{{Short description|UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland, 1885–1922}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Use British English|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox UK constituency |name = North Fermanagh |type = county |county = County Fermanagh |region = Ireland |parliament = uk |year = 1885 |abolished = 1922 |seats = 1 |previous = {{ubl|County Fermanagh|Enniskillen}} |next = Fermanagh and Tyrone |}}
'''North Fermanagh''' was a parliament constituency in Ireland which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on the electoral system of first past the post from 1885 to 1922.
==Politics== The constituency was a marginal one compared to many other seats in what became Northern Ireland. The Unionist candidate won in 1918, but Sinn Féin only polled 532 fewer votes.
==Boundaries== From 1801 to 1885, County Fermanagh returned two MPs to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom sitting at the Palace of Westminster, with separate representation for the parliamentary borough of Enniskillen. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary county was divided into the divisions of North Fermanagh and South Fermanagh. Enniskillen ceased to exist as a parliamentary borough.<ref>{{cite web |title=Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 23), s. 2 and First Schedule |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/48-49/23/pdfs/ukpga_18850023_en.pdf#page=16 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>
North Fermanagh was defined as:<ref>{{cite web |title=Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 23), s. 8 and Seventh Schedule, Part III |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/48-49/23/pdfs/ukpga_18850023_en.pdf#page=78 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> {{quote frame|In County Fermanagh, the baronies of Lurg, Magheraboy, and Tirkennedy.}}
It was not affected by the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918.<ref>{{cite web |title=Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918 (7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 65) |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/7-8/65/pdfs/ukpga_19180065_en.pdf |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> At the 1918 general election, Sinn Féin contested on an election manifesto with an abstentionist pledge that instead of taking its seats at Westminster, it would establish an assembly in Dublin. All MPs elected to Irish seats were invited to participate in the First Dáil convened in January 1919, but no members outside of Sinn Féin did so.<ref>{{cite journal|title=3. An Rolla|language=Irish|journal=Dáil Debates |volume=F|issue=1|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas|date=21 January 1919|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1919-01-21/4/|access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref>
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 established the Parliament of Northern Ireland, which came into operation in 1921. The representation of Northern Ireland at Westminster was reduced from 30 MPs to 13 MPs, taking effect at the 1922 United Kingdom general election. At Westminster, North Fermanagh, South Fermanagh, North-East Tyrone, North-West Tyrone and South Tyrone were combined to form the two-member county constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone.<ref>{{cite web |title=Government of Ireland Act 1920: Fifth Schedule, Part II: Constituencies in Northern Ireland |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/10-11/67/pdfs/ukpga_19200067_en.pdf#page=57 |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives }}</ref> An eight-seat constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone was created for the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, which formed the basis in republican theory for representation in the 2nd Dáil.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1921-05-10/26/ |title=President's Statement. - Elections |date=10 May 1921 |publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas |journal=Dáil Debates |volume=F |issue=21 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Appendix 19: Dáil Éireann: Extract from Minutes of Meeting on 16th August 1921: Copy of Roll|journal=Dáil Debates|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas|volume=T|issue=17|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1922-01-10/25/}}</ref>
==Members of Parliament== {| class="wikitable" |- !Election!!MP!!colspan="2"|Party |- |1885 | rowspan=2|Willie Redmond{{efn|group=mplist|Redmond remained with the Parnellite Irish National League on the split of the Irish Parliamentary Party in 1891. He was elected for East Clare in 1892.}} | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Irish National League}} |- |1886 |- | 1892 | rowspan=2|Richard Dane | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Irish Unionist Alliance}} |- | 1895 |- | ''1898 b'' |rowspan=2|Edward Archdale | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Irish Unionist Alliance}} |- | 1900 |- | ''1903 b'' | Edward Mitchell | {{party name with colour|Russellite Unionist}} |- |1906 |rowspan=3|Godfrey Fetherstonhaugh | {{party name with colour|rowspan=3|Irish Unionist Alliance}} |- | Jan 1910 |- | Dec 1910 |- |''1916 b'' |rowspan=2|Edward Archdale | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Irish Unionist Alliance}} |- | 1918 |- |1922 |colspan="3"| ''constituency abolished'' |} {{notelist|group=mplist}}
==Elections== ===Elections in the 1880s=== {{Election box begin | |title=1885 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker">{{cite book|editor1-last=Walker|editor1-first=B.M.|title=Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922|date=1978|publisher=Royal Irish Academy|location=Dublin|isbn=0901714127|pages=349, 390}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Parliamentary Party |candidate = Willie Redmond |votes = 3,255 |percentage = 53.6 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Irish Conservative Party |candidate = John Caldwell Bloomfield |votes = 2,822 |percentage = 46.4 |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 433 |percentage = 7.2 |change = }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 6,077 |percentage = 90.9 |change = }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 6,687 }} {{Election box new seat win| |winner = Irish Parliamentary Party }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title=1886 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Parliamentary Party |candidate = Willie Redmond |votes = 3,128 |percentage = 52.2 |change = −1.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Irish Conservative Party |candidate = William Humphrys Archdale |votes = 2,862 |percentage = 47.8 |change = +1.4 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 266 |percentage = 4.4 |change = −2.8 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,990 |percentage = 89.6 |change = −1.3 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 6,687 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Parliamentary Party |swing = −1.4 }} {{Election box end}}
===Elections in the 1890s=== {{Election box begin | |title=1892 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Richard Dane |votes = 2,879 |percentage = 52.9 |change = +5.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Irish National Federation |candidate = Jeremiah Jordan |votes = 2,562 |percentage = 47.1 |change = −5.1 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 317 |percentage = 5.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,441 |percentage = 91.6 |change = +2.0 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,937 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |loser = Irish Parliamentary Party |swing = +5.1 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title=1895 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Richard Dane |votes = 2,782 |percentage = 53.6 |change = +0.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent Liberal |candidate = George Reginald Leeper |votes = 2,406 |percentage = 46.4 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 376 |percentage = 7.2 |change = +1.4 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 5,188 |percentage = 92.1 |change = +0.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,632 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title=1898 by-election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Edward Archdale |votes = 2,568 |percentage = 55.1 |change = +1.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent Unionist |candidate = Edward Charles Thompson |votes = 2,091 |percentage = 44.9 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 477 |percentage = 10.2 |change = +3.0 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 4,659 |percentage = 81.2 |change = −10.9 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,735 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = }} {{Election box end}}
===Elections in the 1900s=== {{Election box begin | |title=1900 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Edward Archdale }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | |title=1903 by-election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Russellite Unionist |candidate = Edward Mitchell |votes = 2,407 |percentage = 51.6 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Irish Unionist Alliance|candidate=James Craig|votes=2,255|percentage=48.4|change=''N/A''}} {{Election box majority||votes=152|percentage=3.2|change=''N/A''}} {{Election box turnout||votes=4,662|percentage=89.4|change=''N/A''}} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,213 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Russellite Unionist |loser = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title= 1906 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Godfrey Fetherstonhaugh |votes = 2,419 |percentage = 50.9 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Russellite Unionist |candidate = Edward Mitchell |votes = 2,331 |percentage = 49.1 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 88 |percentage = 1.8 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 4,750 |percentage = 93.4 |change = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 5,083 }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |loser = Russellite Unionist |swing = ''N/A'' }} {{Election box end}}
===Elections in the 1910s=== {{Election box begin | |title= January 1910 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Godfrey Fetherstonhaugh |votes = 2,474 |percentage = 53.8 |change = +2.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Samuel Peter Kerr |votes = 2,124 |percentage = 46.2 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 350 |percentage = 7.6 |change = +5.8 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 4,598 |percentage = 93.9 |change = +0.5 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 4,895 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title= December 1910 general election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Godfrey Fetherstonhaugh |votes = 2,402 |percentage = 53.9 |change = +0.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Liberal Party (UK) |candidate = Arthur Percival Tod Collum |votes = 2,055 |percentage = 46.1 |change = −0.1 }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 347 |percentage = 7.8 |change = +0.2 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 4,457 |percentage = 91.1 |change = −2.8 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 4,895 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = +0.1 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title=1916 by-election: North Fermanagh<ref name="walker"/>}} {{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Edward Archdale }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | |title=1918 general election (14 December 1918): North Fermanagh}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Irish Unionist Alliance |candidate = Edward Archdale |votes = 6,768 |percentage = 52.0 |change = −1.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Sinn Féin |candidate = Kevin O'Shiel |votes = 6,236 |percentage = 47.9 |change = ''New'' }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 532 |percentage = 4.1 |change = −3.7 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 13,004 |percentage = 89.7 |change = −1.4 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors = 14,496 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner = Irish Unionist Alliance |swing = }} {{Election box end}}
==Sources== *{{cite book|title=Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922|editor-first=Brian M.|editor-last=Walker|publisher=Royal Irish Academy|year=1978|location=Dublin|isbn=0901714127}} *{{cite book|title=Debrett's Guide to the House of Commons and Judicial Bench |year=1918 |url=https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1918londuoft#page/220/mode/2up |p=220}} *{{cite book|title=Who's Who of British members of parliament: Volume II 1886–1918|editor-first1=M.|editor-last1=Stenton|editor-first2=S.|editor-last2=Lees|publisher=The Harvester Press|year=1978}} *{{Rayment-hc|f|date=March 2012}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{County Fermanagh constituencies}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fermanagh North}} North Fermanagh Category:Dáil constituencies in Northern Ireland (historic) Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1885 Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1922