The December1918 General Election resulted in the annihilation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, which managed to win only six seats as opposed to Sinn Féin's 73.
O'Hegarty was very close to Harry Boland, a constant companion, and Michael Collins and, in 1918, this IRB triumvirate exercised considerable control in the nomination of Sinn Féin candidates for the General Election of December 1918.