His widow Mary Ryan was elected at the 1944 general election for the same constituency.

He was elected for the constituency again in 1885 and sat for it until 1892.

Another son, Michael J. Collins was later elected for the same constituency.

At the 1932 general election he was elected for the Leix-Offaly constituency.

In 1783, he was also elected for the latter constituency, however chose not to sit.

He was first elected in the 1987 general election for the Gedling constituency but lost in 1997.

He was again elected for the same constituency in 1857, but died in office on 2 January 1862.

He was elected as the first member of parliament for the new constituency of Leigh.

At the 1906 general election, he stood again and was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the constituency.

He was again elected for the same constituency in 1868, but was defeated in the 1874 election.