Birr (UK Parliament constituency)

Birr, a division of King's County, was a constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament to the United Kingdom House of Commons from 1885 to 1918.

King's County Birr
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
18851918
Seats1
Created fromKing's County
Replaced byKing's County

Prior to the 1885 United Kingdom general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1918 the area was part of the King's County constituency.

Boundaries

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This constituency comprised the south-western part of King's County now known as County Offaly. It consisted of the baronies of Ballycowan, Ballyboy and Eglish, Ballybritt, Clonlisk and Garrycastle.[1]

Members of Parliament

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Election Member Party
1885 Bernard Charles Molloy Irish Parliamentary Party
1892 Anti-Parnellite Nationalist
1900 Michael Reddy Irish Parliamentary Party
1918 Constituency merged into King's County

Elections

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Elections in the 1880s

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1885 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Bernard Charles Molloy 3,408 81.8
Irish Conservative Thomas Scroope Wellesley Bernard 760 18.2
Majority 2,648 63.6
Turnout 4,168 79.6
Registered electors 5,236
Irish Parliamentary win (new seat)
1886 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Bernard Charles Molloy 3,266 82.1 +0.3
Irish Conservative Thomas Scroope Wellesley Bernard 711 17.9 −0.3
Majority 2,555 64.2 +0.6
Turnout 3,977 76.0 −3.6
Registered electors 5,236
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing

Elections in the 1890s

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1892 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation Bernard Charles Molloy 3,279 83.0 +0.9
Irish Unionist William Thomas Trench 670 17.0 −0.9
Majority 2,609 66.0 N/A
Turnout 3,949 75.2 −0.8
Registered electors 5,253
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing +0.9
1895 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation Bernard Charles Molloy Unopposed
Registered electors 5,003
Irish National Federation hold

Elections in the 1900s

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1900 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Reddy 1,451 55.1 N/A
Healyite Nationalist Bernard Charles Molloy 1,181 44.9 N/A
Majority 270 10.2 N/A
Turnout 2,632 54.9 N/A
Registered electors 4,792
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing N/A
1906 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Reddy Unopposed
Registered electors 4,512
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1910s

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January 1910 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Reddy Unopposed
Registered electors 4,410
Irish Parliamentary hold
December 1910 general election: Birr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael Reddy 2,123 77.3 N/A
Ind. Nationalist Frederick Ryan 624 22.7 New
Majority 1,499 54.6 N/A
Turnout 2,747 62.3 N/A
Registered electors 4,410
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing N/A

References

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  1. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Branch (Dean and Son, 1896) page 217.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 358. ISBN 0901714127.