1922 Seanad
| 1922 Seanad | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Legislative body | Seanad Éireann | ||
| Jurisdiction | Irish Free State | ||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||
| Term | 11 December 1922 – 5 December 1925 | ||
| Government |
| ||
| Members | 60 | ||
| Cathaoirleach | Lord Glenavy (Ind) | ||
| Leas-Chathaoirleach | James G. Douglas (Ind) | ||
The 1922 Seanad was the part of the Seanad of the Irish Free State (1922–1936) in office from the establishment of the Seanad in 1922 to the 1925 Seanad election. Elections to the Seanad, the Senate of the Oireachtas (parliament of the Irish Free State), took place on a triennial basis, with senators elected in stages. The 1922 Seanad included 30 members nominated by the President of the Executive Council and the 30 members elected by the Dáil in the 1922 Seanad election. It was first constituted on 8 December 1922.
It sat as a second chamber to 3rd Dáil elected at the 1922 general election and the 4th Dáil elected at the 1923 general election. The Seanad of the Irish Free State was not numbered after each election, with the whole period later considered the First Seanad.
Initial membership
During the negotiations in 1921 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Arthur Griffith gave assurances to southern unionists and the British government that unionists would have adequate representation in the new parliament to safeguard their interests.[1] Griffith himself died in August 1922, and was succeeded as President of Dáil Éireann by W. T. Cosgrave. The 3rd Dáil, elected in June 1922 as a "provisional parliament" or "constituent assembly", approved the Constitution of the Irish Free State in September, and continued as the Dáil of the new Free State when the Constitution came into force on 6 December 1922.
Article 12 of the Constitution established the Oireachtas as a bicameral legislature consisting of a Chamber of Deputies called Dáil Éireann and a Senate called Seanad Éireann. The Constitution specified a 60-seat Seanad, with senators serving 12-year terms and divided into four cohorts with one cohort re-elected every three years.[2]
Article 82 of the Constitution provided that the composition of the 1922 Seanad was to be 30 elected by the Dáil and 30 nominated by the President of the Executive Council who should "have special regard to the providing of representation for groups or parties not then adequately represented in Dáil Éireann".[1][3] Those elected by the Dáil would provide the first and third, for re-election in 1925 and 1931; while those nominated by the President would provide the second and fourth cohorts, for re-election in 1928 and 1934. In October 1922, the provisional parliament passed a resolution moved by W. T. Cosgrave which stated that the President should "consult with representative persons and bodies, including the following: Chamber of Commerce, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the benchers of the Honourable Society of King's Inns, Dublin, the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Councils of the County Boroughs of the Irish Free State".[1][4] Cosgrave announced his selection in the Dáil on 6 December 1922, immediately after his election as president had been ratified by the Governor-General.[5] The 15 who would serve 12-year terms were selected by lot.[3] The 1922 Seanad election by members of the Dáil took place on 7 December.[6]
Of the sixty members of the 1922 Seanad, 36 were Catholic, 20 were Protestant, 3 were Quakers and 1 was Jewish. It contained 7 peers, a dowager countess (Ellen, Countess of Desart, who was Jewish), 5 baronets and several knights. The New York Times remarked that the first senate was "representative of all classes". It was described in 2008 as "the most curious political grouping in the history of the Irish state".[7]
On 26 November 1924, Alice Stopford Green presented to the Seanad a vellum parchment signed by all but one[a] member of the 1922–1925 Seanad, in an ornate casket commissioned from Mia Cranwill based on Gallarus Oratory.[9][10] After the abolition of the Seanad in 1936, the casket was donated to the Royal Irish Academy.[9]
Cathaoirleach
When the Seanad first convened on 11 December 1922, Sir Thomas Esmonde proposed that George Sigerson, as the oldest member, sit as temporary chairman. This was seconded by Alice Stopford Green and agreed by the Seanad.[11] Sigerson sat again as temporary chairman on the following day.[12] Later on 12 December, Lord Glenacy was proposed by John MacLoughlin and seconded by Henry Guinness for the position of chairman for one year. This was agreed without a vote, but with Maurice George Moore and Jennie Wyse Power speaking against.[13] On the same day, James Douglas was proposed by Edward MacLysaght and seconded by James Moran for the position of vice-chairman for one year, and this was agreed by the Seanad.[14] Their positions were confirmed on 12 December 1923.[15][16]
Party composition
The following table shows the composition by party when the 1922 Seanad first met on 11 December 1922.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumann na nGaedheal | 13 | |
| Labour | 4 | |
| Farmers' Party | 1 | |
| Independent | 42 | |
| Total | 60 | |
List of senators
Changes
| Date | Term | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 December 1922 | Elected for 3 years | Independent | Resignation of Eamonn Mansfield[17] | |||
| 21 February 1923 | Elected till 1925 | Labour | William Cummins elected at a by-election[18][19] | |||
| 20 October 1923 | Elected for 9 years | Labour | Death of Thomas MacPartlin[20][21] | |||
| 28 November 1923 | Elected till 1925 | Labour | Thomas Foran elected at a by-election[22][23][24] | |||
| 20 November 1923 | Nominated for 12 years | Independent | Resignation of Sir Horace Plunkett[25][b] | |||
| 12 December 1923 | Elected till 1925 | Independent | Samuel Lombard Brown elected at a by-election[27] | |||
| 9 December 1924 | Nominated for 12 years | Independent | Resignation of Sir Hutcheson Poë[28] | |||
| 4 February 1925 | Elected till 1925 | Independent | Douglas Hyde elected at a by-election[29] | |||
| 17 February 1925 | Nominated for 12 years | Independent | Death of George Sigerson[30][31] | |||
| 5 March 1925 | Elected till 1925 | Cumann na nGaedheal | John O'Neill elected at a by-election[32] | |||
Footnotes
Sources
- Constitution of the Irish Free State
- "1922 Seanad". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- "Seanad Debates: 1922 Seanad". Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- Department of Local Government (February 1923). Report on the conduct of the first election to Seanad Éireann (PDF). Official publications. Vol. P.Pro 2/1923. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
References
- 1 2 3 Mansergh, Nicholas (1934). The Irish Free State. Allen & Unwin. pp. 74–76. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ↑ Constitution of the Irish Free State, Articles 31, 32
- 1 2 Constitution of the Irish Free State, Article 82
- ↑ "Nominations for the Senate; Motion by the President". Dáil Debates. 1 (26). 25 October 1922.
- ↑ "President's nominees for Seanad". Dáil Debates. 2 (1). Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 December 1922. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "Elections to Seanad". Dáil Debates. 2 (2). p.16 cc.38–40. 7 December 1922. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ↑ Byrne, Elaine (30 July 2008). "Hands that shaped Irish history". The Irish Times.
- ↑ "1920–29". Mná 100. Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Vellum roll, containing the signature of every member of the first Irish Seanad, presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas by Alice Stopford Green. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- 1 2 "Senate Casket". Royal Irish Academy. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ↑ "Senator's Gift to the Seanad". Seanad Debates. 3 (21). Houses of the Oireachtas. 26 November 1924. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ↑ "Election of Temporary Chairman". Seanad Debates. 1 (1). 11 December 1922. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Temporary Chairman". Seanad Debates. 1 (2). 12 December 1922.
- ↑ "Election of Chairman". Seanad Debates. 1 (2). 12 December 1922. Archived from the original on 28 December 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Vice-Chairman". Seanad Debates. 1 (2). 12 December 1922. Archived from the original on 16 November 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Cathaoirleach". Seanad Debates. 2 (7). 12 December 1923. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach". Seanad Debates. 2 (7). 12 December 1923. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Resigntion of Senator". Seanad Debates. 1 (2). Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 December 1922.
- ↑ "Election of Senator". Seanad Debates. 1 (12). Houses of the Oireachtas. 21 February 1923.
- ↑ "New Senator". Seanad Debates. 1 (14). Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 March 1923. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ "Deaths of Deputy P. Cosgrave and Senator McPartlin". Seanad Debates. 2 (4). Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 October 1923. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ White, Lawrence William (May 2012). "MacPartlin, Thomas". Dictionary of Irish Biography (online ed.). Royal Irish Academy. doi:10.3318/dib.005288.v3.
- ↑ "Vacancy in Seanad". Seanad Debates. 2 (5). Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 November 1923. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Senator". Seanad Debates. 2 (6). Houses of the Oireachtas. 28 November 1923. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "New Senator Sworn". Seanad Debates. 2 (7). Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 December 1923. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Resignation of Senator". Seanad Debates. 2 (6). Houses of the Oireachtas. 28 November 1923. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Sir Horace Plunkett's Resignation". Seanad Debates. 2 (5). Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 November 1923. Archived from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Senator". Seanad Debates. 2 (7). Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 December 1923. Archived from the original on 7 December 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Resignation of a Senator". Seanad Debates. 3 (24). Houses of the Oireachtas. 9 December 1924. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Election of Senator". Seanad Debates. 4 (7). Houses of the Oireachtas. 4 February 1925. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Death of Senator Sigerson". Seanad Debates. 4 (11). Houses of the Oireachtas. 18 February 1925. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ Lyons, J.B. (October 2009). "Sigerson, George". Dictionary of Irish Biography (online ed.). Royal Irish Academy. doi:10.3318/dib.008072.v1.
- ↑ "Election of a Senator". Seanad Debates. 4 (15). Houses of the Oireachtas. 5 March 1925. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2026.