In its first general election, Sinn Féin won 73[a] seats and viewed the result as a mandate for independence; in accordance with its declared policy of abstentionism, its 69[a] MPs refused to attend the British House of Commons in Westminster, and established a revolutionary parliament known as Dáil Éireann.

Thomas Harbison, IPP MP for North East Tyrone, did acknowledge the invitation, but "stated he should decline for obvious reasons".

Only 27 members attended; most of the other Sinn Féin TDs were imprisoned by the British authorities, or in hiding under threat of arrest.

All 101 MPs were considered TDs, and their names were called out on the roll of membership, though there was some laughter when Irish Unionist Alliance leader Edward Carson was described as as láthair ("absent").

[8] Four TDs represented two separate constituencies: Éamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith, Eoin MacNeill and Liam Mellowes.