September 1927 Irish general election

The September 1927 Irish general election to the 6th Dáil was held on Thursday, 15 September, following the dissolution of the 5th Dáil on 25 August by Governor-General Tim Healy on the request of President of the Executive Council W. T. Cosgrave.

September 1927 Irish general election

← Jun 1927 15 September 1927 1932 →
← outgoing members elected members →
153 seats in Dáil Éireann[a] 77 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	69.0% 0.9 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader W. T. Cosgrave Éamon de Valera Thomas Johnson Party Cumann na nGaedheal Fianna Fáil Labour Leader since April 1923 26 March 1926 1914 Leader's seat Cork Borough Clare Dublin County (defeated) Last election 47 seats, 27.4% 44 seats, 26.2% 22 seats, 12.6% Seats won 62 57 13 Seat change 15 13 9 Popular vote 453,028 411,777 106,184 Percentage 38.6% 35.2% 9.1% Swing 11.2 pp 9.0 pp 3.5 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Michael Heffernan William Redmond James Larkin Party Farmers' Party National League Irish Worker League Leader since 1927 1926 1923 Leader's seat Tipperary Waterford Dublin North Last election 11 seats, 8.9% 8 seats, 7.3% New Seats won 6 2 1[b] Seat change 5 6 1 Popular vote 74,626 18,990 12,473 Percentage 6.4% 1.6% 1.1% Swing 2.5 pp 5.7 pp 1.1 pp
Election results and first-preference votes in each constituency Number of seats gained by each party in each constituency
President of the Executive Council before election W. T. Cosgrave Cumann na nGaedheal President of the Executive Council after election W. T. Cosgrave Cumann na nGaedheal

The 6th Dáil met on 11 October 1927 to nominate the president and Executive Council of the Irish Free State for appointment by the Governor-General. Cosgrave was re-appointed leading a new minority government of Cumann na nGaedheal with the support of the Farmers' Party.^[3]

Campaign

The second general election of 1927 followed tight political arithmetic within Dáil Éireann. Only three seats separated the two largest parties in the 5th Dáil, Cumann na nGaedheal and Fianna Fáil, and the government was very unstable. Fianna Fáil entered the Dáil in August, and days later gave its support to motion of no confidence in the Cumann na nGaedheal government proposed by Labour Party leader Thomas Johnson. Johnson had hoped to form a government with the National League and the support of Fianna Fáil. The Cumann na nGaedheal government had the backing of the Farmers' Party and most of the Independent TDs. When the vote was taken, John Jinks, a National League TD, failed to attend. The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Thomas J. O'Connell, was in Canada and also was unable to participate in the crucial vote. As a result, the vote was a tie and the Ceann Comhairle voted with the government. The motion failed.

On 25 August, Cumann na nGaedheal won two by-elections. W. T. Cosgrave called a general election in the hope of securing an increased majority. Cumann na nGaedheal recruited four TDs who had supported Cosgrave in the vote of confidence to stand as candidates for the party: Bryan Cooper (Dublin County), John Daly (Cork East), Myles Keogh (Dublin South) and Vincent Rice (Dublin South).^[4] Fianna Fáil campaigned on a promise of self-sufficiency. The Labour Party had done well on its last outing and was hoping, and was predicted, to win extra seats, in spite of internal divisions. The Farmers' Party represented the needs of agricultural labourers. Sinn Féin, weakened after de Valera had split to form Fianna Fáil, had been reduced to five seats in the June 1927 election, and did not contest the September 1927 election, due to lack of financial assets.^[5]

Result

Election to the 6th Dáil – 15 September 1927[6][7][8]
Party		Leader	Seats	±	% of seats	First pref. votes	% FPv	±%
	Cumann na nGaedheal	W. T. Cosgrave	62[a]	+15	40.5	453,028	38.7	+11.3
	Fianna Fáil	Éamon de Valera	57	+13	37.3	411,777	35.2	+9.1
	Labour	Thomas Johnson	13	–9	8.5	106,184	9.1	–3.4
	Farmers' Party	Michael Heffernan	6	–5	3.9	74,626	6.4	–2.5
	National League	William Redmond	2	–6	1.3	18,990	1.6	–5.7
	Irish Worker League	James Larkin	1[b]	New	0.7	12,473	1.1	–
	Town Tenants' Association			0	0	832	0.1	0
	Sinn Féin	John J. O'Kelly	0	–5	0	0	–3.6	–5.7
	Independent	N/A	12	–4	7.8	92,959	7.9	–5.5
Spoilt votes						21,886	—	—
Total			153	0	100	1,192,755	100	—
Electorate/Turnout						1,730,177	69.0%	—

Voting summary

First preference vote Cumann na nGaedheal   38.69% Fianna Fáil   35.17% Labour   9.07% Farmers'   6.37% National League Party   1.62% Irish Worker League   1.07% Others   0.07% Independent   7.94%

Seats summary

Dáil seats Cumann na nGaedheal   40.52% Fianna Fáil   37.25% Labour   8.50% Farmers'   3.92% National League Party   1.31% Irish Worker League   0.65% Independent   7.84%

Government formation

Cumann na nGaedheal formed the 4th Executive Council of the Irish Free State, a minority government, with the support of the Farmers' Party and Independent TDs, with W. T. Cosgrave serving again as President of the Executive Council. The leader of the Farmers' Party served as a Parliamentary Secretary. In 1930, the Executive Council would resign following the loss of a vote on legislation. The 5th Executive Council of the Irish Free State was formed soon after with the same composition.

Changes in membership

First time TDs

• William Aird
• Seán Brady
• Robert Briscoe
• Edmond Carey
• Michael Connolly
• Eamonn Cooney
• Peter de Loughry
• Patrick Gorry
• Stephen Jordan
• William Kent
• Arthur Matthews
• Joseph Mongan
• Daniel O'Leary
• Martin Sexton
• Richard Walsh

Outgoing TDs

• Caitlín Brugha (Retired)
• Kathleen Clarke (Defeated)
• John Jinks (Defeated)
• Thomas Johnson (Labour Party leader, defeated)
• Timothy Quill (Defeated)
• Austin Stack (Retired)
• J. J. Walsh (Retired)

Notes

1. Including Michael Hayes (CnaG), returned automatically for the National University of Ireland as outgoing Ceann Comhairle, under Art. 21 of the Constitution, as amended by the Constitution (Amendment No. 2) Act 1927, and s. 2 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927.^[1][2]
2. Although Jim Larkin won a seat in Dublin North, he was almost immediately disqualified from the position due to declaring bankruptcy as a result of losing a libel case brought against him by William O'Brien. As a result, a by-election was held for his seat on 3 April 1928. The winner of that by-election was Vincent Rice (CnaG), who defeated Kathleen Clarke (FF) and Larkin.