County Carlow (UK Parliament constituency)

County Carlow
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyCounty Carlow
1801–1922
Seats
  • 2 (1801–1885)
  • 1 (1885–1922)
Created fromCounty Carlow (IHC)
Replaced byCarlow–Kilkenny

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

History and representation

County Carlow had been represented by two seats in the Irish House of Commons.[1] Under the Acts of Union 1800, it continued to be represented by two MPs, now in the United Kingdom House of Commons, sitting at the Palace of Westminster.[2][3] 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.[4] It was the only Irish county not divided 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 new Southern Ireland House of Commons and a one-seat constituency at Westminster.[5][6] Sinn Féin treated the 1921 election for the Southern Ireland House of Commons, in which all seats were uncontested, as part of the election to the Second Dáil.[7] James Lennon was one of four returned to represent Carlow–Kilkenny for Sinn Féin.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed 6 December 1921, provided for the establishment of the Irish Free State. 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".[8] 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[9]
18 Apr 1816 Robert Anthony Latouche Whig
Jun 1818 Sir Ulysses Burgh Tory
Jun 1826 Thomas Kavanagh Tory[9]
May 1831 Walter Blackney Whig[9] Sir John Milley Doyle Whig[9]
Dec 1832 Repeal Association[10][9] Thomas Wallace Whig[9]
Jan. 1835 Henry Bruen Conservative[10][9] Thomas Kavanagh Conservative[10][9]
15 Jun 1835 Nicholas Aylward Vigors Repeal Association[a] Alexander Raphael Whig[9]
19 Aug 1835 Henry Bruen Conservative[10][9] Thomas Kavanagh Conservative[10][9]
18 Feb 1837 Nicholas Aylward Vigors Whig[a][11]
Aug 1837 John Ashton Yates Whig[9]
5 Dec 1840 Henry Bruen Conservative[10][9]
Jul 1841 Thomas Bunbury Conservative[10][9]
1 Jul 1846 William McClintock-Bunbury Conservative[10]
Jul 1852 John Ball Independent Irish Party[10]
25 Apr 1853 William McClintock-Bunbury Conservative[10]
Apr 1857 Henry Bruen (younger) Conservative[10]
7 Aug 1862 Denis Pack-Beresford Conservative[10]
Nov 1868 Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Conservative[10]
Apr 1880 Edmund Dwyer Gray Home Rule League[10] Donald Horne Macfarlane Home Rule League[10]
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

From To Name Party
1885 1886 Edmund Dwyer Gray Nationalist
1886 1887 John Aloysius Blake Nationalist
1887 1891 James Patrick Mahon Nationalist
1891 1892 John Hammond Nationalist
1892 1900 Irish National Federation
1900 1908 Nationalist
1908 1910 Walter MacMurrough Kavanagh Nationalist
1910 1918 Michael Molloy Nationalist
1918 1922 James Lennon Sinn Féin

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Carlow (2 seats)[10][9][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Henry Bruen 242 38.3
Tory Thomas Kavanagh 216 34.2
Whig Horace William Noel Rochfort 174 27.5
Majority 42 6.7
Turnout 371 70.0
Registered electors 530
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Carlow (2 seats)[10][9][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Blackney Unopposed
Whig John Milley Doyle Unopposed
Registered electors 530
Whig gain from Tory
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Carlow (2 seats)[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Repeal Walter Blackney 657 29.0
Whig Thomas Wallace 657 29.0
Tory Henry Bruen 483 21.3
Tory Thomas Kavanagh 470 20.7
Majority 174 7.7
Turnout 1,160 93.1
Registered electors 1,246
Repeal gain from Whig
Whig hold
General election 1835: Carlow (2 seats)[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bruen 588 25.8 +4.5
Conservative Thomas Kavanagh 587 25.7 +5.0
Repeal (Whig) Maurice O'Connell 554 24.3 −4.7
Repeal (Whig) Michael Cahill 553 24.2 −4.8
Majority 33 1.4 N/A
Turnout 1,144 90.1 −3.0
Registered electors 1,269
Conservative gain from 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)[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 627 26.2 +1.9
Whig Alexander Raphael 626 26.1 +1.9
Conservative Thomas Kavanagh 572 23.9 −1.8
Conservative Henry Bruen 571 23.8 −2.0
Majority 54 2.2 N/A
Turnout c. 1,198 c. 94.4 c. +4.3
Registered electors 1,269
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[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 669 51.4 +2.8
Conservative Thomas Bunbury 633 48.6 −2.9
Majority 36 2.8 N/A
Turnout 1,302 75.8 −14.3
Registered electors 1,718
Repeal gain from Conservative Swing +2.9
General election 1837: Carlow (2 seats)[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Repeal (Whig) Nicholas Aylward Vigors 730 26.6 +2.3
Whig John Ashton Yates 730 26.6 +2.4
Conservative Henry Bruen 643 23.4 −2.4
Conservative Thomas Bunbury 643 23.4 −2.3
Majority 87 3.2 N/A
Turnout 1,373 77.2 −12.9
Registered electors 1,779
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[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen 722 56.5 +9.7
Whig Frederick Ponsonby 555 43.5 −9.7
Majority 167 13.0 N/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)[10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen 705 25.2 +1.8
Irish Conservative Thomas Bunbury 704 25.1 +1.7
Whig John Ashton Yates 697 24.9 −1.7
Repeal Daniel O'Connell 696 24.8 −1.8
Majority 7 0.2 N/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[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative William McClintock Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Registered electors 1,984
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Irish John Ball 895 25.2 New
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen 893 25.2 N/A
Irish Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury 880 24.8 N/A
Whig John Henry Keogh 877 24.7 New
Turnout 1,773 (est) 84.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 2,090
Majority 2 0.0 N/A
Independent Irish gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Majority 16 0.4 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Bruen's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 25 April 1853: Carlow (1 seat)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Registered electors 2,039
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Irish Conservative William McClintock-Bunbury Unopposed
Registered electors 2,381
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Independent Irish
General election 1859: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Irish 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)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Denis Pack-Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 2,520
Conservative hold
General election 1865: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Irish Conservative Denis Pack-Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 2,449
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Irish Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Registered electors 2,309
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen Unopposed
Registered electors 2,180
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: County Carlow (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule Edmund Dwyer Gray 1,224 33.0 New
Home Rule Donald Horne Macfarlane 1,143 30.8 New
Irish Conservative Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh 714 19.2 N/A
Irish Conservative Henry Bruen 633 17.0 N/A
Majority 429 11.6 N/A
Turnout 1,857 (est) 84.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 2,212
Home Rule gain from Irish Conservative Swing N/A
Home Rule gain from Irish Conservative Swing N/A
General election 3 December 1885: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Edmund Dwyer Gray 4,801 86.5 +22.7
Irish Conservative Thomas Pierce Butler 751 13.5 −22.7
Majority 4,050 73.0 +45.4
Turnout 5,552 80.6 −3.4
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing +22.8
  • Gray elects to sit for Dublin St Stephen's Green
By-election 29 January 1886: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary John Aloysius Blake Unopposed
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 3 July 1886: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary John Aloysius Blake Unopposed
Registered electors 6,891
Irish Parliamentary hold
  • Death of Blake
By-election 24 August 1887: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary James Patrick Mahon Unopposed
Registered electors 7,643
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1890s

  • Death of the O’Gorman Mahon
By-election 7 July 1891: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,755 70.9 N/A
Irish National League Andrew Kettle 1,539 29.1 N/A
Majority 2,216 41.8 N/A
Turnout 5,294 75.5 N/A
Registered electors 7,016
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election 12 July 1892: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,738 82.1 N/A
Liberal Unionist Robert More McMahon 813 17.9 New
Majority 2,925 64.2 N/A
Turnout 4,551 66.2 N/A
Registered electors 6,874
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing N/A
General election 20 July 1895: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation John Hammond 3,091 81.6 −0.5
Irish Unionist Steuart James Charles Duckett 685 18.4 +0.5
Majority 2,406 63.2 −1.0
Turnout 3,776 61.2 −5.0
Registered electors 6,168
Irish National Federation hold Swing −0.5

Elections in the 1900s

General election 3 October 1900: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary John Hammond Unopposed
Registered electors 6,454
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 17 January 1906: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Walter MacMurrough Kavanagh Unopposed
Registered electors 5,881
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1910s

General election 20 January 1910: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Molloy Unopposed
Registered electors 5,905
Irish Parliamentary hold
General election 9 December 1910: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Molloy Unopposed
Registered electors 5,905
Irish Parliamentary hold
General Election 14 December 1918: Carlow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Sinn Féin James Lennon Unopposed
Registered electors 16,133
Sinn Féin gain from Irish Parliamentary

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Johnston-Liik, Edith Mary. "County Carlow". History of the Irish Parliament. Ulster Historical Foundation.
  2. ↑ Salmon 1986.
  3. ↑ Jupp 2009.
  4. ↑ "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 23), s. 2 and First Schedule, Part 1; s. 8 and Sixth Schedule, Part 3" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk.
  5. ↑ "Government of Ireland Act 1920: Fifth Schedule". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Government of Ireland Act 1920: Fifth Schedule, Part I: Constituencies in Southern Ireland" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. p. 448.
  7. ↑ "President's Statement. - Elections". Dáil Debates. F (21). Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 May 1921. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5, c. 4)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  9. 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.
  10. 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. pp. 200, 256–257, 331–332, 385. ISBN 0901714127.
  11. ↑ "Leicester Chronicle". 25 February 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. 1 2 Salmon, Philip. "Co. Carlow". The History of Parliament. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

Sources

  • Salmon, Philip (1986). "Co. Carlow". In Thorne, R. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790–1820. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 0-436-52101-6.
  • Jupp, P.J. (2009). "Co. Carlow". In Fisher, D.R. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820–1832.
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
  • Walker, Brian M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 2)
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