Athlone was a borough constituency representing the parliamentary borough of Athlone on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Ireland from 1801 to 1885. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

History Prior to 1801, the town of Athlone was a two-seat borough constituency in the Irish House of Commons. Under the Acts of Union 1800, which united the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom, it was one of 33 boroughs to retain representation, but was reduced to one MP. Its first MP in 1801 was chosen by lot.

The right of election was vested in the burgesses and freemen. They numbered 71 in April 1831. By the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, the non-resident freemen (except those living within seven miles) were disfranchised and the right to vote was extended to the £10 householders. The registered electorate, in 1832, numbered 243.

Athlone ceased to have parliamentary representation under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, which took effect at the 1885 general election. The town was then represented in the county constituencies of South Roscommon and South Westmeath.

Boundaries Before 1832 the limit of the borough, under its charter, was a circle of a mile and a half radius from the centre of the bridge over the River Shannon, which waterway divided the town in two. However, for electoral purposes, those boundaries were diminished in 1832 and thereafter included only the town and a very small surrounding district, comprising 485 statute acres. A report into the boundaries of the borough of Athlone was undertaken in January 1832. The report found that limits of the borough were not defined, but as the limits were not connected with the elective franchise, it drew a line as closely as possible around the town. This comprised an area of .

Under the Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832, it was defined as:

Members of Parliament ElectionMemberPartyNote 1801 (co-option)William Handcock 1802 1803 (b) Thomas Tyrwhitt Jones Resignation of Handcock 1806 George Tierney 1807 Henry Wellesley 1807 (b)John Frewen-TurnerWellesley sits for Eye 1812 John Wilson Croker 1818 John Gordon1820John McClintock 1820 (b)David Ker 1826Richard Handcock 183018311832James Talbot 1835George Mathew 1837John O'Connell (Liberal)1841George Beresford 1842 petitionDaniel FarrellBeresford unseated on petition1843 (b)John CollettFarrell unseated on petition and new writ issued1847William Keogh18521853 (b)Keogh appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland1855 (b)Keogh appointed Attorney-General for Ireland1856 (b)Henry HandcockKeogh appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas1857John Ennis 1859 1865Denis Rearden1868 Sir John Ennis1874 Edward Sheil 1880 Sir John Ennis1884 (b) Justin Huntly McCarthy 1885Constituency abolished: See South Roscommon and South Westmeath Notes

Elections Elections in the 1880s

Caused by Ennis' death.

Elections in the 1870s

The original count for the 1874 election had both candidates receiving 140 votes. However, on petition, the poll was amended to the above figures.

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1850s

Caused by Keogh's resignation after being appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas

Caused by Keogh's appointment as Attorney-General for Ireland

Caused by Keogh's appointment as Solicitor-General for Ireland

Elections in the 1840s

Caused by the previous election being declared void on petition. Originally, Farrell had been declared elected, with the poll amended to 110 votes for Farrell and 60 votes for Beresford, but a counter-petition was successful and a new writ was issued.

Elections in the 1830s

References Citations

Sources The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)