# Clare (UK Parliament constituency)

County Clare was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1801 to 1885 it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
At the 1885 general election, County Clare was split into two divisions: East Clare and West Clare.

## Boundaries

This constituency comprised the whole of County Clare, except for the borough of Ennis.

## Members of Parliament

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| 1801 | | Francis Nathaniel Burton | | | Hugh Massey | |
| 1802 | | Francis Nathaniel Burton | | | Sir Edward O'Brien, 4th Baronet | Whig |
| 1808 | | Augustine FitzGerald | Tory | | Sir Edward O'Brien, 4th Baronet | Whig |
| 1818 | | William Vesey-FitzGerald | Tory | | Sir Edward O'Brien, 4th Baronet | Whig |
| 1826 | | William Vesey-FitzGerald | Tory | | Lucius O'Brien | Tory |
| 1828 | | Daniel O'Connell | Radical | | Lucius O'Brien | Tory |
| 1830 | | William Nugent Macnamara | Repeal Association | | James Patrick Mahon | Whig |
| 1831 | | William Nugent Macnamara | Repeal Association | | Maurice O'Connell | Repeal Association |
| 1832 | | William Nugent Macnamara | Repeal Association | | Cornelius O'Brien | Repeal Association |
| 1847 | | William Nugent Macnamara | Repeal Association | | Sir Lucius O'Brien, 5th Baronet | Conservative |
| 1852 | | Sir John Forster Fitzgerald | Whig | | Cornelius O'Brien | Ind. Irish |
| 1857 | | Lord Francis Conyngham | Ind. Irish | | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | Ind. Irish |
| 1859 | | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Conservative | | Luke White | Liberal |
| 1860 | | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Conservative | | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | Liberal |
| 1863 | | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Conservative | | Sir Colman O'Loghlen, 2nd Baronet | Liberal |
| 1874 | | Lord Francis Conyngham | Irish Nationalist | | Sir Colman O'Loghlen, 2nd Baronet | Irish Nationalist |
| 1877 | | Lord Francis Conyngham | Irish Nationalist | | Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, 3rd Baronet | Irish Nationalist |
| 1879 | | Lord Francis Conyngham | Irish Nationalist | | James Patrick Mahon | Irish Nationalist |
| 1880 | | William O'Shea | Independent Nationalist | | James Patrick Mahon | Irish Nationalist |
| 1885 | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare | Constituency divided into East Clare and West Clare |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1820s

By-election 5 July 1828: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | Daniel O'Connell | 2,057 | 67.69 |
| | Tory | William Vesey Fitzgerald | 982 | 32.31 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,075 | 35.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3.039 | |
| | Radical gain from Tory | Radical gain from Tory | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 664 | 39.9 |
| | Whig | James Patrick Mahon | 571 | 34.3 |
| | Tory | Lucius O'Brien | 399 | 24.0 |
| | Whig | William Richard Mahon | 18 | 1.1 |
| | Whig | Burton Binden | 12 | 0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 832 | c. 51.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,604 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 265 | 15.9 |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Tory | Irish Repeal gain from Tory | Irish Repeal gain from Tory | Irish Repeal gain from Tory |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 172 | 10.3 |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
On petition, Mahon was unseated and a by-election was called.
By-election, 23 March 1831: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Maurice O'Connell | 325 | 64.7 | +24.8 |
| | Whig | Edward O'Brien | 177 | 35.3 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 29.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 502 | c. 33.2 | c. −18.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 1,514 | | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | +12.8 | |
General election 1831: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 883 | 44.7 | +4.8 |
| | Irish Repeal | Maurice O'Connell | 597 | 30.2 | N/A |
| | Whig | James Patrick Mahon | 493 | 25.0 | −9.3 |
| | Whig | William Richard Mahon | 1 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 104 | 5.2 | −10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 987 | c. 65.2 | c. +13.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,514 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1832: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 920 | 32.5 | −12.2 |
| | Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 897 | 31.6 | +1.4 |
| | Tory | John Macdonnell | 701 | 24.7 | New |
| | Tory | Augustine Butler | 317 | 11.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 6.9 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,557 | 61.8 | c. −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,518 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −12.2 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election 1835: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Nugent Macnamara | 686 | 50.0 | +17.5 |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Cornelius O'Brien | 686 | 50.0 | +18.4 |
| | Conservative | Lucius O'Brien | 0 | 0.0 | −24.7 |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 0 | 0.0 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 686 | 50.0 | +43.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 686 | 25.7 | −36.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,671 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +17.8 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | +18.2 | |
* Lucius O'Brien and Vandeleur declined the contest
General election 1837: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | William Nugent Macnamara | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Cornelius O'Brien | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,141 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 1,079 | 44.6 | N/A |
| | Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,072 | 44.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 222 | 9.2 | New |
| | Conservative | James Molony | 47 | 1.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 850 | 35.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,338 | 72.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,848 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lucius O'Brien | 809 | 32.2 | +23.0 |
| | Irish Repeal | William Nugent Macnamara | 723 | 28.8 | −15.8 |
| | Irish Repeal | Cornelius O'Brien | 584 | 23.3 | −21.0 |
| | Conservative | William Fitzgerald | 395 | 15.7 | +13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,256 (est) | 56.7 (est) | −15.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,216 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 225 | 8.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Conservative gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | +20.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 139 | 5.5 | −29.6 |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Swing | −17.1 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Forster FitzGerald | 1,152 | 33.0 | New |
| | Independent Irish | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,141 | 32.7 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,139 | 32.6 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | William Stackpoole | 60 | 1.7 | −14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,286 (est) | 88.6 (est) | +31.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,581 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Whig gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Independent Irish gain from Conservative | Independent Irish gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.1 | |
On petition, Fitzgerald and O'Brien were unseated, due to a "system of intimidation" being present at the 1852 election, and a writ was moved for a by-election.
By-election, 4 July 1853: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Cornelius O'Brien | 1,376 | 34.2 | +1.5 |
| | Whig | John Forster FitzGerald | 1,351 | 33.5 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,299 | 32.2 | −2.1 |
| | Independent | Henry Stuart Burton | 3 | 0.0 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,663 (est) | 84.7 (est) | −3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,144 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 0.7 | +0.6 |
| | Independent Irish hold | Independent Irish hold | Swing | +1.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 1.3 | +1.0 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 1857: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Francis Conyngham | 2,894 | 52.3 | N/A |
| | Independent Irish | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 1,390 | 25.1 | N/A |
| | Whig | John Forster Fitzgerald | 1,249 | 22.6 | −10.4 |
| | Independent Irish | Luke White | 1 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 2.5 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,767 (est) | 73.9 (est) | −14.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,745 | | |
| | Independent Irish hold | Independent Irish hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Independent Irish gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 3,829 | 47.5 | New |
| | Liberal | Luke White | 2,234 | 27.7 | +27.7 |
| | Liberal | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 1,997 | 24.8 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,595 | 19.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,030 (est) | 73.2 (est) | −0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,509 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Conservative gain from Independent Irish | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

On petition, White was unseated, causing a by-election.
By-election, 13 Apr 1860: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Macnamara Calcutt | 2,993 | 72.3 | +47.5 |
| | Liberal | Charles White | 1,149 | 27.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,844 | 44.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,142 | 75.2 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,509 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Calcutt died, causing a by-election.
By-election, 3 Aug 1863: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,563 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,465 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,649 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
O'Loghlen was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 5 Jan 1869: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colman O'Loghlen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,649 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Colman O'Loghlen | 3,095 | 44.9 | New |
| | Home Rule | Francis Conyngham | 2,565 | 37.2 | New |
| | Conservative | Crofton Moore Vandeleur | 1,240 | 18.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,325 | 19.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,070 (est) | 74.5 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,460 | | |
| | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Home Rule gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Home Rule gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
O'Loghlen's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 13 Aug 1877: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Bryan O'Loghlen | 1,721 | 47.2 | −34.9 |
| | Home Rule | James Patrick Mahon | 1,149 | 31.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert William Cary Reeves | 764 | 20.9 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal-Conservative | Francis Nathaniel Burton | 15 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 572 | 15.7 | −3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,649 | 67.2 | −7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,427 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | −18.9 | |
* O'Loghlen was a Liberal home rule supporter, while The O'Gorman Mahon was a Nationalist home rule supporter. Burton also supported home rule.
O'Loghlen was declared to have resigned after accepting office as Attorney General of Victoria, Australia, causing a by-election.
By-election, 13 Aug 1879: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | James Patrick Mahon | 1,661 | 41.5 | −40.6 |
| | Conservative | Hector Stewart Vandeleur | 1,531 | 38.3 | +20.3 |
| | Liberal | Peter O'Brien | 807 | 20.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 3.2 | −16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,999 | 73.6 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,430 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | −30.5 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Clare :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | James Patrick Mahon | 3,283 | 44.8 | −0.1 |
| | Parnellite Home Rule League | William O'Shea | 3,133 | 42.8 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | Hector Stewart Vandeleur | 912 | 12.4 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,221 | 30.4 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,195 (est) | 74.3 (est) | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,643 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
There was a notorious riot at Sixmilebridge on polling day in 1852, in which soldiers shot dead seven protesters.
The Clare by-election in 1828 was notable as this was the first time since the reformation that an openly Roman Catholic MP, Daniel O'Connell was elected.