County Carlow (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

County Carlow
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Carlow 1918 UK Irish constituency .png
County County Carlow
1801–1922
Seats
  • 2 (1801–1885)
  • 1 (1885–1922)
Created from County Carlow
Replaced by Carlow–Kilkenny

County Carlow was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, and one MP from 1885 to 1922.

Contents

History and representation

County Carlow had been represented by two seats in the Irish House of Commons. Under the Acts of Union 1800, it continued to be represented by two MPs, now in the United Kingdom House of Commons. It comprised the whole of County Carlow, except for the borough of Carlow, which was separately represented from 1801 to 1885. The borough of Old Leighlin was disfranchised under the Acts of Union 1800.

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the borough of Carlow was disfranchised and the county was reduced to one seat. [1] It was the only Irish county not divided for electoral purposes in the 1885 redistribution. It was thus the only Irish county constituency to exist at every general election from the union with Great Britain to the establishment of the Irish Free State.

It was not affected by the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918. The 1918 general election was used by Sinn Féin as the first election to Dáil Éireann. James Lennon sat as a member of the First Dáil, abstaining from Westminster.

Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, it was combined with the constituencies of North Kilkenny and South Kilkenny to form Carlow–Kilkenny as a 4-seat constituency for the Southern Ireland House of Commons and a one-seat constituency at Westminster. [2] At the 1921 election for the Southern Ireland House of Commons, the four seats were won uncontested by Sinn Féin, who treated it as part of the election to the Second Dáil. James Lennon was one of the four TDs elected for Carlow–Kilkenny. It was never used as a Westminster constituency; under the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922, no writ was to be issued "for a constituency in Ireland other than a constituency in Northern Ireland". [3] Therefore, following a dissolution on 26 October 1922, no vote was held in Carlow–Kilkenny at the 1922 United Kingdom general election on 15 November 1922. The Irish Free State left the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922.

Members of Parliament

Notable MPs for County Carlow included Nicholas Aylward Vigors, a zoologist, John Ball, a naturalist and Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh, and James Patrick Mahon.

MPs 1801–1885

Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party
1801 William Henry Burton Sir Richard Butler, Bt
Jul. 1802 David Latouche Whig Walter Bagenal Whig
Oct. 1812 Henry Bruen Tory [4]
18 Apr 1816 Robert Anthony Latouche Whig
Jun 1818 Sir Ulysses Burgh Tory
Jun 1826 Thomas Kavanagh Tory [4]
May 1831 Walter Blackney Whig [4] Sir John Milley Doyle Whig [4]
Dec 1832 Repeal Association [5] [4] Thomas Wallace Whig [4]
Jan. 1835 Henry Bruen Conservative [5] [4] Thomas Kavanagh Conservative [5] [4]
15 Jun 1835 Nicholas Aylward Vigors Repeal Association [lower-alpha 1] Alexander Raphael Whig [4]
19 Aug 1835 Henry Bruen Conservative [5] [4] Thomas Kavanagh Conservative [5] [4]
18 Feb 1837 Nicholas Aylward Vigors Whig [lower-alpha 1] [6]
Aug 1837 John Ashton Yates Whig [4]
5 Dec 1840 Henry Bruen Conservative [5] [4]
Jul 1841 Thomas Bunbury Conservative [5] [4]
1 Jul 1846 William McClintock-Bunbury Conservative [5]
Jul 1852 John Ball Independent Irish Party [5]
25 Apr 1853 William McClintock-Bunbury Conservative [5]
Apr 1857 Henry Bruen (younger) Conservative [5]
7 Aug 1862 Denis Pack-Beresford Conservative [5]
Nov 1868 Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Conservative [5]
Apr 1880 Edmund Dwyer Gray Home Rule League [5] Donald Horne Macfarlane Home Rule League [5]
1885 representation reduced to one member
Notes
  1. 1 2 Vigors was a supporter of the Whig/Repealer pact, 1835–1841, and who in 1832–1835 had been MP for the borough of Carlow as a member of the Repeal Association.

MPs 1885–1922

FromToNamePartyDied
18851886 Edmund Dwyer Gray Nationalist 27 March 1888
18861887 John Aloysius Blake Nationalist22 May 1887
18871891 James Patrick Mahon Nationalist15 June 1891
18911892 John Hammond Nationalist17 November 1907
18921900 Irish National Federation
19001908Nationalist
19081910 Walter MacMurrough Kavanagh Nationalist18 July 1922
19101918 Michael Molloy Nationalist
19181922 James Lennon Sinn Féin 13 August 1958

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Henry Bruen 242 38.3
Tory Thomas Kavanagh 216 34.2
Whig Horace William Noel Rochfort17427.5
Majority426.7
Turnout 37170.0
Registered electors 530
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Walter BlackneyUnopposed
Whig John Milley Doyle Unopposed
Registered electors 530
Whig gain from Tory
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Irish Repeal Walter Blackney 657 29.0
Whig Thomas Wallace 657 29.0
Tory Henry Bruen 48321.3
Tory Thomas Kavanagh 47020.7
Majority1747.7
Turnout 1,16093.1
Registered electors 1,246
Irish Repeal gain from Whig
Whig hold
General election 1835: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen 588 25.8 +4.5
Conservative Thomas Kavanagh 587 25.7 +5.0
Irish Repeal (Whig)Maurice O'Connell55424.3−4.7
Irish Repeal (Whig)Michael Cahill55324.2−4.8
Majority331.4N/A
Turnout 1,14490.1−3.0
Registered electors 1,269
Conservative gain from Irish Repeal Swing +4.6
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +4.9

On petition, Bruen and Kavanagh were unseated and a by-election was called.

By-election, 15 June 1835: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 627 26.2 +1.9
Whig Alexander Raphael 626 26.1 +1.9
Conservative Thomas Kavanagh 57223.9−1.8
Conservative Henry Bruen 57123.8−2.0
Majority542.2N/A
Turnout c. 1,198c. 94.4c. +4.3
Registered electors 1,269
Irish Repeal gain from Conservative Swing +1.9
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +1.9

After a further petition, the poll was amended and 105 votes for Vigors and Raphael were struck off. Kavanagh and Bruen were declared elected.

Kavanagh's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 February 1837: Carlow [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 669 51.4 +2.8
Conservative Thomas Bunbury 63348.6−2.9
Majority362.8N/A
Turnout 1,30275.8−14.3
Registered electors 1,718
Irish Repeal gain from Conservative Swing +2.9
General election 1837: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 730 26.6 +2.3
Whig John Ashton Yates 730 26.6 +2.4
Conservative Henry Bruen 64323.4−2.4
Conservative Thomas Bunbury 64323.4−2.3
Majority873.2N/A
Turnout 1,37377.2−12.9
Registered electors 1,779
Irish Repeal gain from Conservative Swing +2.3
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +2.4

Elections in the 1840s

Vigors' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 5 December 1840: Carlow [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen 722 56.5 +9.7
Whig Frederick Ponsonby55543.5−9.7
Majority16713.0N/A
Turnout 1,277 (est)72.6 (est)c. −4.6
Registered electors 1,759
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +9.7
General election 1841: Carlow (2 seats) [5] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen 705 25.2 +1.8
Conservative Thomas Bunbury 704 25.1 +1.7
Whig John Ashton Yates 69724.9−1.7
Irish Repeal Daniel O'Connell 69624.8−1.8
Majority70.2N/A
Turnout 1,401 (est)79.6 (est)c. +2.4
Registered electors 1,759
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +1.8
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +1.7

Bunbury's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 1 July 1846: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William McClintock Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Registered electors 1,984
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Irish John Ball 895 25.2 New
Conservative Henry Bruen 893 25.2 N/A
Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury 88024.8N/A
Whig John Henry Keogh87724.7New
Turnout 1,773 (est)84.8 (est)N/A
Registered electors 2,090
Majority20.0N/A
Independent Irish gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Majority160.4N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Bruen's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 25 April 1853: Carlow (1 seat) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Registered electors 2,039
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Registered electors 2,381
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Independent Irish
General election 1859: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Registered electors 2,418
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

McClintock Bunbury resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 7 August 1862: Carlow (1 seat) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Denis Pack-Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 2,520
Conservative hold
General election 1865: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Conservative Denis Pack-Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 2,449
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Registered electors 2,309
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Registered electors 2,180
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: County Carlow (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Home Rule Edmund Dwyer Gray 1,224 33.0 New
Home Rule Donald Horne Macfarlane 1,143 30.8 New
Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh 71419.2N/A
Conservative Henry Bruen 63317.0N/A
Majority42911.6N/A
Turnout 1,857 (est)84.0 (est)N/A
Registered electors 2,212
Home Rule gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Home Rule gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 3 December 1885: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary Edmund Dwyer Gray 4,801 86.5 +22.7
Conservative Thomas Pierce Butler 751 13.5 −22.7
Majority4,05073.0+45.4
Turnout 5,55280.6−3.4
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing +22.8
By-election 29 January 1886: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary John Aloysius Blake Unopposed
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 3 July 1886: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary John Aloysius Blake Unopposed
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold
By-election 24 August 1887: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary James Patrick Mahon Unopposed
Registered electors 7,643
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1890s

By-election 7 July 1891: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,755 70.9 New
Irish National League Andrew Kettle 1,53929.1New
Majority2,21641.8N/A
Turnout 5,29475.5N/A
Registered electors 7,016
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election 12 July 1892: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,738 82.1 N/A
Liberal Unionist Robert More McMahon81317.9New
Majority2,92564.2N/A
Turnout 4,55166.2N/A
Registered electors 6,874
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election 20 July 1895: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,091 81.6 −0.5
Irish Unionist Steuart James Charles Duckett68518.4+0.5
Majority2,40663.2−1.0
Turnout 3,77661.2−5.0
Registered electors 6,168
Irish National Federation hold Swing −0.5

Elections in the 1900s

General election 3 October 1900: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary John Hammond Unopposed
Registered electors 6,454
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 17 January 1906: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary John Hammond Unopposed
Registered electors 5,831
Irish Parliamentary hold

Hammond's death causes a by-election.

By-election 3 February 1908: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary Walter MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Registered electors 5,881
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1910s

General election 20 January 1910: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael MolloyUnopposed
Registered electors 5,905
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 9 December 1910: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael MolloyUnopposed
Registered electors 5,905
Irish Parliamentary hold
General Election 14 December 1918: Carlow [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Sinn Féin James LennonUnopposed
Registered electors 16,133
Sinn Féin gain from Irish Parliamentary

See also

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References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23)". The public general acts. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports. p. 184. OCLC   145381863.
  2. ↑ "Government of Ireland Act 1920: Fifth Schedule". legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5, c. 4), s. 1(4)". Historical Documents. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. pp. 216–217. Retrieved 15 September 2018– via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN   0901714127.
  6. ↑ "Leicester Chronicle" . 25 February 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 19 August 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. 1 2 Salmon, Philip. "Co. Carlow". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

Sources

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