# Mayo (UK Parliament constituency)

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

## History

The constituency was created in 1801 under the Acts of Union 1800, succeeding the earlier County Mayo constituency in the pre-union Parliament of Ireland. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 it was divided into four new single-seat constituencies: East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo.

## Boundaries

This constituency comprised the whole of County Mayo.

## Members of Parliament

| Year | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801, 1 January | | Denis Browne | | | George Jackson | |
| 1802, 22 July | | Denis Browne | | | Henry Dillon-Lee | |
| 1814, 5 March | | Denis Browne | | | Dominick Browne | Whig |
| 1818, 4 July | | James Browne | Tory | | Dominick Browne | Whig |
| 1826, 24 June | | James Browne | Tory | | Lord Bingham | Non Partisan |
| 1830, 14 August | | James Browne | Tory | | Dominick Browne | Whig |
| 1831, 19 May | | John Denis Browne | Whig | | Dominick Browne | Whig |
| 1835, 24 January | | Sir William Brabazon, Bt | Repeal Association | | Dominick Browne | Whig |
| 1836, 6 May | | Sir William Brabazon, Bt | Repeal Association | | Robert Dillon Browne | Repeal Association |
| 1840, 16 December | | Mark Blake | Repeal Association | | Robert Dillon Browne | Repeal Association |
| 1846, 2 March | | Joseph Myles McDonnell | Repeal Association | | Robert Dillon Browne | Repeal Association |
| 1847, 14 August | | George Henry Moore | Whig | | Robert Dillon Browne | Repeal Association |
| 1850, 29 July | | George Henry Moore | Whig | | George Gore Ousley Higgins | Whig |
| 1852, 26 July | | George Henry Moore | Independent Irish | | George Gore Ousley Higgins | Independent Irish |
| 1857, 10 April | | George Henry Moore | Independent Irish | | Roger Palmer | Conservative |
| 1857, 30 December | | Lord John Browne | Whig | | Roger Palmer | Conservative |
| 1859, 13 May | | Lord John Browne | Liberal | | Roger Palmer | Conservative |
| 1865, 19 July | | Lord John Browne | Liberal | | Lord Bingham | Conservative |
| 1868, 23 November | | George Henry Moore | Liberal | | Lord Bingham | Conservative |
| 1870, 12 May | | George Eakins Browne | Liberal | | Lord Bingham | Conservative |
| 1874, 7 Feb | | George Eakins Browne | Home Rule League | | Thomas Tighe | Home Rule League |
| 1874, 1 June | | George Eakins Browne | Home Rule League | | John O'Connor Power | Home Rule League |
| 1880, 15 April | | Charles Stewart Parnell | Parnellite Home Rule League | | John O'Connor Power | Home Rule League |
| 1880, 26 May | | Isaac Nelson | Home Rule League | | John O'Connor Power | Home Rule League |
| 1882 | | Isaac Nelson | Irish Parliamentary Party | | John O'Connor Power | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1885 | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo | Constituency divided: see East Mayo, North Mayo, South Mayo and West Mayo |

## Elections

The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.

### Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | James Browne | 402 | 40.4 |
| | Whig | Dominick Browne | 376 | 37.8 |
| | Whig | Joseph Myles McDonnell | 217 | 21.8 |
| | Nonpartisan | George Vaughan Jackson | 1 | 0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 624 | 59.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,055 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 2.6 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 159 | 16.0 |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan |
General Election 1831: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Denis Browne | 469 | 43.0 | N/A |
| | Whig | Dominick Browne | 415 | 38.1 | +0.3 |
| | Whig | Joseph Myles McDonnell | 206 | 18.9 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 209 | 19.2 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 545 | c. 51.7 | c. −7.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,055 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | +0.3 | |
General Election 1832: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Denis Browne | 666 | 35.0 | −8.0 |
| | Whig | Dominick Browne | 628 | 33.0 | −5.1 |
| | Irish Repeal | William Brabazon | 611 | 32.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 0.9 | −18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,234 | 91.4 | c. +39.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,350 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −8.0 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −5.1 | |
General Election 1835: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Brabazon | 828 | 42.6 | +14.5 |
| | Whig | Dominick Browne | 623 | 32.1 | −0.9 |
| | Whig | John Denis Browne | 430 | 22.1 | −12.9 |
| | Conservative | John D Ellard | 62 | 3.2 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 972 | c. 75.3 | c. −16.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,290 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 398 | 20.5 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | +10.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 193 | 10.0 | +9.1 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −4.1 | |
Browne was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Oranmore and causing a by-election.
By-election, 6 May 1836: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Robert Dillon Browne | 599 | 66.3 | +23.7 |
| | Whig | John Denis Browne | 305 | 33.7 | −20.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 32.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 904 | 60.6 | c. −14.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,491 | | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | +22.1 | |
* Note (1836): Walker suggests 609 votes were placed for Robert Browne, and none for John Browne, but Stooks Smith's figures have been used above.
General Election 1837: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Brabazon | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Robert Dillon Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,028 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |

### Elections in the 1840s

Brabazon's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 16 December 1840: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Mark Blake | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
General election 1841: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Mark Blake | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal | Robert Dillon Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,064 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
Blake resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 March 1846: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Joseph Myles McDonnell | 477 | 53.4 | N/A |
| | Whig | George Henry Moore | 417 | 46.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 60 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 894 | 57.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,551 (1847 figure) | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General Election 1847: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Henry Moore | 504 | 61.3 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal | Robert Dillon Browne | 254 | 30.9 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal | Joseph Myles McDonnell | 53 | 6.4 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal | John Denis Browne | 11 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 451 | 54.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 411 (est) | 26.5 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,551 | | |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

Browne's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 29 July 1850: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Gore Ousley Higgins | 141 | 60.3 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | Isaac Butt | 93 | 39.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 20.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 234 | 15.1 | −11.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,551 | | |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1852: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | George Henry Moore | 692 | 40.7 | −20.6 |
| | Independent Irish | George Gore Ousley Higgins | 649 | 38.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James McAlpine | 360 | 21.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 17.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 960 (est) | 68.8 (est) | +42.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,395 | | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Palmer | 1,225 | 35.9 | +14.7 |
| | Independent Irish | George Henry Moore | 1,150 | 33.7 | −7.0 |
| | Whig | George Gore Ousley Higgins | 1,037 | 30.4 | −7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,706 (est) | 73.0 (est) | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,338 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 2.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | +14.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 3.3 | −13.7 |
| | Independent Irish hold | Independent Irish hold | Swing | −7.2 | |
On petition, Moore was unseated, causing a by-election.
By-election, 30 December 1857: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish | Whig gain from Independent Irish |
General election 1859: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Roger Palmer | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,779 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | George Bingham | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,679 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Henry Moore | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | George Bingham | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,783 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

Moore's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 12 May 1870: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Eakins Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1874: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | George Eakins Browne | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Home Rule | Thomas Tighe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,608 | | |
| | 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 |
| | 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 |
On petition, Browne and Tighe were unseated.
By-election, 29 May 1874: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | George Eakins Browne | 1,330 | 33.9 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | John O'Connor Power | 1,319 | 33.6 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Thomas Tighe | 1,279 | 32.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,964 (est) | 54.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,608 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | John O'Connor Power | 1,645 | 42.9 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Charles Stewart Parnell | 1,565 | 40.8 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | George Eakins Browne | 628 | 16.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 937 | 24.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,273 (est) | 70.6 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,221 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | N/A | |
Parnell was also elected MP for Cork City and opted to sit there, causing a by-election.
By-election, 25 May 1880: Mayo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Isaac Nelson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,221 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |