als ▁or ▁who ▁belonged ▁to ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁Irish - based ▁groups ▁( the ▁Re pe al ▁Association , ▁the ▁Independent ▁Irish ▁Party ▁and ▁the ▁Home ▁Rule ▁League ). ▁The ▁Liber als ▁elected ▁in ▁D und alk ▁t ended ▁to ▁have ▁national ist ▁lean ings . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁MP ▁for ▁the ▁constitu ency ▁was ▁the ▁prominent ▁Liberal ▁lawyer - polit ician , ▁Charles ▁Russell . ▁An ▁Irish ▁born ▁Catholic , ▁Russell ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁lead ▁Coun sel ▁for ▁Charles ▁Stewart ▁Par nell ▁during ▁the ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁alleg ations ▁which ▁had ▁appeared ▁in ▁The ▁Times . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁suggested ▁that ▁Par nell ▁was ▁comp licit ▁in ▁the ▁mur ders ▁of ▁the ▁Chief ▁Secretary ▁for ▁Ireland ▁Lord ▁Frederick ▁Cav end ish ▁and ▁the ▁P erman ent ▁Under - Secret ary ▁for ▁Ireland , ▁T . H . ▁Bur ke . ▁Let ters ▁were ▁produced ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁alleg ations . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁Russell ' s ▁master ly ▁cross - ex am ination ▁of ▁Richard ▁P ig ott , ▁the ▁for ger ▁of ▁the ▁letters , ▁the ▁Commission ▁of ▁En qu iry ▁v ind ic ated ▁Par nell . ▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁Parliament ▁ ▁E lections ▁ ▁E lections ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁ ▁Red ington ▁res igned ▁after ▁being ▁appointed ▁Under - Secret ary ▁for ▁Ireland , ▁causing ▁a ▁by - e lection . ▁ ▁Upon ▁pet ition , ▁Mac T av ish ▁was ▁un se ated