County_Clare_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
For other parliamentary constituencies in County Clare, see Clare (disambiguation).
County Clare 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.
Quick Facts County Clare, County ...
| County Clare | |
|---|---|
| Former county constituency for the House of Commons | |
County Clare within Ireland | |
| County | County Clare |
| 1801–1885 | |
| Seats | 2 |
| Created from | County Clare |
| Replaced by | |
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At the 1885 general election, County Clare was split into two divisions: East Clare and West Clare.
This constituency comprised the whole of County Clare, except for the borough of Ennis.
More information Year, First member ...
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Elections in the 1820s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | Daniel O'Connell | 2,057 | 67.69 | ||
| Tory | William Vesey Fitzgerald | 982 | 32.31 | ||
| Majority | 1,075 | 35.38 | |||
| Turnout | 3.039 | ||||
| Radical gain from Tory | Swing | ||||
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Elections in the 1830s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 664 | 39.9 | ||
| Whig | James Patrick Mahon | 571 | 34.3 | ||
| Tory | Lucius O'Brien | 399 | 24.0 | ||
| Whig | William Richard Mahon | 18 | 1.1 | ||
| Whig | Burton Binden | 12 | 0.7 | ||
| Turnout | c. 832 | c. 51.9 | |||
| Registered electors | 1,604 | ||||
| Majority | 93 | 5.6 | |||
| Irish Repeal gain from Tory | |||||
| Majority | 172 | 10.3 | |||
| Whig gain from Tory | |||||
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On petition, Mahon was unseated and a by-election was called.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal | Maurice O'Connell | 325 | 64.7 | +24.8 | |
| Whig | Edward O'Brien | 177 | 35.3 | −0.8 | |
| Majority | 148 | 29.4 | +23.8 | ||
| Turnout | 502 | c. 33.2 | c. −18.7 | ||
| Registered electors | c. 1,514 | ||||
| Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | +12.8 | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 883 | 44.7 | +4.8 | |
| Irish Repeal | Maurice O'Connell | 597 | 30.2 | N/A | |
| Whig | James Patrick Mahon | 493 | 25.0 | −9.3 | |
| Whig | William Richard Mahon | 1 | 0.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 104 | 5.2 | −0.4 | ||
| Turnout | c. 987 | c. 65.2 | c. +13.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,514 | ||||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +4.8 | |||
| Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 920 | 32.5 | −12.2 | |
| Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 897 | 31.6 | +1.4 | |
| Tory | John Macdonnell | 701 | 24.7 | New | |
| Tory | Augustine Butler | 317 | 11.2 | New | |
| Majority | 196 | 6.9 | +1.7 | ||
| Turnout | 1,557 | 61.8 | c. −3.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,518 | ||||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −12.2 | |||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +1.4 | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Nugent Macnamara | 686 | 50.0 | +17.5 | |
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Cornelius O'Brien | 686 | 50.0 | +18.4 | |
| Conservative | Lucius O'Brien | 0 | 0.0 | −24.7 | |
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 0 | 0.0 | −11.2 | |
| Majority | 686 | 50.0 | +43.1 | ||
| Turnout | 686 | 25.7 | −36.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,671 | ||||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +17.8 | |||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +18.2 | |||
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- Lucius O'Brien and Vandeleur declined the contest
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Nugent Macnamara | Unopposed | |||
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Cornelius O'Brien | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 3,141 | ||||
| Irish Repeal hold | |||||
| Irish Repeal hold | |||||
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Elections in the 1840s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 1,079 | 44.6 | N/A | |
| Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,072 | 44.3 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 222 | 9.2 | New | |
| Conservative | James Molony | 47 | 1.9 | New | |
| Majority | 850 | 35.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,338 | 72.4 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,848 | ||||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Lucius O'Brien | 809 | 32.2 | +23.0 | |
| Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 723 | 28.8 | −15.8 | |
| Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 584 | 23.3 | −21.0 | |
| Conservative | William Fitzgerald | 395 | 15.7 | +13.8 | |
| Turnout | 1,256 (est) | 56.7 (est) | −15.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,216 | ||||
| Majority | 86 | 3.4 | N/A | ||
| Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +20.7 | |||
| Majority | 139 | 5.5 | −29.6 | ||
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −17.1 | |||
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Elections in the 1850s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | John Forster FitzGerald | 1,152 | 33.0 | New | |
| Independent Irish | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,141 | 32.7 | +9.4 | |
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,139 | 32.6 | +0.4 | |
| Conservative | William Stackpoole | 60 | 1.7 | −14.0 | |
| Turnout | 2,286 (est) | 88.6 (est) | +31.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,581 | ||||
| Majority | 11 | 0.3 | N/A | ||
| Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |||
| Majority | 2 | 0.1 | N/A | ||
| Independent Irish gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.1 | |||
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On petition, Fitzgerald and O'Brien were unseated, due to a "system of intimidation" being present at the 1852 election, and a writ was moved for a by-election.[11]
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Irish | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,376 | 34.2 | +1.5 | |
| Whig | John Forster FitzGerald | 1,351 | 33.5 | +0.5 | |
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,299 | 32.2 | −2.1 | |
| Independent | Henry Stuart Burton | 3 | 0.0 | New | |
| Turnout | 2,663 (est) | 84.7 (est) | −3.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,144 | ||||
| Majority | 25 | 0.7 | +0.6 | ||
| Independent Irish hold | Swing | +1.3 | |||
| Majority | 52 | 1.3 | +1.0 | ||
| Whig hold | Swing | +0.8 | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Irish | Francis Conyngham | 2,894 | 52.3 | N/A | |
| Independent Irish | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 1,390 | 25.1 | N/A | |
| Whig | John Forster Fitzgerald | 1,249 | 22.6 | −10.4 | |
| Independent Irish | Luke White[12] | 1 | 0.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 141 | 2.5 | +2.4 | ||
| Turnout | 2,767 (est) | 73.9 (est) | −14.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,745 | ||||
| Independent Irish hold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Independent Irish gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 3,829 | 47.5 | New | |
| Liberal | Luke White | 2,234 | 27.7 | +27.7 | |
| Liberal | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 1,997 | 24.8 | −0.3 | |
| Majority | 1,595 | 19.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 4,030 (est) | 73.2 (est) | −0.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,509 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | N/A | |||
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
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Elections in the 1860s
On petition, White was unseated, causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 2,993 | 72.3 | +47.5 | |
| Liberal | Charles White | 1,149 | 27.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,844 | 44.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 4,142 | 75.2 | +2.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,509 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
Calcutt died, causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 5,563 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 5,465 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | |||
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 5,649 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
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O'Loghlen was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 5,649 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1870s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Rule | Colman O'Loghlen | 3,095 | 44.9 | New | |
| Home Rule | Francis Conyngham | 2,565 | 37.2 | New | |
| Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,240 | 18.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 1,325 | 19.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 4,070 (est) | 74.5 (est) | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 5,460 | ||||
| Home Rule gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |||
| Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
O'Loghlen's death caused a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Rule | Bryan O'Loghlen | 1,721 | 47.2 | −34.9 | |
| Home Rule | James Patrick Mahon | 1,149 | 31.5 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Robert William Cary Reeves | 764 | 20.9 | +2.9 | |
| Liberal-Conservative | Francis Nathaniel Burton | 15 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 572 | 15.7 | −3.5 | ||
| Turnout | 3,649 | 67.2 | −7.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,427 | ||||
| Home Rule hold | Swing | −18.9 | |||
Close
- O'Loghlen was a Liberal home rule supporter, while The O'Gorman Mahon was a Nationalist home rule supporter. Burton also supported home rule.[13]
O'Loghlen was declared to have resigned after accepting office as Attorney General of Victoria, Australia, causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Rule | James Patrick Mahon | 1,661 | 41.5 | −40.6 | |
| Conservative | Hector Stewart Vandeleur | 1,531 | 38.3 | +20.3 | |
| Liberal | Peter O'Brien | 807 | 20.2 | New | |
| Majority | 130 | 3.2 | -16.0 | ||
| Turnout | 3,999 | 73.6 | −0.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,430 | ||||
| Home Rule hold | Swing | −30.5 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1880s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parnellite Home Rule League | James Patrick Mahon | 3,283 | 44.8 | −0.1 | |
| Parnellite Home Rule League | William O'Shea | 3,133 | 42.8 | +5.6 | |
| Conservative | Hector Stewart Vandeleur | 912 | 12.4 | −5.6 | |
| Majority | 2,221 | 30.4 | +11.2 | ||
| Turnout | 4,195 (est) | 74.3 (est) | −0.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,643 | ||||
| Home Rule hold | Swing | +1.4 | |||
| Home Rule hold | Swing | +2.8 | |||
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 |
There was a notorious riot at Sixmilebridge on polling day in 1852, in which soldiers shot dead seven protesters.
The Clare by-election in 1828 was notable as this was the first time since the reformation that an openly Roman Catholic MP, Daniel O'Connell was elected.
- Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 219. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via Google Books.
- Fisher, David R. "VESEY FITZGERALD (formerly FITZGERALD), William (?1782-1843), of Inchicronan, co. Clare". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- Farrell, Stephen. "O'BRIEN, Lucius (1800-1872)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 203, 260–261. ISBN 0901714127.
- "Clare". Coventry Standard. 30 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Dublin Evening Post". 28 March 1857. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Clare Election". Dublin Weekly Nation. 4 April 1857. p. 16. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Co. Clare 1820-1832". History of Parliament. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- Farrell, Stephen. "Co. Clare". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, Volume 50. 1843. Retrieved 25 August 2019 – via Google Books.
- "Kilkenny Journal, and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser". 15 June 1853. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "The Irish Elections". Freeman's Journal. 4 April 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Clare Election". Newcastle Journal. 7 August 1877. p. 3. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – 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's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 4)