Irish House of Commons

The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until the end of 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive franchise, similar to the unreformed House of Commons in contemporary Great Britain. Catholics were disqualified from sitting in the Irish parliament from 1691, even though they comprised the vast majority of the Irish population.

The Irish executive, known as the Dublin Castle administration, under the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, was not answerable to the House of Commons but to the British government. However, the Chief Secretary for Ireland was usually a member of the Irish parliament. In the Commons, business was presided over by the Speaker.

From 1 January 1801, it ceased to exist and was succeeded by the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

Franchise

The limited franchise was exclusively male. From 1728 until 1793, Catholics were disfranchised, as well as being ineligible to sit in the Commons. Most of the population of all religions had no vote. In counties, forty-shilling freeholders were enfranchised while in most boroughs it was either only the members of self-electing corporations or a highly restricted body of freemen that were eligible to vote for the borough's representatives. The vast majority of parliamentary boroughs were pocket boroughs, the private property of an aristocratic patron.

Abolition

The House of Commons was abolished under the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Ireland into the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland with effect from 1 January 1801. The Irish House of Commons sat for the last time in Parliament House, Dublin on 2 August 1800. One hundred of its members were designated or co-opted to sit with the House of Commons of Great Britain, forming the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The patron of pocket boroughs that were disfranchised under the Act of Union was awarded £15,000 compensation for each.<ref name="Porritt1963">Template:Cite book</ref>

Speaker of the Commons

File:GILBERT(1896) p109 PROSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE PARLIAMENT HOUSE, DUBLIN.jpg

Drawing of the front of the Irish Parliament House with the dome, seen from the street-level, in the 18th century

Template:Main article The Speaker of the Irish House of Commons was the presiding officer of the House and its most senior official. The position was one of considerable power and prestige, and in the absence of a government chosen from and answerable to the Commons, he was the dominant political figure in the Parliament. The last Speaker was John Foster.

Constituencies

File:Irish Commons.jpg

Engraving of section of the Irish House of Commons chamber by Peter Mazell based on the drawing by Rowland Omer 1767

The number of boroughs invited to return members had originally been small (only 55 Boroughs existed in 1603) but was doubled by the Stuart monarchs. By the time of the Union, there were 150 constituencies, each electing two members by plurality block voting; an elector could vote for one or two of the candidates, with the two receiving most votes being returned. The constituencies had different franchises as follows: Template:Sfn

• 32 county constituencies;
• 8 county borough constituencies;
• 109 borough constituencies, of varying franchises:
• 1 university constituency (Dublin University).

Following the Act of Union, from 1801, there were 100 MPs from Ireland in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The Irish constituencies at Westminster were a subset of those in the Irish House of Commons as follows:

• the 32 counties and two most populous county borough constituencies, Cork City and Dublin City, retained two MPs each;
• the 6 other county boroughs, the university, and the 25 most populous boroughs were reduced to one MP each;
• the 84 least populous Irish parliamentary boroughs were disfranchised after the Union

Constituency	Type	County	CreationTemplate:Efn	Franchise	Fate after the union
County Antrim	County	Antrim	1570<ref name="Fiants">Fiants Ire. Eliz. No 1530</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Antrim	Borough	Antrim	1666	Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ardee	Borough	Louth	1378	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ardfert	Borough	Kerry	1639?	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ards	County	Down	By 1560<ref name="Hardiman1">Template:Cite book</ref>		Template:HsPreviously disfranchisedTemplate:Efn
County Armagh	County	Armagh	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI>Template:Cite bookInquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae Asservatarum Repertorium (Repertory of the Inquisitions of the Chancery of Ireland) Volume II, page xix 'An Order for the division, setting out and appoyntinge of the boundes, lymytts and circuits of sixe severall sheires or countyes within the pvince of Ulster within this realme of Ireland, viz. the countye of Tyron, the countye of Donnyngall, the countye of Fermanaghe, the countye of Colrane, the countye of Armaghe and the countye of Monohon ... the firste of September anno dei 1585, annoque d[omi]n[a]e Regin[a]e Elizabeth', 27mo'</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Armagh	Borough	Armagh	1613 (26 March) <ref name="Moody">Template:Cite journal</ref>	Ecclesiastical corporation - Bishop's borough	Template:HsOne seat
Askeaton	Borough	Limerick	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Athboy	Borough	Meath	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />Template:Efn	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
Athenry	Borough	Galway	1310?Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Athlone	Borough	Westmeath	1606 (10 December)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Athy	Borough	Kildare	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Augher	Borough	Tyrone	1613 (15 April)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ballynakill	Borough	Queen's County	1612 (10 December)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ballyshannon	Borough	Donegal	1613 (23 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Baltimore	Borough	Cork	1613 (25 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Baltinglass	Borough	Wicklow	1664	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Banagher	Borough	King's County	1629	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Bandonbridge	Borough	Cork	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Bangor	Borough	Down	1613 (18 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Bannow	Borough	Wexford	Between 1614 and 1634Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Belfast	Borough	Antrim	1613 (27 April)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Belturbet	Borough	Cavan	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Blessington	Borough	Wicklow	1670	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Boyle	Borough	Roscommon	1613 (25 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Callan	Borough	Kilkenny	By 1585Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Carlingford	Borough	Louth	13?Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Carlow	County	Carlow	1297<ref name="Betham">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Efn	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Carlow	Borough	Carlow	1613 (19 April)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Carrick	Borough	Leitrim	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Carrickfergus	County borough	AntrimTemplate:Efn	1326	Freeholder and householder	Template:HsOne seat
Carysfort	Borough	Wicklow	1629	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Cashel	Borough	Tipperary	By 1585<ref name=Hardiman1 />Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Castlebar	Borough	Mayo	1613 (26 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Castlemartyr	Borough	Cork	1676	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Cavan	County	Cavan	1579<ref>"Turlough Lynagh (O'Neill)'s pretence to harm ... the new made county of Cavan" Proceedings and orders of the Chancellor, Council and Gentlemen of Meath and Dublin, August 21 1579, Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland, of the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, Volume 2, 1574-1585 page 184</ref> or 1584<ref>"O'Reilly's country erected into the County of Cavan" Lord Deputy Perrot to Walsyngham, 16 November 1584, Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland, of the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, Volume 2, 1574-1585 page 537</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Cavan	Borough	Cavan	1610 (15 November)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Charlemont	Borough	Armagh	1613 (29 April)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Charleville	Borough	Cork	1673	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Clare	County	Clare	By 1376Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Clogher	Borough	Tyrone	By 1613Template:Efn	Ecclesiastical corporation - Bishop's borough	Template:HsDisfranchised
Clonakilty	Borough	Cork	1613 (5 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Clonmel	Borough	Tipperary	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Clonmines	Borough	Wexford	Between 1614 and 1634Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Coleraine	County	Londonderry	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI />	Freeholders	Template:HsPreviously disfranchised
Coleraine	Borough	Londonderry	1613 (25 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Connacht	County	MultipleTemplate:Efn	1297<ref name="Betham"/>		Template:HsPreviously disfranchisedTemplate:Efn
County Cork	County	Cork	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Cork City	County borough	CorkTemplate:Efn	1299	Freeholder and Freemen	Template:HsTwo seats
Dingle	Borough	Kerry	By 1585<ref name=Hardiman1 />Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Donegal	County	Donegal	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Donegal Borough	Borough	Donegal	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Doneraile	Borough	Cork	1640	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Down	County	Down	1570<ref name="Fiants"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Downpatrick	Borough	Down	By 1585<ref name=Hardiman1 />Template:Efn	Potwalloper	Template:HsOne seat
Drogheda	County borough	LouthTemplate:Efn	1299	Freeholders and freemen	Template:HsOne seat
County Dublin	County	Dublin	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Dublin City	County borough	DublinTemplate:Efn	1299	Freeholders and freemen	Template:HsTwo seats
Dublin University	University	DublinTemplate:Efn	1613Template:Efn	Graduates	Template:HsOne seat
Duleek	Borough	Meath	Between 1614 and 1661Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Dundalk	Borough	Louth	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Dungannon	Borough	Tyrone	1612 (27 November)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Dungarvan	Borough	Waterford	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Potwalloper	Template:HsOne seat
Dunleer	Borough	Louth	1679	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ennis	Borough	Clare	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Enniscorthy	Borough	Wexford	1613 (25 May)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Enniskillen	Borough	Fermanagh	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
County Fermanagh	County	Fermanagh	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Ferns	County	Wexford	By 1579<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsPreviously disfranchisedTemplate:Efn
Fethard	Borough	Tipperary	By 1560<ref>Template:Harv</ref>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Fethard	Borough	Wexford	1613 (15 April)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Fore	Borough	Westmeath	Between 1614 and 1634Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Galway	County	Galway	By 1579 <ref name="Hardiman">"Orders to be observed by Sir Nicholas Malby, Knight, for the better government of the Province of Connaght" Printed in O'Flaherty's Chorographical Description of West Or H-Iar Connaught: Written A.D. 1684 ed. Hardiman, P. 304</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Galway Borough	County borough	GalwayTemplate:Efn	By 1400Template:Efn<ref name=14thC>Template:Cite book</ref>	Freemen	Template:HsOne seat
Gorey (also Newburgh)	Borough	Wexford	1620	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Gowran	Borough	Kilkenny	1608 (15 September)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Granard	Borough	Longford	1679	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
Harristown	Borough	Kildare	1684	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Hillsborough	Borough	Down	1662	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Inistioge	Borough	Kilkenny	By 1585<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Jamestown	Borough	Leitrim	1622	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Kells	Borough	Meath	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Kerry	County	Kerry	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Kilbeggan	Borough	Westmeath	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Kildare	County	Kildare	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Kildare	Borough	Kildare	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Kilkenny City	County borough	KilkennyTemplate:Efn	1299?	Freeholders and Freemen	Template:HsOne seat
County Kilkenny	County	Kilkenny	1297<ref name="Betham"/>Template:Efn	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Killybegs	Borough	Donegal	1616	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Killyleagh	Borough	Down	1613 (10 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Kilmallock	Borough	Limerick	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
King's County	County	King's County	1556<ref name="1556Act">An Act "whereby the King and Queen's Majesties, and the Heires and Successors of the Queen, be entituled to the Counties of Leix, Slewmarge, Irry, Glinmaliry, and Offaily, and for making the same Countries Shire Grounds." 303/554 - 3 & 4 Phil & Mar, c.2 (1556). The Act was repealed in 1962.</ref><ref name="Falkiner118">”Template:Cite book</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Kinsale	Borough	Cork	1334?Template:Efn	Corporation and Freemen	Template:HsOne seat
Knocktopher	Borough	Kilkenny	1665	Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Lanesborough	Borough	Longford	1642	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Leitrim	County	Leitrim	1583	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Lifford	Borough	Donegal	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Limerick	County	Limerick	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Limerick City	County borough	LimerickTemplate:Efn	1299	Freeholders and Freemen	Template:HsOne seat
Lisburn	Borough	Antrim	1661	Potwalloper	Template:HsOne seat
Lismore	Borough	Waterford	1613 (6 May)<ref name="Moody"/>	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Londonderry	County	Londonderry	1613	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Londonderry City	Borough	Londonderry	1613 (29 March)<ref name="Moody"/>Template:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
County Longford	County	Longford	1571<ref>Fiants Ire. Eliz. No 1486</ref><ref> Template:Cite book</ref><ref>"The Annaley, formerly governed by O’Farrale Bane and O’Farrale Boy, is erected into a shire called Longford." Lord Chancellor and Council to the Queen, March 23, 1571,Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland, of the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, Volume 1, 1509-1573, page 440</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Longford	Borough	Longford	1669	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Louth	County	Louth	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Mallow	Borough	Cork	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Manor	Template:HsOne seat
Maryborough	Borough	Queen's County	1571	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Mayo	County	Mayo	By 1579<ref name=Hardiman />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
County Meath	County	Meath	1297<ref name="Betham"/>Template:Efn	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Midleton	Borough	Cork	1671	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Monaghan	County	Monaghan	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Monaghan	Borough	Monaghan	1613 (26 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Mullingar	Borough	Westmeath	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
Naas	Borough	Kildare	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Navan	Borough	Meath	1469	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
New Ross	Borough	Wexford	By 1400Template:Efn<ref name=14thC/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Newcastle	Borough	Dublin	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Newry	Borough	Down	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Potwalloper	Template:HsOne seat
Newtown Limavady	Borough	Londonderry	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Newtownards	Borough	Down	1613 (25 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Old Leighlin	Borough	Carlow	Between 1614 and 1634	Ecclesiastical corporation - Bishop's borough	Template:HsDisfranchised
Philipstown	Borough	King's County	1571	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Portarlington	Borough	Queen's County	1668	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Queen's County	County	Queen's County	1556 <ref name="1556Act" /><ref name="Falkiner118" />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Randalstown	Borough	Antrim	1683	Freeman / Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Rathcormack	Borough	Cork	Between 1614 and 1692Template:Efn	Potwalloper / Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
Ratoath	Borough	Meath	Between 1614 and 1661Template:Efn	Manor	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Roscommon	County	Roscommon	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Roscommon	Borough	Roscommon	1613 (27 February)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
St Canice	Borough	KilkennyTemplate:Efn	Between 1614 and 1661Template:Efn	Ecclesiastical corporation - Bishop's borough	Template:HsDisfranchised
St Johnstown	Borough	Donegal	1618	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
St Johnstown	Borough	Longford	1628	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Sligo	County	Sligo	By 1579<ref name=Hardiman />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Sligo	Borough	Sligo	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Strabane	Borough	Tyrone	1613 (18 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Swords	Borough	Dublin	By 1585<ref name=Hardiman1 />Template:Efn	Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Taghmon	Borough	Wexford	Between 1614 and 1634Template:EfnTemplate:Efn	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Tallow	Borough	Waterford	1613 (1 May)<ref name="Moody"/>	Manor / Potwalloper	Template:HsDisfranchised
Thomastown	Borough	Kilkenny	1541	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
County Tipperary	County	Tipperary	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Cross Tipperary	County	Tipperary	By 1585	Freeholders	Template:HsPreviously disfranchisedTemplate:Efn
Tralee	Borough	Kerry	1613 (31 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsOne seat
Trim	Borough	Meath	By 1560<ref name=Hardiman1 />	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Tuam	Borough	Galway	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Tulsk	Borough	Roscommon	1663	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Tyrone	County	Tyrone	1585 (September)<ref name=EMI />	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Liberty of Ulster	County	MultipleTemplate:Efn	1297<ref name="Betham"/>Template:Efn		Template:HsPreviously disfranchisedTemplate:Efn
County Waterford	County	Waterford	1297<ref name="Betham"/>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Waterford City	County borough	WaterfordTemplate:Efn	1299	Freemen and freeholders	Template:HsOne seat
County Westmeath	County	Westmeath	1543<ref>Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 (294/554) 34 Hen. 8. c. 1 (I) An Act for the division of Methe into two shires.</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
County Wexford	County	Wexford	1297<ref name="Betham"/>Template:Efn	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Wexford	Borough	Wexford	By 1400Template:Efn<ref name=14thC/>	Freemen	Template:HsOne seat
County Wicklow	County	Wicklow	1577;<ref>Fiants Ire. Eliz. No 3003, 22 March 1577</ref>Template:Efn 1606<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Freeholders	Template:HsTwo seats
Wicklow	Borough	Wicklow	1613 (30 March)<ref name="Moody"/>	Corporation	Template:HsDisfranchised
Youghal	Borough	Cork	1374	Corporation and Freemen	Template:HsOne seat

Notes

File:Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon.jpg

Henry Boyle, speaker between 1733 and 1756

File:John Ponsonby P5215.jpg

John Ponsonby, speaker between 1756 and 1771

File:GILBERT(1896) p101 EDMOND SEXTON PERY - SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.jpg

Edmund Perry, speaker between 1771 and 1785

File:The Right Honorable John Foster by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1790-1791 - Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - DSC09033.JPG

John Foster, last speaker of the Irish House of Commons (1785–1800)

Means of resignation

Until 1793 members could not resign their seats. They could cease to be a member of the House in one of four ways:

• death,
• expulsion,
• taking Holy Orders, or
• being awarded a peerage and so a seat in the Irish House of Lords.
• Standing down at election to the House.

In 1793 a means for resignation was created, equivalent to the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northstead as a means of resignation from the British House of Commons. From that date, Irish members could be appointed to the Escheatorship of Munster, the Escheatorship of Leinster, the Escheatorship of Connaught or the Escheatorship of Ulster. Possession of one of these Crown offices, "office of profit under the Crown" with a 30-shilling salary, terminated one's membership of the House of Commons.

Notable members

• Henry Grattan: leader of the Irish Patriot Party.
• Boyle Roche: The "father" of Irish bulls
• Hon. Arthur Wellesley: Later became Duke of Wellington, defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He represented his family borough of Trim from 1790 to 1798.
• William Conolly: Speaker from 1715 to 1729. Conolly was notable not just for his role in parliament but also for his great wealth that allowed him to build one of Ireland's greatest Georgian houses, Castletown House.
• Nathaniel Clements: 1705–77 Government and Treasury Official, Managed extensive financial functions from 1720 to 1777Template:Dubious on behalf of the government, Template:Lang minister for finance 1740–77, extensive property owner and developer. A major influence on the architecture of Georgian Dublin and the Irish Palladian country house.
• John Philpot Curran: Orator and wit, originator of the phrase "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty".

See also

• List of parliaments of Ireland
• History of Ireland

Sources

• Mary Frances Cusack, Illustrated History of Ireland, Project Gutenberg
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Moody/Vaughan, A new history of Ireland, Oxford, 1986, Template:ISBN and Template:ISBN
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Members Name Search (Commons and Lords, 1692–1800) Irish Legislation Database, Queen's University Belfast
• History of the Irish Parliament: Constituencies Ulster Historical Foundation
• Journals of the House of Commons of Ireland (proceedings from 1613)
  • Index page for 14 volumes at HathiTrust
  • large (~1 GB) PDF scans of 21 volumes from Oireachtas library) Index Vol.1 Index Vol.2 Vol.2 Vol.3 Vol.4 Vol.5 Vol.6 Vol.7 Vol.8 Vol.9 Vol.10 Vol.11 Vol.12 Vol.13 Vol.14 Vol.15 Vol.16 Vol.17 Vol.17 (Appendix) Vol.18 Vol.19 Vol.19 (Appendix)