1879 County Cork by-election

The 1879 County Cork by-election was fought on 17 February 1879. The by-election was fought due to the death of the incumbent Home Rule MP, McCarthy Downing. It was won by the Home Rule candidate David la Touche Colthurst.[1]

The main issues were Home Rule and fixed tenure for tenant farmers, with the Home Rule candidate (a Catholic convert) being backed by the Catholic church.[2]

1879 County Cork by-election[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Home Rule	Colonel David la Touche Colthurst	8,157	80.1	N/A
	Conservative	Sir George Colthurst	2,027	19.9	New
Majority			6,130	60.2	N/A
Turnout			10,184	66.3	N/A
	Home Rule hold		Swing	N/A

References

1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
2. "Cork County Election". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 18 February 1879. Retrieved 6 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Cork County Election". The Irishman. 22 February 1879. Retrieved 6 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.