The 1934 Seanad was the part of the Seanad of the Irish Free State (1922–1936) in office after the 1934 Seanad election until its abolition in 1936. 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 1934 Seanad included members elected at the 1925, 1928, 1931 and 1934 Seanad elections. It sat as a second chamber to the 8th Dáil elected at the 1933 general election.

The Seanad of the Irish Free State was not numbered after every election, with the whole period later considered the First Seanad. Under the Constitution (Amendment No. 24) Act 1936, the Seanad was abolished, and for a time the Oireachtas became a unicameral legislature. The last sitting of the Seanad was on 19 May 1936, with the amendment signed on 29 May 1936. In 1937, on the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland, a new Seanad Éireann was established, with elections to follow general elections to Dáil Éireann, with each new Seanad numbered. An election to the 2nd Seanad took place in March 1938.

Composition of the 1934 Seanad

There were a total of 60 seats in the Free State Seanad. In 1934, 22 Senators were elected. The Seanad election in 1925 was a popular election. However, at the 1928 and subsequent elections, the franchise was restricted to Oireachtas members.

23 Senators had been elected at the 1931 Seanad election, 17 Senators had been elected at the 1928 Seanad election and 19 Senators had been elected at the 1925 Seanad election.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/wit/1934/1208/Pg009.html#Ar00900|title =The New Free State Senate|date = 8 December 1934|newspaper= The Irish Times |url-access=subscription|accessdate = 19 December 2009}}

The following table shows the composition by party when the 1934 Seanad first met on 12 December 1934.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/senators/?term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fseanad%2F1934|title=1934 Seanad|work=Oireachtas Members Database}}

class="wikitable"

!colspan=2|Party

!Seats

|22

|19

|7

|12

style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);"

|colspan=2|Total

|60

Cathaoirleach

At the first meeting on 12 December 1934, there was a contest for the position of Cathaoirleach. James J. MacKean was absent for the vote but all other members were present. William Hickie chaired the election. The two candidates were the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Thomas Westropp Bennett (Fine Gael), and the Fianna Fáil candidate, Michael Comyn. Neither of the two candidates voted and so fifty-six senators voted in the election. This resulted in a tie of twenty-eight votes each. Westropp Bennett received the votes of all twenty-one members of Fine Gael and seven independents. Comyn received the votes of his eighteen Fianna Fáil colleagues, the seven Labour Party senators, and three independents (Edward Bellingham, Thomas Linehan and Laurence O'Neill). Hickie then gave his casting vote for Westropp Bennett saying he would have done so had he had the opportunity in the division.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1934-12-12/3/|title=Election of Cathaoirleach – Seanad Éireann (1934 Seanad) – Vol. 19 No. 9|work=Oireachtas Debates|date=12 December 1934}}

The following week, Comyn defeated the outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, Michael F. O'Hanlon of Fine Gael, by twenty-six votes to twenty-five.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1934-12-19/3/|title=Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach – Seanad Éireann (1934 Seanad) – Vol. 19 No. 9|work=Oireachtas Debates|date=19 December 1934}}{{cite book|last=O'Sullivan |first=Donal |date=1940 |title=The Irish Free State and its Senate: A Study in Contemporary Politics |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=London |page=448}}

On 11 March 1936, David Robinson was elected unanimously as Leas-Chathaoirleach following the appointment of Comyn to the Circuit Court.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1936-03-11/2/|title=Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach – Seanad Éireann (1934 Seanad) – Vol. 20 No. 29|work=Oireachtas Debates|date=11 March 1936}}

List of senators

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Henry

| lastname = Barniville

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = {{nowrap|Elected in 1925}}

| term = {{nowrap|12 years}}

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Sir Edward

| lastname = Bellingham

| articlename = Sir Edward Bellingham, 5th Baronet

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = William

| lastname = Cummins

| articlename = William Cummins (Irish politician)

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James

| lastname = Dillon

| articlename = James Dillon (senator)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Michael

| lastname = Fanning

| articlename = Michael Fanning (politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Foran

| articlename =

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Sir William

| lastname = Hickie

| articlename = William Hickie

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Cornelius

| lastname = Kennedy

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Linehan

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Joseph

| lastname = O'Connor

| articlename = Joseph O'Connor (Irish politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = J. T.

| lastname = O'Farrell

| articlename =

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Michael F.

| lastname = O'Hanlon

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James

| lastname = Parkinson

| articlename = James Parkinson (Irish politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Toal

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1925

| term = 12 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Kathleen

| lastname = Clarke

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1928

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Joseph

| lastname = Connolly

| articlename = Joseph Connolly (Irish politician)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1928

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Seán

| lastname = Milroy

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1928

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Séumas

| lastname = Robinson

| articlename = Séumas Robinson (Irish republican)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1928

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes = Resigned on 11 December 1935{{cite web|url=http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=1934&MemberID=1002&ConstID=215|title=Mr. Séamus Robinson|work=Oireachtas Members Database|accessdate=23 November 2009}}

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = William

| lastname = O'Sullivan

| articlename = William O'Sullivan (politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 6 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Michael

| lastname = Comyn

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes = Appointed as a judge of the
Circuit Court on 24 February 1936{{cite web|url=http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=1934&MemberID=1209&ConstID=215|title=Mr. Michael Comyn|work=Oireachtas Members Database|accessdate=23 November 2009}}

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = John

| lastname = Counihan

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James G.

| lastname = Douglas

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Michael

| lastname = Duffy

| articlename = Michael Duffy (Irish politician)

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Farren

| articlename =

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Hugh

| lastname = Garahan

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Sir John

| lastname = Griffith

| articlename = John Griffith (engineer)

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Seán

| lastname = MacEllin

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Ross

| lastname = McGillycuddy

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James J.

| lastname = MacKean

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = John

| lastname = MacLoughlin

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Daniel

| lastname = MacParland

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Maurice George

| lastname = Moore

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Laurence

| lastname = O'Neill

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Brian

| lastname = O'Rourke

| articlename = Brian O'Rourke (politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = William

| lastname = Quirke

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = David

| lastname = Robinson

| articlename = David Robinson (Irish politician)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Michael

| lastname = Staines

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1931

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Sir Edward Coey

| lastname = Bigger

| articlename = Edward Coey Bigger

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 3 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = John Philip

| lastname = Bagwell

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 6 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Patrick

| lastname = Baxter

| articlename = Patrick Baxter (politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas Westropp

| lastname = Bennett

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Ernest

| lastname = Blythe

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James

| lastname = Boyle

| articlename = James Boyle (Fianna Fáil politician)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Samuel Lombard

| lastname = Brown

| articlename =

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 6 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Kathleen

| lastname = Browne

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = James Charles

| lastname = Dowdall

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Eamonn

| lastname = Duggan

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Séamus

| lastname = Fitzgerald

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Oliver St. John

| lastname = Gogarty

| articlename =

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Denis

| lastname = Healy

| articlename = Denis Healy (Irish politician)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = T. V.

| lastname = Honan

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Andrew

| lastname = Jameson

| articlename = Andrew Jameson (politician)

| party = Independent politician (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Johnson

| articlename = Thomas Johnson (Irish politician)

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Kennedy

| articlename = Thomas Kennedy (Irish politician)

| party = Labour Party (Ireland)

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Raphael

| lastname = Keyes

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Patrick

| lastname = Lynch

| articlename = Patrick Lynch (Irish attorney general)

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Pádraic

| lastname = Ó Máille

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Thomas

| lastname = Ruane

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Richard

| lastname = Wilson

| articlename = Richard Wilson (Irish politician)

| party = Fine Gael

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes =

}}

{{First Seanad member entry

| firstname = Jennie Wyse

| lastname = Power

| articlename =

| party = Fianna Fáil

| enteredoffice = Elected in 1934

| term = 9 years

| filledvacancy =

| notes = Joined Fianna Fáil in advance of the 1934 Seanad election{{cite book|last=O'Neill |first=Marie |year=1991 |title=From Parnell to de Valera: A Biography of Jennie Wyse Power 1858–1941 |publisher=Blackwater Press |location=Dublin |page=172}}

}}

Changes

{{Constituency changes

|date = 11

|month = December

|year = 1935

|gain =

|loss = Fianna Fáil

|note = Resignation of Séumas Robinson

}}

{{Constituency changes

|date = 24

|month = February

|year = 1936

|gain =

|loss = Fianna Fáil

|note = Michael Comyn appointed as a judge of the Circuit Court

}}{{end}}

References

External links

{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/find/?debateType=seanad&datePeriod=term&term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fseanad%2F1934|title=1934 Seanad|work=Oireachtas Debates}}

1934