Antrim was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.

Following the Act of Union 1800 the constituency became Antrim (UK Parliament constituency).

History

The county constituency was enfranchised as a Parliamentary constituency at an uncertain date, between the first known meeting of the Parliament in 1264 and the division of the area into baronies in 1584. It sent two knights of the shire to the Irish House of Commons.

The county was represented in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, under the Instrument of Government, after it was established in 1654. It was part of the Down, Antrim and Armagh (constituency). Following the restoration of the King in 1660 the Parliament of Ireland was re-established and the constituency again returned two Members of Parliament. See First Protectorate Parliament for the list of Irish constituencies during the Protectorate.

Boundaries and Boundary Changes

1264-1800: A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis discusses the administrative history of Antrim. It is uncertain when Antrim was made a County and given representation as such in Parliament. Something like the modern arrangements seem to have originated in 1584 when the Lord Deputy Sir John Perrot divided the area into baronies. From whatever point the county constituency existed it comprised the whole of County Antrim, excluding the parts in the borough constituencies of Antrim Borough (from 1666), Belfast (1613), Carrickfergus (1326), Lisburn (1661) and Randalstown (1683).

Members of Parliament

• 1634?1635 John Clotworthy
• 1661-1666 Sir John Skeffington, 2nd Viscount Massereene (d. 1695) and ?; Changes: (1665) Sir Toby (or John) Poyntz vice Skeffington succeeded as 2nd Viscount Massereene
• 1689-1689 Cormuck O'Neale and Randal Mac Donnell Members of the Patriot Parliament

• 1798-1800 Right Hon. John Staples (1 March 1734-22 December 1820) and Edmond Alexander MacNaghten (2 August 1762-15 March 1832)

The Lord Lieutenant wrote to the Sheriff of Antrim on 2 November 1665 recommending Poyntz as the successor of Skeffington, who had inherited a peerage in September. In the absence of evidence to the contrary it is assumed that, in this period, such a recommendation was tantamount to election.

References

• For references to official letters of recommendation for persons to be elected in the 1660s see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/projects/carte/carte.html

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