Kilkenny City (UK Parliament constituency)

UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland, 1801–1918

Kilkenny City

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County| County Kilkenny
Borough| Kilkenny
1801–1918
Seats| 1
Created from| Kilkenny City (IHC)
Replaced by| North Kilkenny

Kilkenny City was an Irish borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament (MP). It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801, and remained in existence until its abolition at the 1918 general election.

## Boundaries

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This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Kilkenny in County Kilkenny.

## Members of Parliament

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Election | Member | Party | Note

|
|
|

| 1 January 1801 | William Talbot |  | 1801: Co-opted. Resigned.
| 2 March 1802 | Richard Archdall |  |
| 22 July 1802 | Hon. Charles Harward Butler | Whig | Resigned
| 4 February 1809 | Robert Williams |  |
| 24 October 1812 | Overington Blunden |  | Resigned
| 27 May 1814 | Hon. Charles Harward Butler | Whig |
| 7 April 1820 | Rt Hon. Denis Browne | Tory |
| 22 June 1826 | John Doherty | Tory[1] |
| 11 August 1830 | Nicholas Philpot Leader | Whig[2] |
| 13 December 1832 | Richard Sullivan | Repeal Association[3] | Re-elected as a candidate of a Liberal/Repealer pact
| 17 May 1836 | Daniel O'Connell | Repeal Association[2][3] |
| 7 August 1837 | Joseph Hume | Radical[2] |
| 3 July 1841 | John O'Connell | Repeal Association[2][3][4] | 1847: Also returned by and elected to sit for Limerick
| 18 December 1847 | Michael Sullivan | Repeal Association[3][5] | Re-elected as a Liberal candidate
| 10 July 1852 | Ind. Irish[3] |
| 5 May 1859 | Liberal |
| 13 July 1865 | Sir John Gray | Liberal | Re-elected as a Home Rule League candidate
| 2 February 1874 | Home Rule League | Died
| 28 April 1875 | Benjamin Whitworth | Home Rule League | Resigned
| 26 February 1880 | John Francis Smithwick | Home Rule League |
| 1882 | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1886  | Thomas Quinn | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1890  | Parnellite |
| 1891–1892  | Irish National Federation |
| 1892–1895  | Thomas Bartholomew Curran | Irish National Federation |
| 1895  | Patrick O'Brien | Parnellite |
| 1900–1917  | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1917  | W. T. Cosgrave | Sinn Féin |
1918 | constituency abolished

## Elections

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### Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1830: Kilkenny City[3][2][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Whig | Nicholas Leader | 219  | 54.5  |
| Nonpartisan | William Morris Reade | 116  | 28.9  |
| Nonpartisan | William Morres Bayley  | 67  | 16.7  |
Majority | 103  | 25.6  |
Turnout | 402  |  |
| Whig gain from Tory | Swing |  |
General election 1831: Kilkenny City[3][2][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Nicholas Leader | Unopposed
Registered electors | 350  |
| Whig hold
General election 1832: Kilkenny City[3][2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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|
|

| Irish Repeal | Richard Sullivan (MP) | Unopposed
Registered electors | 562  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Whig
General election 1835: Kilkenny City[3][2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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|
|

| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Richard Sullivan (MP) | 7 | 100.0
| Nonpartisan | William Fletcher  | 0  | 0.0
Majority  | 7  | 100.0
Turnout | 7  | 1.2
Registered electors | 599  |
| Irish Repeal hold

Sullivan resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 May 1836: Kilkenny City[3][2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | Daniel O'Connell | Unopposed
| Irish Repeal hold
General election 1837: Kilkenny City[3][2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | Joseph Hume | 57  | 45.6  | New
| Irish Repeal (Whig)  | Daniel O'Connell | 50  | 40.0  | −60.0
| Radical | William Ewart | 18  | 14.4  | New
Majority | 7  | 5.6  | N/A
Turnout | 125  | 16.1  | +14.9
Registered electors | 775  |  |
| Radical gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | John O'Connell | Unopposed
Registered electors | 580  |  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Radical
General election 1847: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | John O'Connell | Unopposed
Registered electors | 443  |  |
| Irish Repeal hold

O'Connell was also elected for Limerick City and opted to sit there, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 December 1847: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | Michael Sullivan | Unopposed
| Irish Repeal hold

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

General election 1852: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent Irish | Michael Sullivan | Unopposed
Registered electors | 664  |  |
| Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal
General election 1857: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent Irish | Michael Sullivan | 218  | 55.2  | N/A
| Whig | Francis Harvey Devereux[7] | 177  | 44.8  | New
Majority | 41  | 10.4  | N/A
Turnout | 395  | 74.4  | N/A
Registered electors | 531  |  |
| Independent Irish hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1859: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Michael Sullivan | 236  | 52.9  | −2.3
| Liberal | Matthew O'Donnell  | 210  | 47.1  | +2.3
Majority | 26  | 5.8  | −4.6
Turnout | 446  | 76.2  | +1.8
Registered electors | 585  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −2.3  |

### Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1865: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal | John Gray | Unopposed
Registered electors | 574  |  |
| Liberal hold
General election 1868: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal | John Gray | Unopposed
Registered electors | 739  |  |
| Liberal hold

### Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Home Rule | John Gray | Unopposed
Registered electors | 709  |  |
| Home Rule gain from Liberal

Gray's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 28 Apr 1875: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | Benjamin Whitworth | 290  | 55.6  | N/A
| Home Rule | Edmund Dwyer-Gray | 120  | 23.0  | N/A
| Home Rule | Edward Marum | 112  | 21.5  | N/A
Majority | 170  | 32.6  | N/A
Turnout | 522  | 75.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 690  |  |
| Home Rule hold

### Elections in the 1880s

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Whitworth's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 26 Feb 1880: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | John Francis Smithwick | Unopposed
Registered electors | 675  |  |
| Home Rule hold
General election 1880: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | John Francis Smithwick | 316  | 60.8  | N/A
| Home Rule | William James Doherty  | 204  | 39.2  | N/A
Majority | 112  | 21.6  | N/A
Turnout | 520  | 77.0  | N/A
Registered electors | 675  |  |
| Home Rule hold
1885 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | John Francis Smithwick | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,899  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold
1886 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | Thomas Quinn | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,899  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

1892 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish National Federation | Thomas Bartholomew Curran | 744  | 55.2  | N/A
| Irish National League | John O'Connor | 604  | 44.8  | N/A
Majority | 140  | 10.4  | N/A
Turnout | 1,348  | 74.6  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,806  |  |
| Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A |
1895 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish National League | Pat O'Brien | 681  | 50.5  | +5.7
| Irish National Federation | James Patrick Farrell | 667  | 49.5  | −5.7
Majority | 14  | 1.0  | N/A
Turnout | 1,348  | 76.2  | +1.6
Registered electors | 1,769  |  |
| Irish National League gain from Irish National Federation | Swing | +5.7  |

### Elections in the 1900s

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1900 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,556  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold
1906 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,533  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold

### Elections in the 1910s

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January 1910 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,742  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold
December 1910 general election: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,742  |  |
| Irish Parliamentary hold
By-election 10 August 1917: Kilkenny City[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Sinn Féin | W. T. Cosgrave | 772  | 66.3  | New
| Irish Parliamentary | John Magennis  | 392  | 33.7  | N/A
Majority | 380  | 32.6  | N/A
Turnout | 1,164  | 68.4  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,702  |  |
| Sinn Féin gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A |

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Fisher, David R. "DOHERTY, John (1785-1850), of Stephen's Green, Dublin". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. pp. 230–231.
3. ^ 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 ab ac ad ae af Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 221, 286–287, 356. ISBN 0901714127.
4. ^ "Kilkenny—The County Election". Wexford Independent. 14 August 1847. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. ^ "Cork Examiner". 22 December 1847. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. ^ a b Salmon, Philip. "Kilkenny". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
7. ^ "The Evening Freeman". 8 April 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 October 2018 – 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, 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 "K" (part 2)

* v
* t
* e

Parliamentary constituencies in County Kilkenny

Parliament of Ireland
to 1800|

* County Kilkenny (????–1800)
* Callan (????–1800)
* Gowran (????–1800)
* Inistioge (????–1800)
* Knocktopher (????–1800)
* Kilkenny City (????–1800)
* St Canice (1661–1800)
* Thomastown (????–1800)

Westminster 1801–1922
and First Dáil 1918|

* County Kilkenny (1801–1885)
* Kilkenny City (1801–1918)
* North Kilkenny (1885–1922)
* South Kilkenny (1885–1922)

Dáil Éireann
1918–present|

| Historic|

* Kilkenny (1937–1948)

|

Current|

* Carlow–Kilkenny (1921–1937, 1948–)

European Parliament
1979–present|

* Leinster (1979–2004)
* East (2004–2014)
* South (2014–)

Constituencies in Ireland by county

Republic of Ireland|

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Northern Ireland|

* Antrim
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