# Queen's County Ossory (UK Parliament constituency)

Ossory, a division of Queen's County, was a constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament to the United Kingdom House of Commons 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 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 defined the division as including the Baronies of Clandonagh, Clarmallagh, Maryborough West, Tinnahinch, and Upper Woods, and that part of the Barony of Portnahinch contained within the parish of Ardea.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Arthur O'Connor $^a$ | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| | 1886 | Stephen O'Mara | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| | 1886 | William Archibald Macdonald | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| | 1892 | Eugene Crean | Irish National Federation |
| | 1900 | William P. Delany | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| | 1916 by-election | John Lalor Fitzpatrick | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1918 | 1918 | Constituency merged into Queen's County | Constituency merged into Queen's County |
Note:-
* $^a$ O'Connor was returned by more than one seat and elected to sit for East Donegal.

## Elections
### Elections in the 1880s

1885 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Arthur O'Connor | 3,959 | 93.1 | |
| | Irish Conservative | Richard Caldbeck | 293 | 6.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,666 | 86.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,252 | 75.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,617 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary win (new seat) | Irish Parliamentary win (new seat) | Irish Parliamentary win (new seat) | Irish Parliamentary win (new seat) | Irish Parliamentary win (new seat) |
O'Connor is also elected MP for East Donegal and opts to sit there, causing a by-election.
By-election, 1886: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Stephen O'Mara | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,617 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
1886 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Archibald Macdonald | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,617 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National Federation | Eugene Crean | 3,666 | 87.5 | N/A |
| | Irish Unionist | Robert Staples | 523 | 12.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,143 | 75.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,189 | 59.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,007 | | |
| | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
1895 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National Federation | Eugene Crean | 2,986 | 74.7 | −12.8 |
| | Irish Unionist | William Hutcheson Poë | 630 | 15.8 | +3.3 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | William Archibald Macdonald | 383 | 9.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,356 | 58.9 | −16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,999 | 74.0 | +14.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,401 | | |
| | Irish National Federation hold | Irish National Federation hold | Swing | −8.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Delany | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,521 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
1906 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Delany | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,824 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Delany | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,786 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
December 1910 general election: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Delany | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,786 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
Delany's death causes a by-election.
By-election, 1916: Ossory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Lalor Fitzpatrick | 2,003 | 55.3 | N/A |
| | Ind. Nationalist | James J. Aird | 1,616 | 44.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 387 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,619 | 74.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,842 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |