'For the other body sometimes called the "Irish House of Commons", see
House of Commons of Southern Ireland.
The 'Irish House of Commons' (Irish; ''Teach na dTeachtai'') was the
lower house of the
Parliament of Ireland (Irish; ''Parlaimint na hEireann''), that existed from mediæval times until 1800. The upper house was the
House of Lords (Irish; ''Teach na dTiarnaí''). The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a very restrictive franchise. Most notably,
Roman Catholics were disqualified from sitting in the Irish parliament, even though they comprised the vast majority of the Irish population. From about 1716 until 1793, they were also
disfranchised.
The British appointed Irish executive, 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 (Irish; ''Spéicéir'') who, in the absence of a government chosen from and answerable to the Commons, was the dominant political figure in the parliament. The House of Commons was abolished when the Irish parliament merged with its
British counterpart in 1801 under the
Act of Union.
Famous members
★
Henry Grattan — went on to serve as an Irish member of the
United Kingdom House of Commons.
★
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, County Meath from 1790-1796.
★
William Conolly — a past Speaker, Conolly remains today one of the most widely known figures ever to be produced by the Irish parliament. He is famous 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 , 1705-1777 Government and Treasury Official, Managed extensive financial functions from 1720 - 1777 on behalf of the Government, de facto Minister for Finance 1740 - 1777, extensive property owner and developer. major influence on the architecture of Georgian Dublin and the Irish Palladian Country house.
★
John Philpot Curran — orator and wit, originator of the quotation "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
Speakers (1689-1800)
Engraving of section of the Irish House of Commons chamber by Peter Mazell based on the drawing by Rowland Omer 1767
★ 1557, 1560 & 1568:
James Stanyhurst
★ 1661-????: Sir
John Temple
★ 1689-1692: Sir
Richard Nagle
★ 1692-1695: Sir
Robert Levinge
★ 1695-1703:
Robert Rochfort
★ 1703-1710:
Alan Brodrick
★ 1710-1713:
John Foster
★ 1713-1715:
Alan Brodrick
★ 1715-1729:
William Conolly
★ 1729-1733: Sir
Ralph Gore
★ 1733-1756:
Henry Boyle
★ 1756-1771:
John Ponsonby
★ 1771-1785:
Edmund Sexton Perry
★ 1785-1800:
John Foster
Constituencies
The House was elected in the same way as the British House of Commons. By the time of the Union, the shape of the House had been fixed with two members elected for each of the 32
Counties of Ireland, two members for each of 117 Boroughs, and two members for
Dublin University, a total of 300 members. 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.
Sessions
===Parliaments of
Henry VIII
Parliament 1536-1537
Parliament 1541-1543
★ Trim Session 1542
Parliaments of
Elizabeth I===
''Members:''
★ Sir
Edmond Butler
★ Sir
Christopher Barnwall
''Members:''
★ Sir
Richard Bingham
★ Sir
Warham St. Ledger
===Parliaments of
James I===
''Members:''
★ Sir
John Davies
★ Sir
John Everard, (Catholic d. 1624)
★ Sir
James Gough,
Waterford
===Parliaments of
Charles I===
''Members:''
★
Patrick Darcy
★ Sir
Edward Fitzharris
★
Maurice Fitzgerald
★ Sir
Henry Lynch
★ Sir
Thomas Luttrell
★
Richard Martin
★
Nicholas Plunkett
★ Sir
William Sarsfield
★ Sir
Nicholas White
''Members:''
★
Nicholas Barnewall, Catholic
★
Patrick Barnewall,Trim
★
John Bellew
★ Sir
Richard Blake, Galway
★ Sir
Piers Crosby
★
Geoffrey Browne, Cathoic
★
Thomas Burke, Catholic, Mayo
★
Oliver Cashell, Louth
★
William Cole, Protestant, Fermanagh, d. 1653
★
Simon Digby, Protestant
★ Sir
Maurice Eustace, Speaker, Protestant
★
Richard Fitzgerald, Protestant, Strabane
★ Sir
Roebuck Lynch
★
Donagh MacCarthy, Viscount Muskerry, Catholic
★
Richard Bellings, Catholic
★ Sir
Phelim O'Neill, Catholic
★
James Montgomery, Protestant
★
Nicholas Plunkett, Catholic, Meath
★
Edward Rowley, Protestant
★
Hardress Waller, Protestant
★
John Walsh, Catholic
===Parliament of
Charles II===
''Members:''
★
Nicholas Plunkett, Meath
★ Sir
Audley Mervyn, Tyrone
★ Sir
Maurice Eustace, Speaker
===Parliaments of
James II===
''Members:''
Main articles: Patriot Parliament
===Parliaments of
William II and
Mary II===
''Members:''
★
Richard Aldworth
★ Francis Annesley( brother of Maurice)
★
Maurice Annesley (brother of Francis)
★
Thomas Beecher
★
Henry Boyle
★
Alan Brodrick
★
St. John Brodrick
★ Sir
Francis Brewster, Chancellor of the Exchequer
★
Randall Brice
★
Alan Broderick (brother of Thomas)
★
Thomas Broderick (brother of Alan)
★
Joseph Coghlan
★ Sir
Richard Levinge, Speaker
★
Stephen Ludlow
★
Robert Molesworth
★ Neave
★
William Ponsonby
★ Brigadier Rawdon
★
John Reading
★
Edward Richardson
★ Rochfort (Speaker)
★
Philip Savage
★
Edward Singleton
★
James Sloane
★
Richard Warburton
★ Brigadier
William Wolsely
''Members:''
★
Thomas Beecher
★
Francis Bernard
★
Charles Boyle
★
St. John Brodrick
★
Thomas Brodrick
★
Edward Richardson
★
Sir Nicholas Acheson, 4th Baronet
''Members:''
★
Thomas Beecher
★
Francis Bernard
★
Henry Boyle
★
Alan Brodrick, Whig, Speaker
★
Thomas Brodrick
★ Sir
Toby Butler
★
Percy Freke
★
Francis Langston
★
Sir John Perceval
★
Edward Riggs
★
Henry Tenison, Tory
''Members:''
★
Alan Brodrick, Whig, Speaker
★
Richard Barry
★
Michael Beecher
★
Arthur Bernard
★
Francis Bernard
★
SirJohn Perceval
===Parliament of
George I===
''Members:''
★
St John Brodrick
★
Henry Boyle
{| class="wikitable"
===Parliament of
George II===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|1
|
28 November 1727
|
25 November 1760 on death of
King George II
|Sir
Ralph Gore,
Chancellor of the Exchequer
|17
|}
''Members:'' (elected 1727)
★
St John Brodrick
★
Henry Boyle
★ Sir
Richard Cox
★
Sir Matthew Deane
★
Charles Viscount Dungarvan
★
Anthony Malone, Westmeath (married Speaker Ralph Gore's daughter),
★
Thomas Carter
★
Luke Gardiner,
Tralee Thomastown to 1755
★
Sir Arthur Acheson, 5th Baronet, for
Mullinger
★
Edward Lovett Pearce
''Members:'' (elected 1728/29)
''Members:'' (elected 1739)
★
John Ponsonby
''Members:'' (in 1747)
★
Henry Gore,
Tulsk
★
Frederick Gore,
Killybegs
★ Sir
Ralph Gore,
Donegal County
★
Arthur Hyde
★ John Macarell,
Carlingford
★ Henry Mitchell,
Castlebar
''Members:'' (elected 1751/1752)
★
Thomas Newenham, Cork
★ Sir
Richard Cox, Cork
★
Cosby Nesbitt,
Cavan
★
Frederick Gore,
Killybegs
★
Henry Gore,
Tulsk
★ Sir
Ralph Gore,
Donegal County
★ John Macarell,
Carlingford
★ Henry Mitchell,
Castlebar
''Members:'' (elected 1753/1754)
★
Francis Pierpoint Burton,
Killybegs
★
Robert Fitzgerald,
Kerry
★
Henry Gore,
Tulsk
★
Frederick Gore,
Killybegs
★ Sir
Ralph Gore,
Donegal County
★ John Macarell,
Carlingford
★ Henry Mitchell,
Castlebar
★ Cosby Nesbitt,
Cavan County
★
Mervyn Archdall
★
William Brownlow, Armagh, Independent
★
Francis Pierpoint Burton,
Killybegs
★
Charles Viscount Dungarvan
★
Robert French
★
John Gore
★
Henry Gore,
Tulsk
★
Frederick Gore,
Killybegs
★ Sir
Ralph Gore,
Donegal County
★
Anthony Malone
★
John Macarell,
Carlingford
★
Henry Mitchell,
Castlebar
★
Edmund Pery, Independent
★
John Ponsonby
★
Abel Ram (Committee of Commons unseated
Robert Leigh), Wexford
''Members:''
★ Sir
Archibold Acheson
★
John Bowes
★
Benjamin Burton
★ Sir
Charles Burton, Dublin
★
Francis Pierpoint Burton,
Killybegs
★
Nathaniel Clements
★ Cunninghame
★
James Dunn, Dublin
★ Sir
William Fownes
★
John Gore
★
Henry Gore
★
Frederick Gore
★
John Hely-Hutchinson, Cork
★
Henry Lyons
★
Anthony Malone
★
Cosby Nesbitt,
Cavan County
★
Charles O'Hara
★
Edmond Pery, Independent
★ Sir
Thomas Prendergast
★ Stone
★
Philip Tisdall
===Parliaments of
George III===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|1
|
22 October 1761
|
28 May 1768 Octennial Act
|
John Ponsonby
|4
|}
''Members:''
★
William Brabazon Ponsonby
★
John Foster
★
Sir John Freke
★
John Hely Hutchinson
★
John Lysaght
★
Charles Lucas
★
Edmund Sexton Pery
★
Thomas Waite
★ Andrews
★ Beauchamp
★ Bowes
★
Henry Flood, Kilkenny
★ Lucas
★
Cosby Nesbitt,
Cavan County
★
Richard Townsend
★ Sir
Lucius O'Brien,
Clare County
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|2
|
17 October 1769
|
5 April 1776
|
John Ponsonby to
4 March 1771,
Edmond Pery Sexton
|5
|}
''Members:''
★
Robert Clements,
Donegal County
★
John Hely Hutchinson
★ Colonel
Alexander Montgomery,
Donegal County
★
James Agar,
Tralee (replaced by Sir
Boyle Roche)
Grattan's Parliament
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|3
|
18 June 1776
|
25 July 1783
|
Edmond Sexton Pery
|4
|}
''Members:''
★
Henry Grattan
★
Richard Longfield
★
John Hely Hutchinson
★
Sir R.T. Meade
★ Sir
Edward Newenham, Independent
★ Sir
Boyle Roche,
Gowran
★
Sir John Dillon, 1st Baronet
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|4
|
14 October 1783
|
8 April 1790
|
Edmond Sexton Pery
|7
|}
''Members:''
★
Welbore Agar, Kilkenny
★
Isaac Corry
★
Thomas Coughlan,
Carlingford
★
Henry Flood
★ Sir
William Godfrey,
Tralee
★
Henry Grattan, Independent
★
Robert Jephson,
Granard
★ Sir
Richard Johnstone,
Blessington
★
John Hely Hutchinson
★ Sir
James May, Waterford
★
James Carrique Ponsonby,
Tralee
★ Ponsoy
★
Augustine Warren
★
Nathaniel Warren (possibly a member of the 5th session)
★ Sir
Boyle Roche,
Portarlington
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|5
|
2 July 1790
|
11 July 1797
|
John Foster
|8
|}
''Members:''
★
Denis Browne,
Mayo County
★
Peter Burrows
★
Todd Jones
★
John Beresford
★ Sir
Boyle Roche,
Tralee
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Number
!Opened
!Dismissed
!
Speaker
!Sessions
|-
|6
|
9 January 1798
|
31 December 1800
|
John Foster
|3
|}
''Members:''
★
Charles O'Hara
★
Lucius O'Brien
★
Edmond Sexton Pery
★ Sir
Boyle Roche,
Old Leighlin
Resignation
Until 1793 members could not resign their seats. They could cease to be a member of the House only by one of four ways:
★ death
★ expulsion
★ taking
Holy Orders
★ being awarded a peerage and so a seat in the
Irish House of Lords.
In 1793 a methodology for resignation was created, equivalent to the
Chiltern Hundreds in the
British House of Commons. Irish members could now be appointed to either the
Escheatorship of Munster, the
Escheatorship of Leinster, the
Escheatorship of Connaught or the
Escheatorship of Ulster. Possession of one of these Crown offices, with entailed a 30/ (30
shilling) salary, automatically terminated one's membership of the House of Commons.
See also
★
History of Ireland
★
Member of Parliament (pre-Union Ireland)
References
★ Charles Ivor McGrath, ''The making of the 18th century Irish Parliament 1692-1714'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2000, ISBN 1-85182-554-1
★ Eoin Magennis, ''The Irish Political System 1740-1765'', Doublin: Four Courts Press, 2000, ISBN 1-85182-484-7
★ Moody/Vaughan, ''A new history of Ireland'', Oxford, 1986, ISBN 0-19-821742-0 and ISBN 0-19-821739-0
★ Mary Frances Cusack, ''Illustrated History of Ireland'', Project Gutenburg
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
