Longford (UK Parliament constituency)

UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland, 1801–1885 and 1918–1922

County Longford

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| County Longford
1801–1885
Seats| 2
Created from| Longford (IHC)
Replaced by|

* North Longford
* South Longford

1918–1922
Seats| 1
Created from|

* North Longford
* South Longford

Replaced by| Longford–Westmeath

County Longford was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885, and one MP from 1918 to 1922.

## Boundaries

[edit]

This constituency comprised the whole of County Longford.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### MPs 1801–1885

[edit]

Year | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Party

|
|
|
|

1801, 1 January |  | Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, Bt |  |  | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt |
1802, 15 July  |  | Hon. Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen |
1806, 25 November  |  | Viscount George Forbes | Whig[1]
1819, 15 October  |  | Sir George Fetherston, Bt | Tory[1]
1830, 11 August  |  | Tory[1] |  | Anthony Lefroy | Tory[1]
1832, 22 December  |  | Luke White[2] | Repeal Association[3] |  | James Halpin Rorke[2] | Repeal Association[3]
1833, 2 April  |  | Viscount George Forbes | Tory[1] |  | Anthony Lefroy | Tory[1]
1834, 18 December |  | Conservative[1] |  | Conservative[1]
1836, 30 December  |  | Luke White[4] | Repeal Association[3]
1837, 5 May  |  | Charles Fox | Conservative[1]
1837, 18 August  |  | Luke White[5] | Repeal Association[3] |  | Henry White | Repeal Association[3]
1842, 18 April  |  | Anthony Lefroy | Conservative[1][3]
1847, 13 August  |  | Samuel Blackall | Repeal Association[3][6] |  | Richard Maxwell Fox | Repeal Association[3][6]
1851, 21 April  |  | Richard More O'Ferrall | Whig[1][7][8]
1852, 19 July  |  | Fulke Greville-Nugent | Ind. Irish[3] |  | Ind. Irish[3]
1856, 13 May  |  | Henry George Hughes | Whig[9][10][11]
1857, 16 April  |  | Whig[12][13] |  | Henry White | Whig[12][13]
1859, 9 May  |  | Liberal[3] |  | Liberal[3]
1861, 4 July  |  | Luke White | Liberal[3]
1862, 7 March  |  | Myles O'Reilly | Liberal[3]
1869, 31 December  |  | Hon. Reginald Greville-Nugent[14] | Liberal[3]
1870, 16 May  |  | Hon. George Greville-Nugent | Liberal[3]
1874, 12 February  |  | George Errington | Home Rule League[3] |  | Home Rule League[3]
1879, 5 April  |  | Justin McCarthy | Home Rule League[3]
1885 | Constituency divided: see North Longford and South Longford

### MPs 1918–1922

[edit]

Election | Member | Party | Note

|
|
|

1918 | Single member constituency created
| 1918, December 14[15] | Joseph McGuinness | Sinn Féin | Did not take his seat at Westminster
| 1922, May 31 [16] | Seat left vacant after the death of McGuinness
1922, October 26 | UK constituency abolished. Succeeded by Longford–Westmeath constituency in Dáil Éireann

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1800s

[edit]

MPs co-opted from the Irish Parliament, 1801: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory | Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
General election 1802: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory | Hon. Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Tory hold
General election 1806: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Whig gain from Tory
General election 1807: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A'
| Tory hold
| Whig hold

### Elections in the 1810s

[edit]

General election 1812: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Whig hold
General election 1818: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir Thomas Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Whig hold

Sir Thomas Fetherston died, causing a by-election.

1819 Longford by-election: Longford (1 seat)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir George Fetherston, Bt | 618  | 62.5  | N/A
| Whig | Luke White | 371  | 37.5  | N/A
Majority  | 247  | 25.0  | N/A
Turnout | 989  |  | N/A
Registered electors |  |  |
| Tory hold

### Elections in the 1820s

[edit]

General election 1820: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir George Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Whig hold
General election 1826: Longford (2 seats)[1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Sir George Fetherston, Bt | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Viscount George Forbes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold
| Whig hold

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1830: Longford (2 seats)[1][3][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | George Forbes | Unopposed
| Tory | Anthony Lefroy | Unopposed
Registered electors | 367  |
| Tory hold
| Tory gain from Whig
General election 1831: Longford (2 seats)[1][3][17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | George Forbes | 211  | 37.6
| Tory | Anthony Lefroy | 202  | 36.0
| Whig | Luke White | 130  | 23.2
| Whig | Joseph Denis Mullen  | 18  | 3.2
Majority  | 72  | 12.8
Turnout | c. 281 | c. 76.6
Registered electors | 367  |
| Tory hold
| Tory hold
General election 1832: Longford (2 seats)[1][3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | Luke White | 649  | 26.3  | +3.1
| Irish Repeal | James Halpin Rourke  | 645  | 26.2  | New
| Tory | George Forbes | 587  | 23.8  | −13.8
| Tory | Anthony Lefroy | 582  | 23.6  | −12.4
Majority  | 58  | 2.4  | N/A
Turnout | 1,255  | 97.0  | c. +20.4
Registered electors | 1,294  |  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Tory | Swing | +8.1  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Tory | Swing | N/A |

On petition, a House of Commons Select Committee inquiry disqualified 73 votes and declared Forbes and Lefroy the winners of the election.

General election 1835: Longford (2 seats)[1][3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Viscount George Forbes | 797  | 43.5  | +19.7
| Conservative | Anthony Lefroy | 549  | 30.0  | +6.4
| Irish Repeal (Whig)  | Luke White | 424  | 23.2  | −3.0
| Irish Repeal (Whig)  | Henry White | 61  | 3.3  | −22.9
Majority  | 125  | 6.8  | N/A
Turnout | 987  | 62.4  | −34.6
Registered electors | 1,581  |  |
| Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +16.4  |
| Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +9.7  |

Viscount Forbes died, causing a by-election.

By-election, 30 December 1836: Longford (1 seat)[1][3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Luke White | 619  | 54.1  | +27.6
| Conservative | Charles Fox (Irish politician)  | 526  | 45.9  | −27.6
Majority  | 93  | 8.2  | N/A
Turnout | 1,145  | c. 72.4 | c. +10.0
Registered electors | c. 1,581 |  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | +27.6  |

On petition, a House of Commons committee inquiry disqualified 94 votes and declared Fox the winner of the election by a majority of 1.

General election 1837: Longford (2 seats)[1][3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Luke White | 671  | 27.3  | +4.1
| Irish Repeal (Whig) | Henry White | 667  | 27.2  | +23.9
| Conservative | Anthony Lefroy | 561  | 22.9  | −7.1
| Conservative | Charles Fox (Irish politician)  | 556  | 22.6  | −20.9
Majority  | 106  | 4.3  | N/A
Turnout | 1,257  | 72.4  | +10.0
Registered electors | 1,736  |  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.1  |
| Irish Repeal gain from Conservative | Swing | +19.0  |

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1841: Longford (2 seats)[1][3][18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | Luke White | 621  | 36.0  | +8.7
| Irish Repeal | Henry White | 621  | 36.0  | +8.8
| Conservative | Anthony Lefroy | 482  | 28.0  | −17.5
Majority  | 139  | 8.0  | +3.7
Turnout | 1,102  | 70.2  | −2.2
Registered electors | 1,569  |  |
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +8.7  |
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +8.8  |

On petition, a House of Commons committee began an inquiry into the votes cast for Luke White, but he withdrew his candidacy after 1 vote was examined and Lefroy was declared elected on 18 April 1842 .

General election 1847: Longford (2 seats)[19][3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Irish Repeal | Samuel Blackall | 447  | 28.7  | −7.3
| Irish Repeal | Richard Maxwell Fox | 433  | 27.8  | −8.2
| Conservative | Anthony Lefroy | 352  | 22.6  | +8.6
| Conservative | Lawrence Harman King-Harman | 323  | 20.8  | +6.8
Majority  | 81  | 5.2  | −2.8
Turnout | 778 (est)  | 64.2 (est)  | −6.0
Registered electors | 1,211  |  |
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −7.5  |
| Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −8.0  |

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

Blackall was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Dominica, causing a by-election.

By-election, 21 April 1851: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Richard More O'Ferrall | 938  | 92.1  | N/A
| Conservative | George Warner Wilson Sleator  | 80  | 7.9  | −35.5
Majority  | 858  | 84.2  | N/A
Turnout | 1,018  | 43.9  | −20.3
Registered electors | 2,321  |  |
| Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A |
General election 1852: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent Irish | Fulke Greville | 1,066  | 51.1  | N/A
| Independent Irish | Richard Maxwell Fox | 1,019  | 48.9  | +21.1
| Conservative | Lawrence Harman King-Harman | 0  | 0.0  | −43.4
Majority  | 1,109  | 48.9  | N/A
Turnout | 1,043 (est)  | 44.9 (est)  | −19.3
Registered electors | 2,321  |  |
| Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A |
| Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A |

Fox's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 13 May 1856: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Henry George Hughes | Unopposed
| Whig gain from Independent Irish
General election 1857: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Henry White | 1,561  | 44.9  | N/A
| Whig | Fulke Greville | 1,197  | 34.4  | N/A
| Whig | William Francis Forbes  | 722  | 20.7  | N/A
Majority  | 475  | 13.5  | N/A
Turnout | 1,740 (est)  | 67.5 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 2,577  |  |
| Whig gain from Independent Irish | Swing | N/A |
| Whig gain from Independent Irish | Swing | N/A |
General election 1859: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Henry White | Unopposed
| Liberal | Fulke Greville | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,869  |  |
| Liberal hold
| Liberal hold

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

White's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 4 July 1861: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Luke White | Unopposed
| Liberal hold

White was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 7 March 1862: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Myles O'Reilly | 1,468  | 62.2  | N/A
| Liberal | Luke White | 892  | 37.8  | N/A
Majority  | 576  | 24.4  | N/A
Turnout | 2,360  | 82.5  | N/A
Registered electors | 2,861  |  |
| Liberal hold
General election 1865: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Myles O'Reilly | Unopposed
| Liberal | Fulke Greville | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,767  |  |
| Liberal hold
| Liberal hold
General election 1868: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Myles O'Reilly | Unopposed
| Liberal | Fulke Greville-Nugent | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,815  |  |
| Liberal hold
| Liberal hold

Greville-Nugent was created Lord Greville, causing a by-election.

By-election, 31 December 1869: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Reginald Greville-Nugent | 1,578  | 79.3  | N/A
| Ind. Nationalist | John Martin | 411  | 20.7  | New
Majority  | 1,167  | 58.6  | N/A
Turnout | 1,989  | 70.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 2,815  |  |
| Liberal hold

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

On petition, Greville-Nugent was unseated.

By-election, 16 May 1870: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | George Greville-Nugent | 1,217  | 56.9  | N/A
| Home Rule | Edward King-Harman | 923  | 43.1  | New
Majority  | 294  | 13.8  | N/A
Turnout | 2,140  | 76.0  | N/A
Registered electors | 2,815  |  |
| Liberal hold
General election 1874: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | Myles O'Reilly | 1,811  | 45.2  | N/A
| Home Rule | George Errington | 1,740  | 43.4  | N/A
| Liberal-Conservative  | George Slator[20] | 432  | 10.8  | N/A
| Home Rule | James McCalmont  | 26  | 0.6  | N/A
Majority  | 1,308  | 32.6  | N/A
Turnout | 2,018 (est)  | 73.3 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 2,753  |  |
| Home Rule gain from Liberal
| Home Rule gain from Liberal

O'Reilly was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Intermediate Education and resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 4 Apr 1879: Longford (1 seat)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | Justin McCarthy | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,640  |  |
| Home Rule hold

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1880: Longford (2 seats)[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Home Rule | George Errington | Unopposed
| Parnellite Home Rule League | Justin McCarthy | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,626  |  |
| Home Rule hold
| Home Rule hold

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

[3] 1918 general election: Longford  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Sinn Féin | Joseph McGuinness | 11,122  | 72.7  |
| Irish Parliamentary | James Patrick Farrell | 4,173  | 27.5  |
Majority  | 6,949  | 45.2  |
Turnout | 15,295  | 74.8  |
Registered electors | 20,449  |  |
| Sinn Féin win (new seat)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ 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 Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. pp. 229–230, 234. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via Google Books.229-230,+234&rft.edition=Second&rft.pub=Simpkin,+Marshall+&+Company&rft.date=1842&rft.aulast=Smith&rft.aufirst=Henry+Stooks&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=VQgHAAAAQAAJ&pg;=PA234&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Longford+(UK+Parliament+constituency)" class="Z3988">
2. ^ a b both members were unseated in favour of George Forbes, Viscount Forbes and Anthony Lefroy 2 Apr 1833
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 ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Brian M. Walker, ed. (1978). Parliamentary election results in Ireland 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 189\. ISBN 0-901714-12-7.
4. ^ he was unseated on petition in favour of Charles Fox 5 May 1837
5. ^ Luke White was unseated on petition in favour of Anthony Lefroy 18 April 1842.[r 1]
6. ^ a b "The Elections — Repeal Triumphant". Freeman's Journal. 13 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "Belfast News-Letter". 23 April 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
8. ^ "The Longford Election—Another Defeat of the League". Belfast News-Letter. 16 April 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Carlisle Journal". 20 April 1855. p. 8. Retrieved 18 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "Summary of News". Downshire Protestant. 2 May 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
11. ^ "Death of Mr. Fox. M.P.". Ballyshannon Herald. 2 May 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
12. ^ a b "The Evening Freeman". 1 April 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 6 October 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
13. ^ a b "General Intelligence". Coventry Standard. 17 April 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
14. ^ Greville-Nugent's election was declared void 12 Apr 1870
15. ^ Date of polling day. The result was declared on 28 December 1918, to allow time for votes cast by members of the armed forces to be included in the count.
16. ^ Not an election. Date of the death of McGuinness.
17. ^ a b Salmon, Philip. "Co. Longford". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
18. ^ Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, Volume 50. 1843. Retrieved 25 August 2019 - via Google Books.
19. ^ Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent. 14 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
20. ^ "The General Election". Freeman's Journal. 5 February 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 5 January 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.

## References

[edit]

* 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. pp. 228–229, 298–299, 393. ISBN 0901714127.228-229,+298-299,+393&rft.pub=Royal+Irish+Academy&rft.date=1978&rft.isbn=0901714127&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Longford+(UK+Parliament+constituency)" class="Z3988">

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 4)

1. ^ Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee on the Longford Election Petition (PDF). Command papers. Vol. 208\. 26 April 1842.

* v
* t
* e

Parliamentary constituencies in County Longford

Parliament of Ireland
to 1800|

* Granard (1679-1800)
* Lanesborough (1642-1800)
* Longford Borough (1669-1800)
* County Longford (????-1800)
* St Johnstown (1628-1800)

Westminster 1801-1922
and First Dáil 1918|

* Longford (1801-1885)
* North Longford (1885-1918)
* South Longford (1885-1918)
* Longford (1918-1922)

Dáil Éireann
1918–present|

| Historic|

* Athlone–Longford (1937-1948)
* Longford–Roscommon (1992-2007)

|

Current|

* Longford–Westmeath (1921-1937, 1948-1992, 2007-)

European Parliament
1979-present|

* Leinster (1979-2004)
* East (2004-2009)
* North-West (2009-2014)
* Midlands–North-West (2014-)

Constituencies in Ireland by county

Republic of Ireland|

* Carlow
* Cavan
* Clare
* Cork
* Donegal
* Dublin
* Galway
* Kerry
* Kildare
* Kilkenny
* Laois
* Leitrim
* Limerick
* Longford
* Louth
* Mayo
* Meath
* Monaghan
* Offaly
* Roscommon
* Sligo
* Tipperary
* Waterford
* Westmeath
* Wexford
* Wicklow

Northern Ireland|

* Antrim
* Armagh
* Down
* Fermanagh
* Londonderry
* Tyrone

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