# Cavan (UK Parliament constituency)

County Cavan was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

## Boundaries

This constituency comprised the whole of County Cavan.

## Members of Parliament

From 1801 to 1885 County Cavan was one constituency with two Members of Parliament, who both represented the whole of the county.
| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801 | | Francis Saunderson | Whig | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1802 | | Francis Saunderson | Whig | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1806 | | John Maxwell-Barry | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1807 | | John Maxwell-Barry | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1812 | | John Maxwell-Barry | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1818 | | John Maxwell-Barry | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1820 | | John Maxwell-Barry | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1824 | | Henry Maxwell | Tory | | Nathaniel Sneyd | Tory |
| 1826 | | Henry Maxwell | Tory | | Alexander Saunderson | Whig |
| 1830 | | Henry Maxwell | Tory | | Alexander Saunderson | Whig |
| 1831 | | Henry Maxwell | Tory | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Tory |
| 1832 | | Henry Maxwell | Tory | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Tory |
| 1835 | | Henry Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1837 | | Henry Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1839 | | Somerset Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1840 | | Henry John Clements | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Henry John Clements | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Henry John Clements | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1843 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1847 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Peelite |
| 1852 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Peelite |
| 1853 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Sir John Young, Bt. | Peelite |
| 1855 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Robert Burrowes | Conservative |
| 1857 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Hugh Annesley | Conservative |
| 1859 | | James Maxwell | Conservative | | Hugh Annesley | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Edward James Saunderson | Palmerstonian Liberal | | Hugh Annesley | Conservative |
| 1869 | | Edward James Saunderson | Conservative | | Hugh Annesley | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Charles Joseph Fay | Home Rule League | | Joseph Biggar | Home Rule League |
| 1880 | | Charles Joseph Fay | Home Rule League | | Joseph Biggar | Home Rule League |
| 1885 | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West | constituency abolished: see Cavan East and Cavan West |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1800s

Co-option 1 January 1801: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Saunderson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
General Election 1802: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Saunderson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
General Election 1806: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Maxwell-Barry | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
General Election 1807: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Maxwell-Barry | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |

### Elections in the 1810s

General Election 1812: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Maxwell-Barry | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
General Election 1818: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Maxwell-Barry | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |

### Elections in the 1820s

General Election 1820: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Nathaniel Sneyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Maxwell-Barry | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
John Maxwell-Barry succeeded as 5th Baron Farnham, causing a by-election.
By-election 24 February 1824: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Henry Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
General Election 1826: Cavan :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Henry Maxwell | 2,854 | 30.5 | N/A |
| Whig | Alexander Saunderson | 2,673 | 28.6 | N/A |
| | Robert Henry Southwell | 1,917 | 20.5 | N/A |
| | Charles Coote | 1,901 | 20.3 | N/A |

### Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Henry Maxwell | 786 | 51.5 | +21.0 |
| | Whig | Alexander Saunderson | 452 | 29.6 | +1.0 |
| | Tory | William Young | 287 | 18.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 879 | 66.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,325 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 21.9 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 10.8 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
General Election 1831: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Henry Maxwell | 664 | 41.3 | −10.2 |
| | Tory | John Young | 614 | 38.2 | +19.4 |
| | Whig | Robert Henry Southwell | 331 | 20.6 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 283 | 17.6 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 805 | c. 60.7 | c. −5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,325 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | +12.0 | |
General Election 1832: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Henry Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,248 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General Election 1835: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,241 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1837: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,918 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Henry Maxwell succeeded to the peerage, becoming 7th Baron Farnham and causing a by-election.
By-election, 18 February 1839: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Somerset Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

Somerset Maxwell resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 12 August 1840: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry John Clements | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1841: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry John Clements | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,050 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
John Young was appointed a Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 30 September 1841: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Henry John Clements's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 17 February 1843: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1847: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Peelite | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,492 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Maxwell | 2,252 | 44.8 | N/A |
| | Peelite | John Young | 2,049 | 40.8 | N/A |
| | Tenant Rights | Hercules Ellis | 727 | 14.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,514 (est) | 65.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,850 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,322 | 26.3 | N/A |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Swing | N/A | |
John Young was appointed Chief Secretary of Ireland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 10 January 1853: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | John Young | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,909 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
John Young resigned after being appointed Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands, causing a by-election.
By-election, 13 April 1855: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Burrowes | 2,163 | 53.7 | +8.9 |
| | Whig | Henry George Hughes | 1,866 | 46.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 297 | 7.4 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,029 | 82.1 | +16.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,909 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Swing | | |
General election 1857: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Maxwell | 3,164 | 47.0 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Annesley | 2,164 | 32.1 | N/A |
| | Radical | Matthew O'Reilly Dease | 1,409 | 20.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 755 | 11.2 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,073 (est) | 72.2 (est) | +6.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,638 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Swing | | |
General election 1859: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Hugh Annesley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,989 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Annesley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Edward James Saunderson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,304 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1868: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Annesley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Edward James Saunderson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,415 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Charles Joseph Fay | 3,229 | 37.5 | New |
| | Home Rule | Joseph Biggar | 3,079 | 35.7 | New |
| | Conservative | Edward James Saunderson | 2,310 | 26.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 769 | 8.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,464 (est) | 87.8 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,225 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Cavan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Charles Joseph Fay | 3,097 | 36.9 | −0.6 |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | Joseph Biggar | 3,061 | 36.5 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Somerset Maxwell | 2,233 | 26.6 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 828 | 9.9 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,330 (est) | 87.4 (est) | −0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,096 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | | |