East Down

East Down may refer to:

See also

East Down (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 54°23′10″N 5°25′52″W / 54.386°N 5.431°W / 54.386; -5.431

East Down was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

Boundaries

East Down was a county constituency comprising the towns of Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Crossgar, Downpatrick, Dunmore, Killinchy, Killyleagh, Kilmore, Saintfield and Strangford, all in the current Down District Council. It was created in 1929 as one of the eight seats replacing the former Down constituency when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first past the post elections throughout Northern Ireland. The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

Politics

East Down had a unionist majority, and consistently elected Ulster Unionist Party members. On occasions, however, it was contested by members of the Ulster Liberal Party, and various nationalist candidates who usually received over 40% of the votes cast.

East Down (UK Parliament constituency)

East Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland which returned one Member of Parliament from 1885 to 1922, using the first past the post electoral system.

Boundaries and Boundary Changes

This county constituency was first created in 1885 from the eastern part of Down. It was defined as including 'The Baronies of Dufferin, Kinelarty, Lecale Lower and Lecale Upper, and the Barony of Castlereagh Upper (except so much as is comprised in Division No. 1, as herein described)'. There was a boundary change reducing the size of this division in 1918, when the new Mid Down constituency was created, and East Down was redefined as including 'The rural district of Downpatrick, exclusive of the district electoral divisions of Ballynahinch, Kilmore and Leggygowan; the part of the rural district of Kilkeel which consists of the district electoral divisions of Bryansford, Fofanny and Maghera, and the part of the rural district of Banbridge which consists of the district electoral divisions of Ballyward, Crossgar and Leitrim.'. Maps showing the component units of the constituency can be seen here.