Kerry was a UK Parliament constituency in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, returning two
Members of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
. In 1885, it was split into four constituencies. From the time of Irish independence in 1922, the area was no longer represented in the UK Parliament, as it was no longer part of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
Boundaries
This constituency comprised the whole of
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
, except for the Borough of
Tralee
Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 1830s
FitzGerald was appointed as Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s
Browne was appointed
Comptroller of the Household
The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of t ...
, requiring a by-election.
Herbert was appointed
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, and officially the "Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant", from the early 19th century un ...
, requiring a by-election.
Browne was appointed
Treasurer of the Household
The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons. The current holder of the office is Ma ...
, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Herbert's death caused a by-election.
Browne was appointed
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s
Browne succeeded as Earl of Kenmare, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1880s
Split into four divisions in 1885
Under the
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...
, the single-seat
Tralee constituency and the two-seat Kerry constituency were replaced by four single-seat constituencies:
*
East Kerry
*
North Kerry
*
South Kerry
*
West Kerry
References
*
*''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)
*''Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922'', edited by B. M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy, 1978)
{{County Kerry constituencies
Westminster constituencies in County Kerry (historic)
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1801
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1885