Cork County (UK Parliament constituency)

Cork County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1801 to 1885 it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Cork County
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
18011885
Number of membersTwo
Replaced byEast Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork

At the 1885 general election, County Cork was divided into seven parliamentary divisions: East Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork.

Since 1922, the area no longer elects UK members of parliament, as it is no longer in the United Kingdom.

Boundaries

This constituency comprised the whole of County Cork, except for the city of Cork and the boroughs of Bandon, Kinsale, Mallow and Youghal.

Members of Parliament

Year1st member1st party2nd member2nd party
1801, 1 January Viscount Boyle Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald
1806, 17 November Whig Hon. George Ponsonby Whig
1807, 16 May Viscount Bernard Tory
1812, 23 October Viscount Ennismore Tory[1]
1818, 29 June Viscount Kingsborough Whig
1826, 21 June Robert King Whig[2]
1827, 4 December John Boyle Whig[3]
1830, 12 August Viscount Boyle Whig[2]
1832, 29 December Feargus O'Connor[4] Repeal Association[2][5] Garrett Standish Barry Repeal Association[2]
1835, 5 June Richard Longfield Conservative[2][5]
1837, 18 August Edmond Roche Repeal Association[2][5][6]
1841, 15 July Daniel O'Connell Repeal Association[2][5]
1847, 2 July Maurice Power Repeal Association[5][6]
1852, 22 March Whig[7] Vincent Scully Ind. Irish[8][9]
1855, 23 April Rickard Deasy Whig[10][11]
1857, 10 April Alexander McCarthy Ind. Irish[12][13]
1859, 10 May Liberal Vincent Scully Liberal
1861, 28 February Nicholas Leader Conservative
1865, 29 July George Richard Barry Liberal
1867, 3 February Arthur Smith-Barry Liberal
1868, 30 November McCarthy Downing Liberal
1874, 9 February Home Rule William Shaw Home Rule
1879, 20 February David la Touche Colthurst Home Rule
1885 Constituency divided: see East Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Cork County[5][2][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Robert King Unopposed
Whig Richard Boyle Unopposed
Registered electors 3,138
Whig hold
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1831: Cork County[5][2][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Robert King Unopposed
Whig Richard Boyle Unopposed
Registered electors 3,178
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1832: Cork County[5][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Irish Repeal Feargus O'Connor 1,837 32.0
Irish Repeal Garrett Standish Barry 1,778 30.9
Tory Francis Bernard 994 17.3
Tory Abraham Morris 737 12.8
Whig Robert King 401 7.0
Tory Richard Hedges Becher 2 0.0
Whig Thomas Stephen Coppinger 0 0.0
Majority 784 13.6
Turnout 3,022 78.8
Registered electors 3,835
Irish Repeal gain from Whig
Irish Repeal gain from Whig
General election 1835: Cork County[5][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Repeal (Whig) Feargus O'Connor 1,630 31.0 1.0
Irish Repeal (Whig) Garrett Standish Barry 1,613 30.7 0.2
Conservative Richard Longfield 1,027 19.5 +6.7
Conservative Francis Bernard 984 18.7 +1.4
Majority 586 11.2 2.4
Turnout c.2,627 c.66.9 c.11.9
Registered electors 3,926
Irish Repeal hold Swing 2.5
Irish Repeal hold Swing 2.1
  • On petition, O'Connor was declared not qualified and unseated in favour of Longfield
General election 1837: Cork County[5][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Repeal (Whig) Garrett Standish Barry 1,902 31.3 +0.6
Irish Repeal (Whig) Edmond Roche 1,902 31.3 +0.3
Conservative Richard Longfield 1,148 18.9 0.6
Conservative James King 1,114 18.4 0.3
Majority 754 12.4 +1.2
Turnout c.3,035 c.62.2 c.4.7
Registered electors 4,878
Irish Repeal hold Swing +0.5
Irish Repeal hold Swing +0.4

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Cork County[5][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Repeal Daniel O'Connell 1,274 38.5 +7.2
Irish Repeal Edmond Roche 1,274 38.5 +7.2
Conservative Nicholas Leader 406 12.3 7.1
Conservative Robert Longfield 357 10.8 7.1
Majority 868 26.2 +13.8
Turnout 1,680 45.3 16.9
Registered electors 3,706
Irish Repeal hold Swing +7.2
Irish Repeal hold Swing +7.2

O'Connell's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 2 July 1847: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Repeal Maurice Power 833 60.5 16.5
Conservative Nicholas Leader 544 39.5 +16.4
Majority 289 21.0 5.2
Turnout 1,377 30.8 14.5
Registered electors 4,474 (1847 figure)
Irish Repeal hold Swing 16.5
General election 1847: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Repeal Maurice Power Unopposed
Irish Repeal Edmond Roche Unopposed
Registered electors 4,474
Irish Repeal hold
Irish Repeal hold

Elections in the 1850s

Power was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Saint Lucia, resigning and causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 March 1852: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Irish Vincent Scully 3,956 56.0 New
Conservative Moreton Frewen 3,105 44.0 New
Majority 851 12.0 N/A
Turnout 7,061 53.5 N/A
Registered electors 13,192
Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal Swing N/A
General election 1852: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Irish Vincent Scully Unopposed
Whig Edmond Roche Unopposed
Registered electors 13,192
Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal
Whig gain from Irish Repeal

Roche was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Fermoy and causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 April 1855: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Rickard Deasy 3,238 41.2 N/A
Whig William Hare[15] 3,000 38.1 N/A
Independent Irish Alexander McCarthy 1,628 20.7 N/A
Majority 238 3.1 N/A
Turnout 7,866 (est) 59.6 (est) N/A
Registered electors 13,192
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Rickard Deasy 6,788 42.7 N/A
Independent Irish Alexander McCarthy 6,265 39.4 N/A
Independent Irish Vincent Scully 2,852 17.9 N/A
Majority 523 3.3 N/A
Turnout 7,953 (est) 50.9 N/A
Registered electors 15,633
Whig hold Swing N/A
Independent Irish hold Swing N/A
General election 1859: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rickard Deasy Unopposed
Liberal Vincent Scully Unopposed
Registered electors 15,716
Liberal hold
Liberal hold

Deasy was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 5 July 1859: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rickard Deasy Unopposed
Registered electors 15,716
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

Deasy was appointed Attorney-General for Ireland, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 5 March 1860: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Rickard Deasy 5,674 62.6 N/A
Liberal Charles Noel 3,395 37.4 N/A
Majority 2,279 25.2 N/A
Turnout 9,069 57.7 N/A
Registered electors 15,716
Liberal hold

Deasy resigned after being appointed a Baron of the Exchequer, causing a by-election.

By-election, 28 February 1861: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Leader 6,441 69.3 New
Liberal Edmund Roche 2,852 30.7 N/A
Majority 3,589 38.6 N/A
Turnout 9,293 59.1 N/A
Registered electors 15,716
Conservative gain from Liberal
General election 1865: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Richard Barry 7,593 45.1 N/A
Conservative Nicholas Leader 6,958 41.3 N/A
Liberal Vincent Scully 2,298 13.6 N/A
Turnout 14,551 (est) 93.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 15,572
Majority 635 3.8 N/A
Liberal hold
Majority 4,660 27.7 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal

Barry's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 23 February 1867: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Smith-Barry Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal McCarthy Downing 8,011 43.7 N/A
Liberal Arthur Smith-Barry 6,610 36.0 9.1
Liberal Robert Boyle 3,717 20.3 N/A
Majority 2,893 15.7 +11.9
Turnout 9,169 (est) 56.9 (est) 36.5
Registered electors 16,105
Liberal hold
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule William Shaw Unopposed
Home Rule McCarthy Downing Unopposed
Registered electors 15,633
Home Rule gain from Liberal
Home Rule gain from Liberal

Downing's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 17 Feb 1879: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule David la Touche Colthurst 8,157 80.1 N/A
Conservative Sir George St John Colthurst 6th Baronet 2,027 19.9 New
Majority 6,130 60.2 N/A
Turnout 10,184 66.3 N/A
Registered electors 15,634
Home Rule hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Cork County[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule William Shaw 5,354 43.3 N/A
Home Rule David la Touche Colthurst 3,584 29.0 N/A
Home Rule Andrew Kettle 3,430 27.7 N/A
Majority 154 1.3 N/A
Turnout 6,184 (est) 40.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 15,321
Home Rule hold Swing N/A
Home Rule hold Swing N/A

Divided 1885 into seven divisions

References

  1. Salmon, Philip. "HARE, Hon. Richard (1773-1827)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 220.
  3. Salmon, Philip. "BOYLE, Hon. John (1803-1874), of Marston, Frome, Som". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  4. O'Connor was re-elected in 1835 but unseated on petition in favour of Richard Longfield on 5 June 1835, on the grounds that O'Connor failed the property qualification required of Members of Parliament.
  5. Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  6. "Ireland". Morning Advertiser. 13 August 1847. p. 3 via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Election News". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 24 July 1841. p. 5 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ""Success" of Mr. Scully". Cork Constitution. 13 March 1852. p. 2 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "County Cork Election". Weekly Freeman's Journal. 20 March 1852. p. 3 via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Cork Election". Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser. 21 April 1855. p. 3 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Undue Influence Exerted in the Irish Elections". Belfast News-Letter. 22 April 1857. p. 2 via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Cork County". Dublin Evening Mail. 20 March 1857. p. 2 via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Dublin Weekly Nation". 4 April 1857. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. Salmon, Philip. "Co. Cork". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  15. "Irish Business in Parliament". Dublin Weekly Nation. 21 April 1855. pp. 8–9 via British Newspaper Archive.
  • 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)
  • Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978),Leigh Rayment, David Dickson Old World Colony Corl and South Munster 1630-1830 Cork University Press 2005, Famine in West Cork Fr. Patrick Hickey Mercier Press 2002
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
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