Irish House of Commons


The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive franchise, similar to the Unreformed House of Commons in contemporary England and Great Britain. In counties, forty-shilling freeholders were enfranchised whilst in most boroughs it was either only the members of self-electing corporations or a highly-restricted body of freemen that were able to vote for the borough's representatives. Most notably, Catholics were disqualified from sitting in the Irish parliament from 1691, even though they comprised the vast majority of the Irish population. From 1728 until 1793 they were also disfranchised. Most of the population of all religions had no vote. The vast majority of parliamentary boroughs were pocket boroughs, the private property of an aristocratic patron. When these boroughs were disfranchised under the Act of Union, the patron was awarded £15,000 compensation for each.
The British-appointed Irish executive, under the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, was not answerable to the House of Commons but to the British government. However, the Chief Secretary for Ireland was usually a member of the Irish parliament. In the Commons, business was presided over by the Speaker. The House of Commons was abolished when the Irish parliament merged with its British counterpart in 1801 under the Act of Union, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The House sat for the last time in Parliament House, Dublin on 2 August 1800.

Speaker of the Commons

The Speaker of the Irish House of Commons was the presiding officer of the House and its most senior official. The position was one of considerable power and prestige, and in the absence of a government chosen from and answerable to the Commons, he was the dominant political figure in the Parliament. The last Speaker was John Foster.

Constituencies

The House was elected in the same way as the British House of Commons. By the time of the Union, the shape of the House had been fixed with two members elected for each of the 32 Counties of Ireland, two members for each of 117 Boroughs, and two members for Dublin University, a total of 300 members. The number of Boroughs invited to return members had originally been small but was doubled by the Stuart monarchs.
ConstituencyTypeCountyCreationEnfranchisedFate after the union
Antrim BoroughBoroughAntrim1666PotwalloperDisfranchised
Antrim CountyCountyAntrim1570FreeholdersTwo seats
ArdeeBoroughLouth1378CorporationDisfranchised
ArdsCountyDownBy 1560Already disfranchised
ArdfertBoroughKerry1639?CorporationDisfranchised
Armagh BoroughBoroughArmagh1613 CorporationOne seat
Armagh CountyCountyArmagh1585 FreeholdersTwo seats
AskeatonBoroughLimerick1613 CorporationDisfranchised
AthboyBoroughMeathBy 1560ManorDisfranchised
AthenryBoroughGalway1310?CorporationDisfranchised
AthloneBoroughWestmeath1606 CorporationOne seat
AthyBoroughKildareBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
AugherBoroughTyrone1613 CorporationDisfranchised
BallynakillBoroughQueen's County1612 CorporationDisfranchised
BallyshannonBoroughDonegal1613 CorporationDisfranchised
BaltimoreBoroughCork1613 PotwalloperDisfranchised
BaltinglassBoroughWicklow1664CorporationDisfranchised
BanagherBoroughKing's County1629CorporationDisfranchised
BandonbridgeBoroughCork1613 CorporationOne seat
BangorBoroughDown1613 CorporationDisfranchised
BannowBoroughWexfordBetween 1614 and 1692CorporationDisfranchised
BelfastBoroughAntrim1613 CorporationOne seat
BelturbetBoroughCavan1613 CorporationDisfranchised
BlessingtonBoroughWicklow1670CorporationDisfranchised
BoyleBoroughRoscommon1613 CorporationDisfranchised
CallanBoroughKilkenny1585CorporationDisfranchised
CarlingfordBoroughLouth13??CorporationDisfranchised
Carlow BoroughBoroughCarlow1613 CorporationOne seat
Carlow CountyCountyCarlow1297FreeholdersTwo seats
CarrickBoroughLeitrim1613 CorporationDisfranchised
CarrickfergusCounty boroughAntrim1326Freeholder and householderOne seat
CarysfortBoroughWicklow1629CorporationDisfranchised
CashelBoroughTipperaryBy 1585CorporationOne seat
CastlebarBoroughMayo1613 CorporationDisfranchised
CastlemartyrBoroughCork1676CorporationDisfranchised
Cavan BoroughBoroughCavan1610 CorporationDisfranchised
Cavan CountyCountyCavan1579 or 1584 or 1585FreeholdersTwo seats
CharlemontBoroughArmagh1613 CorporationDisfranchised
CharlevilleBoroughCork1673CorporationDisfranchised
ClareCountyClareBy 1560FreeholdersTwo seats
ClogherBoroughTyroneBetween 1614 and 1692EcclesiasticalDisfranchised
ClonakiltyBoroughCork1613 CorporationDisfranchised
ClonmelBoroughTipperaryBy 1560CorporationOne seat
ClonminesBoroughWexfordBetween 1614 and 1692CorporationDisfranchised
ColeraineBoroughLondonderry1613 CorporationOne seat
ConnachtCountyMultiple1297Already disfranchised
Cork CityCounty boroughCork1299Freeholder and FreemenTwo seats
Cork CountyCountyCork1297FreeholdersTwo seats
Coleraine CountyCountyLondonderry1585 FreeholdersAlready disfranchised
DingleBoroughKerryBy 1585CorporationDisfranchised
Donegal BoroughBoroughDonegal1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Donegal CountyCountyDonegal1585 FreeholdersTwo seats
DoneraileBoroughCork1640ManorDisfranchised
DownCountyDown1570FreeholdersTwo seats
DownpatrickBoroughDown1586PotwalloperOne seat
DroghedaCounty boroughLouth1299Freeholders and freemenOne seat
Dublin CityCounty boroughDublin1299Freeholders and freemenTwo seats
Dublin CountyCountyDublin1297FreeholdersTwo seats
Dublin UniversityUniversityDublin1603GraduatesOne seat
DuleekBoroughMeathBetween 1614 and 1692CorporationDisfranchised
DundalkBoroughLouthBy 1560CorporationOne seat
DungannonBoroughTyrone1612 CorporationOne seat
DungarvanBoroughWaterfordBy 1560PotwalloperOne seat
DunleerBoroughLouth1679CorporationDisfranchised
EnnisBoroughClare1613 CorporationOne seat
EnniscorthyBoroughWexford1613 CorporationDisfranchised
EnniskillenBoroughFermanagh1613 CorporationOne seat
FermanaghCountyFermanagh1585 FreeholdersTwo seats
FernsCountyWexfordBy 1579FreeholdersAlready disfranchised
FethardBoroughTipperary1613 CorporationDisfranchised
FethardBoroughWexford1613 CorporationDisfranchised
ForeBoroughWestmeathBetween 1614 and 1692CorporationDisfranchised
Galway BoroughCounty boroughGalwayBy 1560FreemenOne seat
Galway CountyCountyGalwayBy 1579FreeholdersTwo seats
Gorey BoroughWexford1620CorporationDisfranchised
GowranBoroughKilkenny1608 CorporationDisfranchised
GranardBoroughLongford1679ManorDisfranchised
HarristownBoroughKildare1684CorporationDisfranchised
HillsboroughBoroughDown1662CorporationDisfranchised
InistiogeBoroughKilkennyBy 1585CorporationDisfranchised
JamestownBoroughLeitrim1622CorporationDisfranchised
KellsBoroughMeathBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
KerryCountyKerry1297FreeholdersTwo seats
KilbegganBoroughWestmeath1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Kildare BoroughBoroughKildareBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
Kildare CountyCountyKildare1297FreeholdersTwo seats
Kilkenny CityCounty boroughKilkenny1299?Freeholders and FreemenOne seat
Kilkenny CountyCountyKilkenny1297FreeholdersTwo seats
KillybegsBoroughDonegal1616CorporationDisfranchised
KillyleaghBoroughDown1613 CorporationDisfranchised
KilmallockBoroughLimerickBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
King's CountyCountyKing's County1556FreeholdersTwo seats
KinsaleBoroughCork1334?Corporation and FreemenOne seat
KnocktopherBoroughKilkenny1665PotwalloperDisfranchised
LanesboroughBoroughLongford1642CorporationDisfranchised
LeitrimCountyLeitrim1583FreeholdersTwo seats
LiffordBoroughDonegal1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Limerick CityCounty boroughLimerick1299Freeholders and FreemenOne seat
Limerick CountyCountyLimerick1297FreeholdersTwo seats
LisburnBoroughAntrim1661PotwalloperOne seat
LismoreBoroughWaterford1613 ManorDisfranchised
Londonderry CityBoroughLondonderry1613 CorporationOne seat
Londonderry CountyCountyLondonderry1613FreeholdersTwo seats
Longford BoroughBoroughLongford1669CorporationDisfranchised
Longford CountyCountyLongford1571FreeholdersTwo seats
LouthCountyLouth1297FreeholdersTwo seats
MallowBoroughCork1613 ManorOne seat
MaryboroughBoroughQueen's County1571CorporationDisfranchised
MayoCountyMayoBy 1579FreeholdersTwo seats
MeathCountyMeath1297FreeholdersTwo seats
MidletonBoroughCork1671CorporationDisfranchised
Monaghan BoroughBoroughMonaghan1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Monaghan CountyCountyMonaghan1585 FreeholdersTwo seats
MullingarBoroughWestmeathBy 1560ManorDisfranchised
NaasBoroughKildareBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
NavanBoroughMeath1469CorporationDisfranchised
New RossBoroughWexfordBy 1560CorporationOne seat
NewcastleBoroughDublin1613 CorporationDisfranchised
NewryBoroughDown1613 PotwalloperOne seat
Newtown LimavadyBoroughLondonderry1613 CorporationDisfranchised
NewtownardsBoroughDown1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Old LeighlinBoroughCarlowBetween 1614 and 1692Ecclesiastical corporationDisfranchised
PhilipstownBoroughKing's County1571CorporationDisfranchised
PortarlingtonBoroughQueen's County1668CorporationOne seat
Queen's CountyCountyQueen's County1556FreeholdersTwo seats
RandalstownBoroughAntrim1683Freeman / PotwalloperDisfranchised
RathcormackBoroughCorkBetween 1614 and 1692Potwalloper / ManorDisfranchised
RatoathBoroughMeathBetween 1614 and 1692ManorDisfranchised
Roscommon BoroughBoroughRoscommon1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Roscommon CountyCountyRoscommon1297FreeholdersTwo seats
St CaniceBoroughKilkennyBetween 1614 and 1692CorporationDisfranchised
St JohnstownBoroughDonegal1618CorporationDisfranchised
St JohnstownBoroughLongford1628CorporationDisfranchised
Sligo BoroughBoroughSligo1613 CorporationOne seat
Sligo CountyCountySligoBy 1579FreeholdersTwo seats
StrabaneBoroughTyrone1613 CorporationDisfranchised
SwordsBoroughDublinBy 1585PotwalloperDisfranchised
TaghmonBoroughWexfordbef. 1642CorporationDisfranchised
TallowBoroughWaterford1613 Manor / PotwalloperDisfranchised
ThomastownBoroughKilkenny1541CorporationDisfranchised
TipperaryCountyTipperary1297FreeholdersTwo seats
Cross TipperaryCountyTipperaryby 1585FreeholdersAlready disfranchised
TraleeBoroughKerry1613 CorporationOne seat
TrimBoroughMeathBy 1560CorporationDisfranchised
TuamBoroughGalway1613 CorporationDisfranchised
TulskBoroughRoscommon1663CorporationDisfranchised
TyroneCountyTyrone1585 FreeholdersTwo seats
Liberty of UlsterCountyMultiple1297Already disfranchised
Waterford CityCounty boroughWaterford1299Freemen and freeholdersOne seat
Waterford CountyCountyWaterford1297FreeholdersTwo seats
WestmeathCountyWestmeath1543FreeholdersTwo seats
Wexford BoroughBoroughWexfordBy 1560FreemenOne seat
Wexford CountyCountyWexford1297FreeholdersTwo seats
Wicklow BoroughBoroughWicklow1613 CorporationDisfranchised
Wicklow CountyCountyWicklow1577 1606FreeholdersTwo seats
YoughalBoroughCork1374Corporation and FreemenOne seat

;Notes:

Sessions

Parliaments of Edward III">Edward III of England">Edward III

Parliament of 1374
Parliament of 1375
Parliament of 1380
Parliament of 1429
Parliament of 1450

Parliament 1516

Parliament 1521–22

Parliament 1531

Parliament 1533

Parliament 1536–37

Members
Speaker: Sir Thomas Cusack

Parliament of Mary I">Mary I of England">Mary I

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
11 June 15571 March 1558James Stanyhurst3

Parliaments of Elizabeth I">Elizabeth I of England">Elizabeth I

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
112 January 15601 February 1560James Stanyhurst1
217 January 156925 April 1571James Stanyhurst10

Members:
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
326 April 158514 May 1586Nicholas Walsh7

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1585–86

Parliaments of James I">James I of England">James I

Members

Parliaments of Charles I">Charles I of England">Charles I

Parliament of 1634–35

Members

Parliament of 1639–49

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
216 March 1639 30 January 1649Sir Maurice Eustace?

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1639–49

Parliament of Charles II">Charles II of England">Charles II

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
18 May 16617 August 1666Sir Audley Mervyn?

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1661–66
Members:
Members:

Parliaments of William III">William III of England">William III and Mary II">Mary II of England">Mary II

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
15 October 169226 June 1693Sir Richard Levinge1

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1692–93
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
227 August 169514 June 1699Robert Rochfort2

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1695–99

Parliaments of Anne">Anne, Queen of Great Britain">Anne

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
121 September 17036 May 1713Alan Brodrick; John Forster 6

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1703–13
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
225 November 17131 August 1714 on death of Queen AnneAlan Brodrick1

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1713–14

Parliament of George I">George I of England">George I

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
112 November 171511 June 1727William Conolly6

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1715–27

Parliament of George II">George II of England">George II

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
128 November 172725 October 1760 on death of King George IIWilliam Conolly; Sir Ralph Gore, Chancellor of the Exchequer ; Henry Boyle ; John Ponsonby 17

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1727–60
Members:
Members:
Members:
Members:
Members:
Members:
Members:
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
122 October 176128 May 1768 Octennial ActJohn Ponsonby4

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1761–68
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
217 October 17695 April 1776John Ponsonby to 4 March 1771, Edmond Pery Sexton5

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1769–76

Grattan's Parliament

NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
318 June 177625 July 1783Edmund Sexton Pery4

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1776–83
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
414 October 17838 April 1790Edmund Sexton Pery, then John Foster from 5 September 17857

Members:List of Irish MPs 1783–90
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
52 July 179011 July 1797John Foster8

Members:
List of Irish MPs 1790–97
NumberOpenedDismissedSpeakerSessions
69 January 179831 December 1800John Foster3

Members:List of Irish MPs 1798–1800

Means of resignation

Until 1793 members could not resign their seats. They could cease to be a member of the House only by one of four ways:
In 1793 a methodology for resignation was created, equivalent to the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northstead as a means of resignation from the British House of Commons. From that date, Irish members could be appointed to the Escheatorship of Munster, the Escheatorship of Leinster, the Escheatorship of Connaught or the Escheatorship of Ulster. Possession of one of these Crown offices, "office of profit under the Crown" with a 30-shilling salary, terminated one's membership of the House of Commons.

Famous members