Callan was a
constituency represented in the
Irish House of Commons until 1800. Based on
Callan, County Kilkenny, it was established by
royal charter in 1585, apparently at the request of
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond. He was a cousin of
Elizabeth I on her mother's side, and one of the few Irish leaders in whom she had complete trust. It functioned largely as a Butler controlled borough, with parliamentary seats dominated by families such as the Comerfords, who were closely aligned with the Butlers. In the
Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by
James II, Callan was represented with two members. ==Members of Parliament, 1585–1801==