1922 Seanad

Members of the Seanad from 1922 to 1925 April 2022 1922 Seanad Oireachtas logo.svg 100px Seanad Éireann Irish Free State Leinster House 11 December 1922 5 December 1925 1925 Seanad 60 Cathaoirleach Lord Glenavy (Ind) Leas-Chathaoirleach James G. Douglas (Ind) 1st Executive Council (1922–1923) 2nd Executive Council (1923–1927) The 1922 Seanad was the part of the Seanad of the Irish Free State (1922–1936) in office from the establishment of the Seanad in 1922 to the 1925 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 1922 Seanad included 30 members nominated by the President of the Executive Council and the 30 members elected by the Dáil in the 1922 Seanad election. It was first constituted on 8 December 1922. It sat as a second chamber to 3rd Dáil elected at the 1922 general election and the 4th Dáil elected at the 1923 general election. The Seanad of the Irish Free State was not numbered after each election, with the whole period later considered the First Seanad. Initial membership During the negotiations in 1921 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Arthur Griffith gave assurances to southern unionists and the British government that unionists would have adequate representation in the new parliament to safeguard their interests.The Irish Free State 1934 Mansergh Nicholas Nicholas Mansergh Allen & Unwin https://archive.org/stream/irishfreestate032460mbp#page/n79/mode/2up 74–76 7 April 2015 Griffith himself died in August 1922, and was succeeded as President of Dáil Éireann by W. T. Cosgrave. The 3rd Dáil, elected in June 1922 as a "provisional parliament" or "constituent assembly", approved the Constitution of the Irish Free State in September, and continued as the Dáil of the new Free State when the Constitution came into force on 6 December 1922. Article 12 of the Constitution established the Oireachtas as a bicameral legislature consisting of a Chamber of Deputies called Dáil Éireann and a Senate called Seanad Éireann. The Constitution specified a 60-seat Seanad, with senators serving 12-year terms and divided into four cohorts with one cohort re-elected every three years.Constitution of the Irish Free State, Articles 31, 32 Article 82 of the Constitution provided that the composition of the 1922 Seanad was to be 30 elected by the Dáil and 30 nominated by the President of the Executive Council who should "have special regard to the providing of representation for groups or parties not then adequately represented in Dáil Éireann".Constitution of the Irish Free State, Article 82 Those elected by the Dáil would provide the first and third, for re-election in 1925 and 1931; while those nominated by the President would provide the second and fourth cohorts, for re-election in 1928 and 1934. In October 1922, the provisional parliament passed a resolution moved by W. T. Cosgrave which stated that the President should "consult with representative persons and bodies, including the following: Chamber of Commerce, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the benchers of the Honourable Society of King's Inns, Dublin, the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Councils of the County Boroughs of the Irish Free State".https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1922-10-25/28/ Nominations for the Senate; Motion by the President 25 October 1922 Dáil Debates 1 26 Cosgrave announced his selection in the Dáil on 6 December 1922, immediately after his election as president had been ratified by the Governor-General.https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1922-12-06/9/ President's nominees for Seanad Dáil Debates 2 1 Houses of the Oireachtas 6 December 1922 28 September 2022 1 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20220928111838/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1922-12-06/9/ live The 15 who would serve 12-year terms were selected by lot. The 1922 Seanad election by members of the Dáil took place on 7 December.https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1922-12-07/15/ Elections to Seanad 7 December 1922 Dáil Debates 2 2 p.16 cc.38–40 2 January 2024 Of the sixty members of the 1922 Seanad, 36 were Catholic, 20 were Protestant, 3 were Quakers and 1 was Jewish. It contained 7 peers, a dowager countess (Ellen, Countess of Desart, who was Jewish), 5 baronets and several knights. The New York Times remarked that the first senate was "representative of all classes". It was described in 2008 as "the most curious political grouping in the history of the Irish state".Elaine Byrne The Irish Times Hands that shaped Irish history 30 July 2008 https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/hands-that-shaped-irish-history-1.947347 On 26 November 1924, Alice Stopford Green presented to the Seanad a vellum parchment signed by all but oneThe exception was Eamonn Mansfield, who resigned before taking his seat. Signatories included Thomas MacPartlin (died 1923) and later Douglas Hyde and John O'Neill (elected in 1925).1920–29 https://www.mna100.ie/exhibitions/1920-29/ Mná 100 Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media 12 December 2022 Vellum roll, containing the signature of every member of the first Irish Seanad, presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas by Alice Stopford Green y 12 December 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221212165115/https://www.mna100.ie/exhibitions/1920-29/ live member of the 1922–1925 Seanad, in an ornate casket commissioned from Mia Cranwill based on Gallarus Oratory.Senate Casket https://www.ria.ie/senate-casket Royal Irish Academy 12 December 2022 en 12 January 2016Senator's Gift to the Seanad https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1924-11-26/8/ Seanad Debates 3 21 Houses of the Oireachtas 12 December 2022 en-ie 26 November 1924 After the abolition of the Seanad in 1936, the casket was donated to the Royal Irish Academy. Cathaoirleach When the Seanad first convened on 11 December 1922, Sir Thomas Esmonde proposed that George Sigerson, as the oldest member, sit as temporary chairman. This was seconded by Alice Stopford Green and agreed by the Seanad.Election of Temporary Chairman Seanad Debates 11 December 1922 1 1 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-11/2/ 10 November 2025 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20251110142030/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-11/2/ live Sigerson sat again as temporary chairman on the following day.Temporary Chairman Seanad Debates 12 December 1922 1 2 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/3/ Later on 12 December, Lord Glenacy was proposed by John MacLoughlin and seconded by Henry Guinness for the position of chairman for one year. This was agreed without a vote, but with Maurice George Moore and Jennie Wyse Power speaking against.Election of Chairman Seanad Debates 12 December 1922 1 2 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/5/ 28 December 2024 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20241228153253/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/5/ live On the same day, James Douglas was proposed by Edward MacLysaght and seconded by James Moran for the position of vice-chairman for one year, and this was agreed by the Seanad.Election of Vice-Chairman Seanad Debates 12 December 1922 1 2 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/6/ 16 November 2025 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20251116002013/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/6/ live Their positions were confirmed on 12 December 1923.Election of Cathaoirleach Seanad Debates 12 December 1923 2 7 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/3/ 26 December 2020 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20201226043937/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/3/ live Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach Seanad Debates 12 December 1923 2 7 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/5/ 18 July 2025 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20250718110623/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/5/ live Party composition The following table shows the composition by party when the 1922 Seanad first met on 11 December 1922. PartySeats Cumann na nGaedheal13 Labour Party (Ireland)4 Farmers' Party (Ireland)1 Independent politician (Ireland)42Total60 List of senators Term 1922 Seanad Elected for 3 years 15 Henry Barniville Cumann na nGaedheal Thomas Westropp Bennett Cumann na nGaedheal Richard A. Butler Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) John Counihan Independent politician (Ireland) Peter de Loughry Cumann na nGaedheal Cornelius Irwin Cumann na nGaedheal Thomas Linehan Farmers' Party (Ireland) Joseph Clayton Love Cumann na nGaedheal Edward McEvoy Cumann na nGaedheal Edward MacLysaght Independent politician (Ireland) Eamonn Mansfield Independent politician (Ireland) George Nesbitt Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) Michael O'Dea Irish politician Cumann na nGaedheal J. T. O'Farrell Labour Party (Ireland) James Parkinson Irish politician Cumann na nGaedheal Nominated for 6 years 15 John Philip Bagwell Independent politician (Ireland) Henry Givens Burgess Independent politician (Ireland) Lord Glenavy James Campbell, 1st Baron Glenavy Independent politician (Ireland) Sir Nugent Everard Nugent Everard Independent politician (Ireland) Edmund W. Eyre Independent politician (Ireland) Oliver St. John Gogarty Cumann na nGaedheal James Perry Goodbody Independent politician (Ireland) Henry Greer politician Independent politician (Ireland) Benjamin Haughton Independent politician (Ireland) Earl of Wicklow Ralph Howard, 7th Earl of Wicklow Independent politician (Ireland) Arthur Jackson Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) Andrew Jameson politician Independent politician (Ireland) Sir Bryan Mahon Bryan Mahon Independent politician (Ireland) Marquess of Headfort Geoffrey Taylour, 4th Marquess of Headfort Independent politician (Ireland) W. B. Yeats Independent politician (Ireland) Elected for 9 years 15 William Barrington Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) Eileen Costello Independent politician (Ireland) James G. Douglas Independent politician (Ireland) Michael Duffy Irish politician Labour Party (Ireland) Thomas Farren Labour Party (Ireland) Alice Stopford Green Independent politician (Ireland) Sir John Griffith John Griffith (engineer) Independent politician (Ireland) Patrick W. Kenny Cumann na nGaedheal James J. MacKean Cumann na nGaedheal John MacLoughlin Independent politician (Ireland) Thomas MacPartlin Labour Party (Ireland) William Molloy Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) Maurice George Moore Independent politician (Ireland) Brian O'Rourke politician Cumann na nGaedheal William O'Sullivan politician Cumann na nGaedheal Nominated for 12 years 15 Earl of Mayo Dermot Bourke, 7th Earl of Mayo Independent politician (Ireland) Countess of Desart Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart Independent politician (Ireland) James Charles Dowdall Independent politician (Ireland) Sir Thomas Esmonde Sir Thomas Esmonde, 11th Baronet Independent politician (Ireland) Martin Fitzgerald politician Independent politician (Ireland) Earl of Granard Bernard Forbes, 8th Earl of Granard Independent politician (Ireland) Henry Guinness Independent politician (Ireland) Sir John Keane Sir John Keane, 5th Baronet Independent politician (Ireland) James Moran Irish politician Independent politician (Ireland) Earl of Kerry Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 6th Marquess of Lansdowne Independent politician (Ireland) Sir Horace Plunkett Horace Plunkett Independent politician (Ireland) Sir Hutcheson Poë Hutcheson Poë Independent politician (Ireland) George Sigerson Independent politician (Ireland) Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Windham Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Independent politician (Ireland) Jennie Wyse Power Independent politician (Ireland) Changes Term 12 December 1922 Independent politician (Ireland) Resignation of Eamonn Mansfieldhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1922-12-12/11/ Resigntion of Senator 1 2 12 December 1922 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas Elected for 3 years 21 February 1923 Labour Party (Ireland) William Cummins elected at a by-electionhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-02-21/10/ Election of Senator 1 12 21 February 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtashttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-03-15/2/ New Senator 1 14 15 March 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 20 January 2025 8 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20250120130413/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-03-15/2/ live Elected till 1925 20 October 1923 Labour Party (Ireland) Death of Thomas MacPartlinhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-10-23/2/ Deaths of Deputy P. Cosgrave and Senator McPartlin 2 4 23 October 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 21 August 2022 8 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20220821042410/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-10-23/2/ live005288.v3 MacPartlin, Thomas May 2012 White Lawrence William Elected for 9 years 28 November 1923 Labour Party (Ireland) Thomas Foran elected at a by-electionhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-14/5/ Vacancy in Seanad 2 5 14 November 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 26 December 2020 9 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20201226045701/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-14/5/ livehttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-28/2/ Election of Senator 2 6 28 November 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 26 December 2020 9 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20201226044922/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-28/2/ livehttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/2/ New Senator Sworn 2 7 12 December 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 20 January 2025 9 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20250120130251/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/2/ live Elected till 1925 20 November 1923 Independent politician (Ireland) Resignation of Sir Horace Plunketthttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-28/3/ Resignation of Senator 2 6 28 November 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 26 December 2020 9 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20201226045018/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-28/3/ livePlunkett submitted his resignation on 14 November 1923, but it was not accepted until 28 November.https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-14/4/ Sir Horace Plunkett's Resignation 2 5 14 November 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 26 December 2020 8 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20201226045624/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-11-14/4/ live Nominated for 12 years 12 December 1923 Independent politician (Ireland) Samuel Lombard Brown elected at a by-electionhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/6/ Election of Senator 2 7 12 December 1923 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 7 December 2025 9 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20251207000426/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1923-12-12/6/ live Elected till 1925 9 December 1924 Independent politician (Ireland) Resignation of Sir Hutcheson Poëhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1924-12-09/2/ Resignation of a Senator 3 24 9 December 1924 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 10 October 2023 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010145609/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1924-12-09/2/ live Nominated for 12 years 4 February 1925 Independent politician (Ireland) Douglas Hyde elected at a by-electionhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-02-04/2/ Election of Senator 4 7 4 February 1925 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 6 December 2025 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20251206131655/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-02-04/2/ live Elected till 1925 17 February 1925 Independent politician (Ireland) Death of George Sigersonhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-02-18/2/ Death of Senator Sigerson 4 11 18 February 1925 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 10 October 2023 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20231010144532/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-02-18/2/ live008072.v1 Sigerson, George J.B. Lyons Nominated for 12 years 5 March 1925 Cumann na nGaedheal John O'Neill elected at a by-electionhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-03-05/4/ Election of a Senator 4 15 5 March 1925 Seanad Debates Houses of the Oireachtas 23 January 2025 7 June 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20250123165316/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1925-03-05/4/ live Elected till 1925 Footnotes Sources Constitution of the Irish Free State http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=1922&disp=mem 1922 Seanad Oireachtas Members Database 14 November 2009 7 April 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100407200254/http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=1922&disp=mem dead https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/find/?debateType=seanad&datePeriod=term&term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fseanad%2F1922 Seanad Debates: 1922 Seanad Oireachtas 28 September 2023 http://opac.oireachtas.ie/AWData/Library3/Library2/DL063618.pdf Report on the conduct of the first election to Seanad Éireann Official publications P.Pro 2/1923 Department of Local Government Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government February 1923 5 January 2014 DLG 1923 References 1922