# Queen's County (UK Parliament constituency)

Queen's County was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament from 1801 to 1885 and one from 1918 to 1922.

## Boundaries

This constituency comprised the whole of Queen's County, now known as County Laois, except for the parliamentary borough of Portarlington 1801–1885.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1801–1885

| Year | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801 | | Sir John Parnell, Bt | | | Charles Coote | |
| 1801, 28 December | | Hon. William Wellesley-Pole | Tory | | Charles Coote | |
| 1802, 5 April | | Hon. William Wellesley-Pole | Tory | | Henry Parnell | Whig |
| 1802, 23 July | | Hon. William Wellesley-Pole | Tory | | Sir Eyre Coote | |
| 1806, 17 February | | Hon. William Wellesley-Pole | Tory | | Sir Henry Parnell | Whig |
| 1821, 27 August | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Tory | | Sir Henry Parnell | Whig |
| 1832, 24 December | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Tory | | Patrick Lalor | Repeal Association |
| 1834, 18 December | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative | | Patrick Lalor | Repeal Association |
| 1835, 20 January | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative | | Hon. Thomas Vesey | Conservative |
| 1837, 15 August | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative | | John FitzPatrick | Whig |
| 1841, 10 July | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative | | Hon. Thomas Vesey | Conservative |
| 1847, 7 August | | John FitzPatrick | Whig | | Hon. Thomas Vesey | Conservative |
| 1852, 19 July | | Michael Dunne | Ind. Irish | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative |
| 1857, 11 April | | Michael Dunne | Whig | | Sir Charles Coote, Bt | Conservative |
| 1859, 10 May | | Michael Dunne | Liberal | | Francis Plunkett Dunne | Conservative |
| 1865, 22 July | | John FitzPatrick | Liberal | | Francis Plunkett Dunne | Conservative |
| 1868, 23 November | | John FitzPatrick | Liberal | | Kenelm Thomas Digby | Liberal |
| 1870, 4 January | | Edmund Dease | Liberal | | Kenelm Thomas Digby | Liberal |
| 1874, 7 February | | Edmund Dease | Home Rule League | | Kenelm Thomas Digby | Home Rule League |
| 1880, 8 April | | Richard Lalor | Parnellite Home Rule League | | Arthur O'Connor | Parnellite Home Rule League |
| 1885 | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory | Constituency divided: see Queen's County Leix and Queen's County Ossory |

### MPs 1918–1922

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Note |
| 1918 | 1918 | Single member constituency created | Single member constituency created | Single member constituency created |
| | 1918, 14 December $^1$ | Kevin O'Higgins | Sinn Féin | Did not take his seat at Westminster |
| 1922, 26 October | 1922, 26 October | UK constituency abolished | UK constituency abolished | UK constituency abolished |
Note:-
* $^1$ Date of polling day. The result was declared on 28 December 1918, to allow time for votes cast by members of the armed forces to be included in the count.

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Queen's County :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Tory | Charles Coote | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig | Henry Parnell | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Parnell was appointed as Secretary of State for War, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 16 April 1831: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Henry Parnell | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Henry Parnell | 393 | 43.9 |
| | Tory | Charles Coote | 312 | 34.9 |
| | Whig | Thomas Brown Kelly | 190 | 21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 448 | c. 37.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,184 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 9.0 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 122 | 13.7 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Patrick Lalor | 772 | 35.6 | New |
| | Tory | Charles Coote | 694 | 32.0 | −2.9 |
| | Irish Repeal | Peter Gale | 683 | 31.5 | New |
| | Whig | Edward Dunne | 18 | 0.8 | −64.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,380 | 93.8 | c. +56.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,471 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 754 | 34.8 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.5 | −13.2 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Coote | 787 | 28.2 | +12.2 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Vesey | 695 | 24.9 | +8.9 |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Patrick Lalor | 673 | 24.2 | −11.4 |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Robert Cassidy | 631 | 22.6 | −8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 0.7 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,445 | 85.4 | −8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,692 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | | |
General election 1837: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Coote | 1,224 | 39.4 | +11.2 |
| | Whig | John FitzPatrick | 943 | 30.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas Vesey | 894 | 28.8 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative | Sir Charles Henry Coote, 10th Baronet | 40 | 1.3 | N/A |
| | Whig | John Michael Henry Fock, 3rd Baron de Robeck | 4 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,885 | 78.6 | −6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,397 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 281 | 9.0 | +8.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 1.6 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Coote | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Vesey | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,657 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
General election 1847: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Vesey | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | John FitzPatrick | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,166 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Coote | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Independent Irish | Michael Dunne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,727 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig |
General election 1857: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Coote | 1,850 | 41.0 | N/A |
| | Whig | Michael Dunne | 1,424 | 31.6 | N/A |
| | Whig | John FitzPatrick | 1,239 | 27.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 611 | 13.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,257 (est) | 66.0 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,419 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Plunkett Dunne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Michael Dunne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,489 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Plunkett Dunne | 1,800 | 42.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John FitzPatrick | 1,515 | 35.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Patrick McDonald | 916 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 285 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,016 (est) | 87.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,438 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John FitzPatrick | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Kenelm Thomas Digby | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,726 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1870s

FitzPatrick was made Lord Castletown, causing a by-election.
By-election, 4 Jan 1870: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmund Dease | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
4358
General election 1874: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Kenelm Thomas Digby | 1,726 | 39.6 | New |
| | Home Rule | Edmund Dease | 1,639 | 37.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Dunne | 993 | 22.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 646 | 14.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,676 (est) | 74.5 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,593 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | Richard Lalor | 1,686 | 39.8 | N/A |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | Arthur O'Connor | 1,545 | 36.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert Ashworth Godolphin Cosby | 899 | 21.2 | New |
| | Home Rule | Kenelm Thomas Digby | 109 | 2.6 | −37.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 646 | 15.2 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,585 (est) | 81.0 (est) | +6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,190 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

1918 general election: Queen's County :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | Kevin O'Higgins | 13,452 | 67.5 | |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Patrick Meehan | 6,480 | 32.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,972 | 35.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,932 | 76.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,063 | | |
| | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) | Sinn Féin win (new seat) |