# County Sligo (UK Parliament constituency)

County Sligo is a former county constituency in Ireland, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), elected by the bloc vote system of election.

## History and boundaries

In 1801, the constituency succeeded the constituency of County Sligo in the Irish House of Commons, comprising the whole of County Sligo, except the parliamentary borough of Sligo. After the Sligo and Cashel Disfranchisement Act 1870, the borough ceased to have separate representation, and eligible voters were added to the roll for the county constituency.
From 1885 the constituency was divided into North Sligo and South Sligo.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801 | | Joshua Edward Cooper | Tory | | Charles O'Hara | Tory |
| Nov 1806 | | Edward Synge Cooper | Tory | | Charles O'Hara | Tory |
| Dec 1822 | | Edward Synge Cooper | Tory | | Henry King | Whig |
| Aug 1830 | | Edward Joshua Cooper | Tory | | Henry King | Whig |
| May 1831 | | Edward Joshua Cooper | Tory | | Alexander Perceval | Tory |
| Dec 1834 | | Edward Joshua Cooper | Conservative | | Alexander Perceval | Conservative |
| Jul 1841 | | William Ormsby-Gore | Conservative | | Alexander Perceval | Conservative |
| Sep 1841 | | William Ormsby-Gore | Conservative | | John Ffolliott | Conservative |
| Mar 1850 | | William Ormsby-Gore | Conservative | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Jul 1852 | | Richard Swift | Ind. Irish | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Apr 1857 | | Edward Joshua Cooper | Conservative | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| May 1859 | | Charles William Cooper changed name to O'Hara, 1860 | Conservative | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Jul 1865 | | Edward Henry Cooper | Conservative | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Dec 1868 | | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Liberal | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Dec 1874 | | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Home Rule League | | Sir Robert Gore-Booth | Conservative |
| Jan 1877 | | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Home Rule League | | Edward King-Harman | Home Rule |
| Apr 1880 | | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Home Rule League | | Thomas Sexton | Parnellite Home Rule League |
| Oct 1882 | | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Irish Parliamentary | | Thomas Sexton | Irish Parliamentary |
| Aug 1883 | | Nicholas Lynch | Irish Parliamentary | | Thomas Sexton | Irish Parliamentary |
| 1885 | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo | constituency abolished: see North Sligo and South Sligo |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Edward Joshua Cooper | 465 | 47.9 |
| | Whig | Henry King | 390 | 40.2 |
| | Whig | Fitzstephen French | 116 | 11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 514 | 84.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 610 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 7.7 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 274 | 28.3 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Edward Joshua Cooper | 361 | 43.0 | +19.1 |
| | Tory | Alexander Perceval | 287 | 34.2 | +10.3 |
| | Whig | Henry King | 191 | 22.8 | −29.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 11.4 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 420 | c. 69.9 | c. −14.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 600 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | +16.9 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | +12.5 | |
General election 1832: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Edward Joshua Cooper | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Alexander Perceval | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 695 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edward Joshua Cooper | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Alexander Perceval | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 694 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edward Joshua Cooper | 511 | 38.5 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Perceval | 443 | 33.4 |
| | Whig | Daniel Jones | 368 | 27.7 |
| | Whig | Charles Joseph McDermott | 5 | 0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 664 | c. 64.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,036 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Ormsby-Gore | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Alexander Perceval | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,093 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Perceval was appointed a commissioner of the Treasury, causing a by-election.
By-election, 28 September 1841: County Sligo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Ffolliott | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Ormsby-Gore | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Ffolliott | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 837 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

Ffolliott resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 12 March 1850: County Sligo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1852: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | 943 | 35.9 | N/A |
| | Independent Irish | Richard Swift | 870 | 33.1 | New |
| | Conservative | William Ormsby-Gore | 774 | 29.5 | N/A |
| | Whig | John Taaffe | 39 | 1.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,313 (est) | 62.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,105 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 3.6 | N/A |
| | Independent Irish gain from Conservative | Independent Irish gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | 1,471 | 45.2 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | Edward Joshua Cooper | 1,471 | 45.2 | +15.7 |
| | Whig | John Ball | 305 | 9.4 | +7.9 |
| | Independent Irish | Richard Swift | 5 | 0.2 | −32.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,166 | 35.9 | +33.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,776 (est) | 74.3 (est) | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,389 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +12.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | +16.1 | |
General election 1859: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charles William Cooper | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,445 | | |
| | 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: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Henry Cooper | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,181 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Denis Maurice O'Conor | 1,671 | 41.7 | New |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | 1,208 | 30.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edward Henry Cooper | 1,129 | 28.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Cornelius Alexander Keogh | 2 | 0.0 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,840 (est) | 87.8 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,233 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 542 | 13.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,206 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Denis Maurice O'Conor | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Robert Gore-Booth | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,539 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Gore-Booth's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 12 Jan 1877: County Sligo (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Edward King-Harman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,414 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: County Sligo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | Thomas Sexton | 1,591 | 36.1 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Denis Maurice O'Conor | 1,551 | 35.2 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Edward King-Harman | 1,267 | 28.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 284 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,205 (est) | 67.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,256 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | | |
O'Conor's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 18 Aug 1883: County Sligo (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Nicholas Lynch (MP) | 1,545 | 61.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Charles Kane O'Hara | 983 | 38.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 562 | 22.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,528 | 79.6 | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,174 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | N/A | |