It was redrawn in 1918 as a result of the abolition of the Kilkenny City constituency and the transfer of part of the town of New Ross to County Wexford and the transfer of the Kilculliheen area to County Kilkenny from Waterford city under the 1898 Local Government Act.
1885–1918: The baronies of Callan, Ida, Iverk and Knocktopher, and that part of the barony of Gowran contained within the parishes of Ballylinch, Columbkille, Famma, Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge, Jerpoint Abbey, Jerpoint West, Kilfane, Pleberstown, Thomastown and Ullard.
Before the 1885 United Kingdom general election the area was part of the County Kilkenny constituency.
The constituency ceased to be entitled to be represented in the UK House of Commons on the dissolution of 26 October 1922, shortly before the Irish Free State came into legal existence on 6 December 1922.
Only the Sinn Féin Deputies participated in the Dáil, but the other Irish MPs could have done so if they had chosen to adhere to the Republic.