Ossory, a division of Queen's County, was a constituency in Ireland, returning one

Member 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 ...

to the

United Kingdom House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 mem ...

from 1885 to 1918. Prior to the 1885 general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1918 the area was part of the Queen's County constituency. After the establishment of the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between th ...

in 1922, it was not represented in the UK Parliament, as Laois was no longer part of the United Kingdom.

Boundaries

This constituency comprised the western part of Queen's County now known as

County Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...

. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 defined the division as including the Baronies of

Clandonagh Clandonagh () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland. A barony was a historical subdivision of a county; mainly cadastral rather than administrative. Etymology Clandonagh barony ...

Clarmallagh Clarmallagh () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland. Etymology Clarmallagh means "Flat land of Maigh Locha 'lake plain'', referring to Grantstown Lake. Geography Clarmallag ...

Maryborough West Maryborough West or West Maryborough () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland. Etymology Maryborough is the former name of the town of Portlaoise, established in 1548 and named after Qu ...

, Tinnahinch, and

Upper Woods Upper Woods or Upperwoods () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland. Etymology Upper Woods barony is named after the forests of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Geography Upper Wood ...

, and that part of the Barony of

Portnahinch Portnahinch or Portnehinch ( is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland. Etymology The barony is named after the townland of Portnahinch (''Port na hInse''; "port of the island"). Geography P ...

contained within the parish of Ardea.

Members of Parliament

Note:- * ^a O'Connor was returned by more than one seat and elected to sit for East Donegal.

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

O'Connor is also elected MP for East Donegal and opts to sit there, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

Delany's death causes a by-election.

References

* * Historic constituencies in County Laois Westminster constituencies in Queen's County (historic) Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1885 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1918 {{Ireland-UK-hist-constituency-stub