Michael O'Flanagan States in April 1925 to help Sinn Féin contest a number of by-elections. That summer he was suspended from clerical duties and forbidden to say mass because of his nationalist activities and anti-clerical speeches he had made in America. In March 1926, the Sinn Féin ard fheis narrowly defeated de Valera's proposal to enter the Free State Oireachtas if the Oath of Allegiance were removed. O'Flanagan sided with the majority. De Valera left to found Fianna Fáil, which eclipsed Sinn Féin at the June 1927 election. O'Flanagan remained with the reduced Sinn Féin. Bishop Coyne died in July 1926, but
Elections in Northern Ireland at which nationalists failed to gain any seats. 1959 The nationalist vote fell dramatically (it would take until February 1974 to regain the heights it had reached in 1955), and Sinn Féin failed to hold the seats they had won in 1955. Both their MPs had been disqualified shortly after election anyway. 1955 Sinn Fein contested the full range of seats and united the nationalist vote behind them, winning both the seats won by nationalists in 1951. Labour candidates contested only the four Belfast seats. 1951 This was the last election at which candidates stood unopposed; four Unionist candidates in