County Cork (UK Parliament constituency)

County Cork 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.

County Cork
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyCounty Cork
18011885
Seats2
Created fromCounty Cork
Replaced byEast Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork

Area

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This constituency comprised County Cork, except for the city of Cork and the boroughs of Bandon, Kinsale, Mallow and Youghal, which were separately represented. The boroughs of Baltimore, Castlemartyr, Charleville, Clonakilty, Doneraile, Midleton and Rathcormack were disfranchised by the Acts of Union 1800.

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the borough constituencies in the county other than Cork City were abolished and the county constituency was replaced by the constituencies of East Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork, each electing one MP. These constituencies were first used at the 1885 general election.

Members of Parliament

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Year1st member1st party2nd member2nd party
1801, 1 JanuaryViscount BoyleRobert Uniacke Fitzgerald
1806, 17 NovemberWhigHon. George PonsonbyWhig
1807, 16 MayViscount BernardTory
1812, 23 OctoberViscount EnnismoreTory[1]
1818, 29 JuneViscount KingsboroughWhig
1826, 21 JuneRobert KingWhig[2]
1827, 4 DecemberJohn BoyleWhig[3]
1830, 12 AugustViscount BoyleWhig[2]
1832, 29 DecemberFeargus O'Connor[4]Repeal Association[2][5]Garrett Standish BarryRepeal Association[2]
1835, 5 JuneRichard LongfieldConservative[2][5]
1837, 18 AugustEdmond RocheRepeal Association[2][5][6]
1841, 15 JulyDaniel O'ConnellRepeal Association[2][5]
1847, 2 JulyMaurice PowerRepeal Association[5][6]
1852, 22 MarchWhig[7]Vincent ScullyInd. Irish[8][9]
1855, 23 AprilRickard DeasyWhig[10][11]
1857, 10 AprilAlexander McCarthyInd. Irish[12][13]
1859, 10 MayLiberalVincent ScullyLiberal
1861, 28 FebruaryNicholas LeaderConservative
1865, 29 JulyGeorge Richard BarryLiberal
1867, 3 FebruaryArthur Smith-BarryLiberal
1868, 30 NovemberMcCarthy DowningLiberal
1874, 9 FebruaryHome RuleWilliam ShawHome Rule
1879, 20 FebruaryDavid la Touche ColthurstHome Rule
1885Constituency divided: see East Cork, Mid Cork, North Cork, North East Cork, South Cork, South East Cork and West Cork

Elections

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Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1830: County Cork[5][2][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigRobert KingUnopposed
WhigRichard BoyleUnopposed
Registered electors3,138
Whig hold
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1831: County Cork[5][2][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigRobert KingUnopposed
WhigRichard BoyleUnopposed
Registered electors3,178
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1832: County Cork[5][2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Irish RepealFeargus O'Connor 1,837 32.0
Irish RepealGarrett Standish Barry 1,778 30.9
ToryFrancis Bernard99417.3
ToryAbraham Morris73712.8
WhigRobert King4017.0
ToryRichard Hedges Becher20.0
WhigThomas Stephen Coppinger00.0
Majority78413.6
Turnout3,02278.8
Registered electors3,835
Irish Repeal gain from Whig
Irish Repeal gain from Whig
General election 1835: County Cork[5][2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Repeal (Whig)Feargus O'Connor 1,630 31.0 −1.0
Irish Repeal (Whig)Garrett Standish Barry 1,613 30.7 −0.2
ConservativeRichard Longfield1,02719.5+6.7
ConservativeFrancis Bernard98418.7+1.4
Majority58611.2−2.4
Turnoutc. 2,627c. 66.9c. −11.9
Registered electors3,926
Irish Repeal holdSwing−2.5
Irish Repeal holdSwing−2.1
  • On petition, O'Connor was declared not qualified and unseated in favour of Longfield
General election 1837: County Cork[5][2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish Repeal (Whig)Garrett Standish Barry 1,902 31.3 +0.6
Irish Repeal (Whig)Edmond Roche 1,902 31.3 +0.3
ConservativeRichard Longfield1,14818.9−0.6
ConservativeJames King1,11418.4−0.3
Majority75412.4+1.2
Turnoutc. 3,035c. 62.2c. −4.7
Registered electors4,878
Irish Repeal holdSwing+0.5
Irish Repeal holdSwing+0.4

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: County Cork[5][2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish RepealDaniel O'Connell 1,274 38.5 +7.2
Irish RepealEdmond Roche 1,274 38.5 +7.2
ConservativeNicholas Leader40612.3−7.1
ConservativeRobert Longfield35710.8−7.1
Majority86826.2+13.8
Turnout1,68045.3−16.9
Registered electors3,706
Irish Repeal holdSwing+7.2
Irish Repeal holdSwing+7.2

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

By-election, 2 July 1847: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish RepealMaurice Power 833 60.5 −16.5
ConservativeNicholas Leader54439.5+16.4
Majority28921.0−5.2
Turnout1,37730.8−14.5
Registered electors4,474 (1847 figure)
Irish Repeal holdSwing−16.5
General election 1847: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Irish RepealMaurice PowerUnopposed
Irish RepealEdmond RocheUnopposed
Registered electors4,474
Irish Repeal hold
Irish Repeal hold

Elections in the 1850s

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

By-election, 22 March 1852: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent IrishVincent Scully 3,956 56.0 New
ConservativeMoreton Frewen3,10544.0New
Majority85112.0N/A
Turnout7,06153.5N/A
Registered electors13,192
Independent Irish gain from Irish RepealSwingN/A
General election 1852: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent IrishVincent ScullyUnopposed
WhigEdmond RocheUnopposed
Registered electors13,192
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: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
WhigRickard Deasy 3,238 41.2 N/A
WhigWilliam Hare[15]3,00038.1N/A
Independent IrishAlexander McCarthy1,62820.7N/A
Majority2383.1N/A
Turnout7,866 (est)59.6 (est)N/A
Registered electors13,192
Whig holdSwingN/A
General election 1857: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
WhigRickard Deasy 6,788 42.7 N/A
Independent IrishAlexander McCarthy 6,265 39.4 N/A
Independent IrishVincent Scully2,85217.9N/A
Majority5233.3N/A
Turnout7,953 (est)50.9N/A
Registered electors15,633
Whig holdSwingN/A
Independent Irish holdSwingN/A
General election 1859: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalRickard DeasyUnopposed
LiberalVincent ScullyUnopposed
Registered electors15,716
Liberal hold
Liberal hold

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

By-election, 5 July 1859: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalRickard DeasyUnopposed
Registered electors15,716
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

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

By-election, 5 March 1860: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalRickard Deasy 5,674 62.6 N/A
ConservativeCharles Noel3,39537.4New
Majority2,27925.2N/A
Turnout9,06957.7N/A
Registered electors15,716
Liberal hold

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

By-election, 28 February 1861: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeNicholas Leader 6,441 69.3 N/A
LiberalEdmund Roche2,85230.7N/A
Majority3,58938.6N/A
Turnout9,29359.1N/A
Registered electors15,716
Conservative gain from Liberal
General election 1865: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalGeorge Richard Barry 7,593 45.1 N/A
ConservativeNicholas Leader 6,958 41.3 N/A
LiberalVincent Scully2,29813.6N/A
Turnout14,551 (est)93.4 (est)N/A
Registered electors15,572
Majority6353.8N/A
Liberal hold
Majority4,66027.7N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal

Barry's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 23 February 1867: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalArthur Smith-BarryUnopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalMcCarthy Downing 8,011 43.7 N/A
LiberalArthur Smith-Barry 6,610 36.0 −9.1
LiberalRobert Boyle3,71720.3N/A
Majority2,89315.7+11.9
Turnout9,169 (est)56.9 (est)−36.5
Registered electors16,105
Liberal hold
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Home RuleWilliam ShawUnopposed
Home RuleMcCarthy DowningUnopposed
Registered electors15,633
Home Rule gain from Liberal
Home Rule gain from Liberal

Downing's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 17 Feb 1879: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Home RuleDavid la Touche Colthurst 8,157 80.1 N/A
ConservativeSir George St John Colthurst 6th Baronet2,02719.9New
Majority6,13060.2N/A
Turnout10,18466.3N/A
Registered electors15,634
Home Rule holdSwingN/A

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1880: County Cork[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Home RuleWilliam Shaw 5,354 43.3 N/A
Home RuleDavid la Touche Colthurst 3,584 29.0 N/A
Home RuleAndrew Kettle3,43027.7N/A
Majority1541.3N/A
Turnout6,184 (est)40.4 (est)N/A
Registered electors15,321
Home Rule holdSwingN/A
Home Rule holdSwingN/A

References

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  1. ^ Salmon, Philip. "HARE, Hon. Richard (1773-1827)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 206, 265–266. ISBN 0901714127.
  6. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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)
  • Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.,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)