1920 Donegal County Council election

An election to Donegal County Council took place on Wednesday 26 May 1920 as part of that year's Irish local elections. 45 councillors were elected from 10 electoral divisions by PR-STV voting for a five-year term of office.[1]

1920 Donegal County Council election

26 May 1920
All 20 seats to Donegal County Council 11 seats needed for a majority
Party Sinn Féin Irish Nationalist Irish Unionist Seats won 14 4 2
Map showing the area of Donegal County Council
Council control after election Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin won a majority of the seats,[1] and won majorities in 6 of the 10 voting areas.[2]

The vote was largely characterised by poor turnout, with less than 50% of the electorate voting. Buncrana, Letterkenny, and Milford saw particularly poor turnout. At one station in Rathmullan only 3 of the areas 140 voters turned out. Donegal Town saw better turnout.[1]

The total number of invalid votes for the county stood at 9,193.[1]

At the first sitting of the new council, on Friday 18 June, the council voted to recognise the First Dáil.[1]

Following the election Peter J. Ward (Sinn Fein) was elected Chairman. Thomas McFadden (Unionist) was elected Vice-Chairman.[3]

Results by party

Party		Seats	±	First Pref. votes	FPv%	±%
	Sinn Féin	14
	Irish Nationalist	4
	Irish Unionist	2
	Independent	0
Totals		20			100%	—

[1]

Results by Electoral Area

Buncrana

Buncrana/Inishowen - 4 seats[1][4]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	P. H. Doherty
	Sinn Féin	Frank J. Langan
	Sinn Féin	Michael Bonner
	Sinn Féin	James McNally
	Irish Unionist	Joseph MacArthur J.P. (incumbent)		Defeated
	Irish Nationalist	Bernard Browne		Defeated
	Independent Nationalist	James P. McIvor J.P.		Defeated

Donegal

Donegal - 5 seats[4][5]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Peter J. Ward MP
	Irish Unionist	James Sproule Myles
	Sinn Féin	Patrick Berry
	Sinn Féin	Henry Joseph Kelly
	Sinn Féin	Thomas McShane
	Irish Nationalist	Hugh O'Donnell		Defeated
Electorate: -   Valid: ~8,893   Spoilt: ~300   Quota: -   Turnout: 9,193

Letterkenny

Letterkenny - 4 seats[1][4][6]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	John O'Flaherty
	Sinn Féin	James McCool
	Sinn Féin	James McFadden
	Irish Unionist	James Clarke
	Independent Nationalist	Francis Callahan J.P. (incumbent)		Defeated
	Irish Unionist	Major John Rikv, J.P.		Defeated

Milford

Milford - 7 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Thomas McElhinney
	Sinn Féin	Neil Murray
	Irish Nationalist	M. A. McCreadie
	Irish Nationalist	J. B. O'Donnell
	Sinn Féin	William McGarvey
	Irish Nationalist	E. Friel
	Irish Nationalist	Christy Lavey

District results

Donegal Town

Donegal Town - 5 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	James McGahern
	Sinn Féin	John McDermott
	Irish Unionist	John Stevenson
	Irish Nationalist	Edward Melly
	Irish Nationalist	Michael Dunnion

Dunfanaghy

Dunfanaghy - 4 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Hugh Duffy
	Sinn Féin	C. McLaughlin
	Sinn Féin	Shane McNulty
	Irish Nationalist	John McNulty

Dunkineely

Dunkineely - 4 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Patrick Barry
	Sinn Féin	A. F. Gallagher
	Sinn Féin	Charlie Keeny
	Irish Nationalist	Thomas McShane

Laghey

Laghey - 5 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Hugh Gallagher
	Sinn Féin	Daniel Gallagher
	Irish Unionist	James Harron
	Irish Nationalist	Jacob Gorman
	Irish Unionist	William John Shaw

Letterkenny Rural

Letterkenny Rural - 5 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	N. Kelly
	Irish Unionist	Robert Roulstone
	Irish Nationalist	J. E. Sweeney
	Sinn Féin	John Mullan
	Sinn Féin	Patrick McGrenra

Mountcharles

Mountcharles - 4 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Sinn Féin	Bernard Friel
	Sinn Féin	Charles McDaid
	Sinn Féin	Paddy Gallagher
	Sinn Féin	James Boyle

Rathmullan

Rathmullan - 3 seats[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	Irish Nationalist	Edward Deeney
	Irish Nationalist	James Green
	Irish Nationalist	Patrick Loughrey

References

1. Ó Duibhir, Liam (2009). The Donegal Awakening: Donegal & the War of Independence. Mercier Press Ltd. pp. 137–138. ISBN 9781856356329.
2. Duibhir, Liam (2011). Donegal & the Civil War: The Untold Story. p. 23. ISBN 9781856357203.
3. Belfast News-Letter - Saturday 19 June 1920: Donegal County Council, Released Hunger Striker Elected Chairman
4. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001480/19200529/049/0005 Londonderry Sentinel, 29 May 1920, page 5
5. Derry Journal - Friday 28 May 1920 pg.5, THE DONEGAL ELECTIONS, EXTRAORDINARY APATHY OF VOTERS
6. Derry Journal - Friday 16 April 1920 (list of candidates)