in the templeport poll book of 1761 there was only one person registered to vote in burren in the 1761 irish general election - george ellis, who lived in the townland of bellaheady in kildallan parish but owned a freehold in burren and so was entitled to cast two votes. the four election candidates were charles coote, 1st earl of bellomont and lord newtownbutler (later brinsley butler, 2nd earl of lanesborough), both of whom were then elected member of parliament for cavan county. the losing candidates were george montgomery (mp) of ballyconnell and barry maxwell, 1st earl of farnham. ellis voted for coote and montgomery. absence from the poll book either meant a resident did not vote or more likely was not a freeholder entitled to vote, which would mean most of the inhabitants of burren.