1857 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

Main article: 1857 United Kingdom general election

The 1857 British general election in Ireland produced a victory in Ireland for the Whigs under Lord Palmerston. The election was the first to be contested by the Independent Irish Party under their own banner. The Independent Irish Party had been formed following the 1852 election by Liberal candidates who had pledged to form an independent party in parliament should they be elected. A total of 48 Liberal candidates made the pledge.

1857 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

27 March – 24 April 1857 (1857-03-27 – 1857-04-24)
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
First party Second party Third party   Leader Viscount Palmerston Earl of Derby George Henry Moore Party Whig Conservative Independent Irish Leader since 6 February 1855 July 1846 October 1855 Leader's seat Tiverton House of Lords Mayo (defeated) Last election 63 seats 42 seats 13 seats Seats won 48 44 13 Seat change 15 2 Popular vote 67,935 61,741 12,099 Percentage 47.8% 43.6% 8.6% Swing 4.9% 2.7%

Results

Party		Candidates	Unopposed	Seats	Seats change	Votes	%	% Change
	Whigs	77	27	48	15	67,935	47.8	4.9
	Conservative & Peelite	52	14	42	2	61,741	43.6	2.7
	Independent Irish	19	4	13	13	12,099	8.6	N/A
		148	45	103		141,775	100.0

Popular vote Whigs   47.92% Irish Conservative   43.55% Independent Irish   8.54%

Parliamentary seats Whigs   46.60% Irish Conservative   40.78% Independent Irish   12.62%

University Constituencies

1857 General Election: Dublin University
(2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Rt Hon. Joseph Napier	829	41.28
	Conservative	George Alexander Hamilton	791	39.39
	Whig	James Anthony Lawson	272	13.55
	Whig	John Wilson	116	5.78
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing
Turnout			2,008	59.06	N/A

See also

• History of Ireland (1801–1923)