1.5 | −7.1 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −2.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 175 | 8.7 | +1.6 |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −2.7 | |
Wyse was appointed as a Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 6 September 1839: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Christmas | 285 | 30.2 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | William Morris Reade | 259 | 27.4 | +10.1 |
| | Whig | Henry Barron | 202 | 21.4 | −10.1 |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | 199 | 21.1 | −8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 473 | c. 59.0 | c. −10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 802 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +8.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +10.1 | |
On petition, Christmas and Reade were unseated and Wyse and Barron were declared elected on 13 June 1842.
General election 1847: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Thomas Meagher | 521 | 33.3 | New |
| | Irish Repeal | Daniel O'Connell Jr. | 499 | 31.9 | New |
| | Whig | Henry Barron | 294 | 18.8 | −2.6 |
| | Whig | Thomas Wyse | 252 | 16.1 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 13.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 783 (est) | 46.2 (est) | −12.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,696 | | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
O'Connell resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 1 March 1848: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Henry Barron | 318 | 41.1 | +6.2 |
| | Irish Repeal | Patrick Costello | 301 | 38.9 | −26.3 |
| | Irish Confederate | Thomas Francis Meagher | 154 | 19.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 773 | 45.6 (est) | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,696 (1847 figure) | | |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +16.3 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Thomas Meagher | 463 | 29.5 | −3.8 |
| | Independent Irish | Robert Keating | 445 | 28.3 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | William Christmas | 355 | 22.6 | New |
| | Whig | Henry Barron | 309 | 19.7 | −15.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 786 (est) | 69.3 (est) | +27.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,135 | | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +1.9 | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 1857: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | John Aloysius Blake | 519 | 33.1 | −24.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael D. Hassard | 479 | 30.5 | +7.9 |
| | Whig | Henry Barron | 330 | 21.0 | +1.3 |
| | Radical | Andrew O'Dwyer | 242 | 15.4 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 785 (est) | 67.7 (est) | −1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,160 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 | 2.6 | −3.1 |
| | Independent Irish hold | Independent Irish hold | Swing | −16.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 9.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | +16.3 | |
General election 1859: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael D. Hassard | 536 | 35.3 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 529 | 34.8 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal | Henry Barron | 455 | 29.9 | +8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.5 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 760 (est) | 67.0 (est) | −0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,134 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.4 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 592 | 40.8 | +6.0 |
| | Liberal | Henry Barron | 516 | 35.5 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | John Barrington | 344 | 23.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 172 | 11.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 726 (est) | 62.8 (est) | −4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,156 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Aloysius Blake | 796 | 44.0 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal | James Delahunty | 583 | 32.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Henry Barron | 430 | 23.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 8.4 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 905 (est) | 65.4 (est) | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Blake resigned after he was appointed inspector of Irish fisheries, causing a by-election.
By-election, 22 November 1869: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Barron | 487 | 50.8 | +27.0 |
| | Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 471 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 1.6 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 958 | 69.3 | +3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

Barron was unseated on petition, causing a by-election.
By-election, 25 Feb 1870: Waterford City (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 483 | 50.4 | N/A |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Patrick Joseph Smyth | 475 | 49.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.8 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 958 | 69.3 | 0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1874: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Richard Power | 526 | 27.8 | New |
| | Home Rule | Purcell O'Gorman | 480 | 25.4 | New |
| | Conservative | Edward Gibson | 365 | 19.3 | New |
| | Home Rule | James Delahunty | 360 | 19.0 | New |
| | Liberal | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 160 | 8.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 115 | 6.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,208 (est) | 87.7 (est) | +22.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,378 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Waterford City (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Richard Power | 661 | 42.0 | +14.2 |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | Edmund Leamy | 494 | 31.4 | +12.4 |
| | Home Rule | Purcell O'Gorman | 420 | 26.7 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 74 | 4.6 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 788 (est) | 54.3 (est) | −33.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,449 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
1885 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Richard Power | 2,420 | 89.8 | N/A |
| | Irish Conservative | Fitzmaurice Gustavus Bloomfield | 276 | 10.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,144 | 79.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,696 | 68.3 | +14.0 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,946 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |
1886 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Richard Power | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,946 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

Power died, causing a by-election.
By-election 1891: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,775 | 59.1 | N/A |
| | Irish National Federation | Michael Davitt | 1,229 | 40.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 546 | 18.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,004 | 74.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,046 | | |
| | Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
1892 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,676 | 56.4 | N/A |
| | Irish National Federation | David Sheehy | 1,293 | 43.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 383 | 12.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,969 | 74.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,974 | | |
| | Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Irish National League gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
1895 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National League | John Redmond | 1,788 | 59.3 | +2.9 |
| | Irish National Federation | Thomas Joseph Farrell | 1,229 | 40.7 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 559 | 18.6 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,017 | 76.8 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,927 | | |
| | Irish National League hold | Irish National League hold | Swing | +2.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,941 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
1906 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,354 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,104 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
December 1910 general election: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Redmond | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,104 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
By-election, 1918: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Redmond | 1,242 | 62.5 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | Vincent White | 745 | 37.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 497 | 25.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,987 | 66.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,972 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |
General Election 14 December 1918: Waterford City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Redmond | 4,915 | 52.6 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | Vincent White | 4,431 | 47.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 484 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,346 | 77.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,063 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |