Randal McDonnell, 8th Earl of Antrim

Randal John Somerled McDonnell, 8th Earl of Antrim KBE (1911–1977) was a diplomat, activist, soldier and administrator.

He was educated at Eton College and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he was a friend of Evelyn Waugh, and left without taking a degree.

[1] In 1937 Antrim visited Valencia, during the Spanish Civil War, with Cyril Connolly.

[2] During the Second World War Antrim was a Royal Navy officer, with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

Henry Moore, 10th Earl of Drogheda, had continued to sit as one until 1954, long after the creation of the Irish Free State, and it was simply a question of providing a new mechanism for the elections.