1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

The 1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland produced the last overall victory for the Conservatives in Ireland. They won a majority of seats on the island despite the Liberals receiving over 60% of the vote; this was partly due to a disproportionately large number of Conservative candidates standing unopposed. The franchise was restricted to the middle and upper classes.

1859 United Kingdom general election in Ireland

← 1857 28 April – 18 May 1859 (1859-04-28 – 1859-05-18) 1865 →
← outgoing members elected members →
105 of the 670 seats to the House of Commons
First party Second party   Leader Earl of Derby Viscount Palmerston Party Conservative Whig Leader since July 1846 6 February 1855 Leader's seat House of Lords Tiverton Seats before 42 48 Seats won 55 50 Seat change 11 2 Popular vote 35,258 57,409 Percentage 38.9% 61.1% Swing 4.7% 13.3%
Results of the 1859 election in Ireland

Electoral reform in subsequent decades saw something of a rise in the Tory vote in Ireland accompanied by a diminution in the number of seats the party won. This was again due in some degree to the relative numbers of candidates standing unopposed for the two parties.