# Kilkenny City (UK Parliament constituency)

Kilkenny City was an Irish borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament (MP). It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801, and remained in existence until its abolition at the 1918 general election.

## Boundaries

This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Kilkenny in County Kilkenny.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Note |
| | 1 January 1801 | William Talbot | | 1801: Co-opted. Resigned. |
| | 2 March 1802 | Richard Archdall | | |
| | 22 July 1802 | Hon. Charles Harward Butler | Whig | Resigned |
| | 4 February 1809 | Robert Williams | | |
| | 24 October 1812 | Overington Blunden | | Resigned |
| | 27 May 1814 | Hon. Charles Harward Butler | Whig | |
| | 7 April 1820 | Rt Hon. Denis Browne | Tory | |
| | 22 June 1826 | John Doherty | Tory | |
| | 11 August 1830 | Nicholas Philpot Leader | Whig | |
| | 13 December 1832 | Richard Sullivan | Repeal Association | Re-elected as a candidate of a Liberal/Repealer pact |
| | 17 May 1836 | Daniel O'Connell | Repeal Association | |
| | 7 August 1837 | Joseph Hume | Radical | |
| | 3 July 1841 | John O'Connell | Repeal Association | 1847: Also returned by and elected to sit for Limerick |
| | 18 December 1847 | Michael Sullivan | Repeal Association | Re-elected as a Liberal candidate |
| | 10 July 1852 | Michael Sullivan | Ind. Irish | |
| | 5 May 1859 | Michael Sullivan | Liberal | |
| | 13 July 1865 | Sir John Gray | Liberal | Re-elected as a Home Rule League candidate |
| | 2 February 1874 | Sir John Gray | Home Rule League | Died |
| | 28 April 1875 | Benjamin Whitworth | Home Rule League | Resigned |
| | 26 February 1880 | John Francis Smithwick | Home Rule League | |
| | 1882 | John Francis Smithwick | Irish Parliamentary Party | |
| | 1886 | Thomas Quinn | Irish Parliamentary Party | |
| | 1890 | Thomas Quinn | Parnellite | |
| | 1891–1892 | Thomas Quinn | Irish National Federation | |
| | 1892–1895 | Thomas Bartholomew Curran | Irish National Federation | |
| | 1895 | Patrick O'Brien | Parnellite | |
| | 1900–1917 | Patrick O'Brien | Irish Parliamentary Party | |
| | 1917 | W. T. Cosgrave | Sinn Féin | |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Nicholas Leader | 219 | 54.5 |
| | Nonpartisan | William Morris Reade | 116 | 28.9 |
| | Nonpartisan | William Morres Bayley | 67 | 16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 25.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 402 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | |
General election 1831: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Nicholas Leader | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 350 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1832: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal | Richard Sullivan (MP) | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 562 | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig | Irish Repeal gain from Whig |
General election 1835: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Richard Sullivan (MP) | 7 | 100.0 |
| | Nonpartisan | William Fletcher | 0 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7 | 1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 599 | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
Sullivan resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 17 May 1836: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Irish Repeal | Daniel O'Connell | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
General election 1837: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Joseph Hume | 57 | 45.6 | New |
| | Irish Repeal (Whig) | Daniel O'Connell | 50 | 40.0 | −60.0 |
| | Radical | William Ewart | 18 | 14.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 125 | 16.1 | +14.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 775 | | |
| | Radical gain from Irish Repeal | Radical gain from Irish Repeal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | John O'Connell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 580 | | |
| | Irish Repeal gain from Radical | Irish Repeal gain from Radical | Irish Repeal gain from Radical | Irish Repeal gain from Radical | Irish Repeal gain from Radical |
General election 1847: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | John O'Connell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 443 | | |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |
O'Connell was also elected for Limerick City and opted to sit there, causing a by-election.
By-election, 18 December 1847: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Repeal | Michael Sullivan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold | Irish Repeal hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Michael Sullivan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 664 | | |
| | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal | Independent Irish gain from Irish Repeal |
General election 1857: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Irish | Michael Sullivan | 218 | 55.2 | N/A |
| | Whig | Francis Harvey Devereux | 177 | 44.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 395 | 74.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 531 | | |
| | Independent Irish hold | Independent Irish hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Michael Sullivan | 236 | 52.9 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal | Matthew O'Donnell | 210 | 47.1 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 5.8 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 446 | 76.2 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 585 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.3 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Gray | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 574 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Gray | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 739 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | John Gray | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 709 | | |
| | 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 |
Gray's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 28 Apr 1875: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | Benjamin Whitworth | 290 | 55.6 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Edmund Dwyer-Gray | 120 | 23.0 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | Edward Marum | 112 | 21.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 32.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 522 | 75.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 690 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

Whitworth's resignation caused a by-election.
By-election, 26 Feb 1880: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | John Francis Smithwick | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 675 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |
General election 1880: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Home Rule | John Francis Smithwick | 316 | 60.8 | N/A |
| | Home Rule | William James Doherty | 204 | 39.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 520 | 77.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 675 | | |
| | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold | Home Rule hold |
1885 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Francis Smithwick | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,899 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
1886 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Thomas Quinn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,899 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National Federation | Thomas Bartholomew Curran | 744 | 55.2 | N/A |
| | Irish National League | John O'Connor | 604 | 44.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,348 | 74.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,806 | | |
| | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |
1895 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National League | Pat O'Brien | 681 | 50.5 | +5.7 |
| | Irish National Federation | James Patrick Farrell | 667 | 49.5 | −5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,348 | 76.2 | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,769 | | |
| | Irish National League gain from Irish National Federation | Irish National League gain from Irish National Federation | Swing | +5.7 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,556 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
1906 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,533 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,742 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
December 1910 general election: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Pat O'Brien | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,742 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold |
By-election 10 August 1917: Kilkenny City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | W. T. Cosgrave | 772 | 66.3 | New |
| | Irish Parliamentary | John Magennis | 392 | 33.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 380 | 32.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,164 | 68.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,702 | | |
| | Sinn Féin gain from Irish Parliamentary | Sinn Féin gain from Irish Parliamentary | Swing | N/A | |