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 o ...
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 ...
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.
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 ...
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,
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 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
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