The 1931 Seanad was the part of the Seanad of the Irish Free State (1922–1936) in office from the 1931 Seanad election to the 1934 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 1931 Seanad included members nominated in 1922, and members elected at the 1925, 1928 and 1931 Seanad elections.

1931 Seanad
1928 Seanad 1934 Seanad
Overview
Legislative bodySeanad Éireann
JurisdictionIrish Free State
Meeting placeLeinster House
Term6 December 1931 – 5 December 1934
Government
Members60
CathaoirleachThomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG)
Leas-ChathaoirleachMichael F. O'Hanlon (CnaG)

It sat as a second chamber to the 6th Dáil elected at the September 1927 general election, the 7th Dáil elected at the 1932 general election and the 8th Dáil elected at the 1933 general election. The Seanad of the Irish Free State was not numbered after each election, with the whole period later considered the First Seanad.

Composition of the 1931 Seanad

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There were a total of 60 seats in the Seanad. In 1931, 23 senators were elected. The 1925 Seanad election was a popular election. However, at the 1928 and subsequent Free State Seanad elections, the franchise was restricted to Oireachtas members.

17 Senators had been elected at the 1928 Seanad election and 19 Senators had been elected at the 1925 Seanad election. In 1922, 30 Senators had been elected by Dáil Éireann, and 30 had been nominated by the President of the Executive Council, W. T. Cosgrave.[1]

The following table shows the composition by party when the 1931 Seanad first met on 9 December 1931.[2]

Party Seats
Cumann na nGaedheal 20
Fianna Fáil 12
Labour 6
Independent 22
Total 60

List of senators

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  • Note: The entries for Senators who were elected or appointed to fill vacancies are shown in italics
Name   Party Entered Office Term Notes
Countess of Desart   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years Died on 29 June 1933[3]
James Charles Dowdall   Fianna Fáil Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Sir Thomas Esmonde   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Earl of Granard   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Henry Guinness   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Sir John Keane   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
James Moran   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Jennie Wyse Power   Independent Nominated in 1922 12 years  
Thomas Westropp Bennett   Independent Elected in 1925 9 years Cathaoirleach
Sir Edward Coey Bigger   Independent Elected in 1925 9 years  
Francis McGuinness   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 9 years  
Henry Barniville   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Sir Edward Bellingham   Independent Elected in 1925 12 years  
William Cummins   Labour Elected in 1925 12 years  
James Dillon   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Michael Fanning   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Thomas Foran   Labour Elected in 1925 12 years  
Sir William Hickie   Independent Elected in 1925 12 years  
Cornelius Kennedy   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Thomas Linehan   Independent Elected in 1925 12 years  
Joseph O'Connor   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
J. T. O'Farrell   Labour Elected in 1925 12 years  
Michael F. O'Hanlon   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years Leas-Chathaoirleach
James Parkinson   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Thomas Toal   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1925 12 years  
Samuel Lombard Brown   Independent Elected in 1926 12 years Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 10 February 1926, replacing the Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl[4]
John Philip Bagwell   Independent Elected in 1928 6 years  
Alfie Byrne   Independent Elected in 1928 6 years Resigned on 10 December 1931[5]
Oliver St. John Gogarty   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1928 6 years  
Andrew Jameson   Independent Elected in 1928 6 years  
Thomas Johnson   Labour Elected in 1928 6 years  
Richard Wilson   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1928 6 years  
Kathleen Clarke   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1928 9 years  
Joseph Connolly   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1928 9 years  
Seán Milroy   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1928 9 years  
Joseph O'Doherty   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1928 9 years Elected to 8th Dáil at the general election on 24 January 1933[6]
Séumas Robinson   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1928 9 years  
Kathleen Browne   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 3 years  
Eileen Costello   Independent Elected in 1931 3 years  
William O'Sullivan   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 6 years  
Michael Comyn   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
John Counihan   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
James G. Douglas   Independent Elected in 1931 9 years  
Michael Duffy   Labour Elected in 1931 9 years  
Thomas Farren   Labour Elected in 1931 9 years  
Hugh Garahan   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
Sir John Griffith   Independent Elected in 1931 9 years  
Seán MacEllin   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
Ross McGillycuddy   Independent Elected in 1931 9 years  
James J. MacKean   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
John MacLoughlin   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
Daniel MacParland   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
Maurice George Moore   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
Laurence O'Neill   Independent Elected in 1931 9 years  
Brian O'Rourke   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
William Quirke   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
David Robinson   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years  
Séamus Ryan   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1931 9 years Died on 30 June 1933[7]
Michael Staines   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1931 9 years  
Arthur Vincent   Independent Elected in 1931 9 years Resigned on 21 February 1934[8]
George Crosbie   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1932 Until 1934 election Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 2 January 1932, replacing Alfie Byrne[9]
Died on 28 November 1934[9]
Eamonn Duggan   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1933 Until 1934 election Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 19 April 1933, replacing Joseph O'Doherty[10]
Ernest Blythe   Cumann na nGaedheal Elected in 1934 Until 1934 election Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 2 January 1934, replacing the Countess of Desart[11]
Raphael Keyes   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1934 Until 1934 election Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 2 January 1934, replacing Séamus Ryan[12]
Patrick Lynch   Fianna Fáil Elected in 1934 Until 1934 election Elected to Seanad at a by-election on 28 September 1934, replacing Arthur Vincent[13]

Changes

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Date Loss Gain Note
10 December 1931


Independent   Resignation of Alfie Byrne[5]
2 January 1932


  Cumann na nGaedheal George Crosbie elected at a by-election to replace Alfie Byrne[9]
24 January 1933


Fianna Fáil   Joseph O'Doherty elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1933 general election[6]
19 April 1933


  Cumann na nGaedheal Eamonn Duggan elected at a by-election to replace Joseph O'Doherty[10]
29 June 1933


Independent   Death of Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart[3]
30 June 1933


Fianna Fáil   Death of Séamus Ryan[7]
2 January 1934


  Cumann na nGaedheal Ernest Blythe elected at a by-election to replace the Countess of Desart[11]
2 January 1934


  Fianna Fáil Raphael Keyes elected at a by-election to replace Séamus Ryan[12]
21 February 1934


Independent   Resignation of Arthur Vincent[8]
28 September 1934


  Fianna Fáil Patrick Lynch elected at a by-election to replace Arthur Vincent[13]
28 November 1934


Cumann na nGaedheal   Death of George Crosbie[9]

References

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  1. ^ "President's nominees for Seanad". Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 December 1922. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  2. ^ "1931 Seanad". Oireachtas Members Database.
  3. ^ a b "Countess of Desart". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Mr. Samuel Lombard Brown". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Mr. Alfred Byrne". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Mr. Joseph O'Doherty". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Mr. Séamus Ryan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  8. ^ a b "Mr. Arthur Vincent". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  9. ^ a b c d "Mr. George Crosbie". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  10. ^ a b "Mr. Eamonn Duggan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  11. ^ a b "Mr. Ernest Blythe". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  12. ^ a b "Mr. Raphael Keyes". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  13. ^ a b "Mr. Patrick Lynch". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
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