The by-election, to one of two seats in the UK House of Commons constituency of Donegal, arose due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, William Wilson.
Early reports suggested that the Conservative candidate would be Lord Mountcharles, son of the Marquess of Conyngham, who owned an estate in the county, and was said to be personally popular as his tenants enjoyed 'the largest measure of tenant-right'.
[2] Mountcharles issued an election address, promising to support improvements to the Land Act and 'extension of the principle of local government'.
[4] Lea, formerly MP for Kidderminster, had failed to win the Donegal seat in the previous by-election by less than 100 votes.
Although this had for long been a Conservative seat, following the withdrawal of Lord Mountcharles there was an expectation that Lea would win.