General election 1918 December 1910 general election results 1918 general election results Seats: 103 Voters: 700,000 Seats: 105 Voters: Almost 2 million

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19 26 11 6 Sinn Féin Irish Parliamentary Party Unionist Other One woman was elected Four Sinn Féin members were elected in two constituencies

Eoin MacNeill Countess de Markievicz Eamon de Valera National University of Cavan East + Tyrone North West Clare East + Mayo East Ireland + Londonderry City East Galway + Meath North

First Dáil 1919-1921 Two Members died One Member resigned

Michael Collins and Harry Boland 34 were marked present 27 in the roll but were Sinn Féin Sinn Féin organising Eamon de members members Valera’s escape from prison. present in prison Terence MacSwiney Pierce McCann 1919 First sitting 22 Jan 1 Apr 2 Apr 4 Apr 10 Apr 21 Jan (public) (public) 11 Apr British authorities in Ireland (public) declare the Dáil illegal.

DÁIL

27 Oct 20 Aug 19 Aug 19 Jun 18 Jun 17 Jun 9 May (public)

1920 1921 29 Jun 6 Aug 17 Sep 21 Jan 25 Jan 11 Mar Last sitting 10 May “The assembling at the new Irish Parliament was awaited with keenest excitement everywhere. The big questions on the lips of everyone these days was ‘What would happen? Would the British try to “The thing in one sense was prevent the meeting? Would futile and unreal…a solemn they use force to do so?’ ” act of defiance of the British Seán T. O’Kelly Empire by a body of young men who have not the slightest notion of that Empire’s power and resources and not a particle of experience in the “We ordain that the elected conduct of public affairs.” Representatives of the Irish people alone have power to make laws binding on the people of Ireland, and that “The assembling at the new the Irish Parliament is the “The British government Irish Parliament was awaited only Parliament to which that apparently intends to ignore with keenest excitement people will give its allegiance.” the Sinn Fein republic until everywhere. The big questions Declaration of it undertakes to enforce laws on the lips of everyone Independence, that are in conflict with those Dáil Éireann, establishedthese days by was the “What British; would then 21 thehappen? trouble Wouldis likely the to Britishbegin.” try to prevent the meeting would Edward Pickard, they useThe force Yerington to do so!”Times “Never was the past so near, Seán T O’Kelly or the present so brave, or the “The end of it will be that future so full of hope…We did these 73 devils will very soon see presiding and go bag and baggage over to we repeated the words of the Westminster.” declaration after him, and we felt Field Marshall we had burned our boats now. Sir John French There was no going back.” Máire Comerford “From that time onward interest in the doings of the British Parliament and its personnel, for so long prime items of news in D’imigh an Náisiún Gaelach síos Ireland and the national press, ag Cionn tSáile trí chéad bliain ó decreased strikingly and, in a shin, agus an 21ú Eanáir, 1919, do remarkably short time, faded thóg sé a cheann arís. Ar an lá sin, away altogether.” d’fhógair teachtairí na nGael don domhan mór gur saor-stát Eire” Kevin O’Sheil Nationality

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