Upon his father's death later in 1880, he wrote to Parnell asking for adoption as the Nationalist Party (from 1882 the Irish Parliamentary Party) candidate in the by-election to fill the open seat, but was disappointed to learn that Parnell had already promised the next vacancy to his secretary Timothy Healy.
Efter faderens død i 1880 skrev han til Parnell og spurgte om at blive Nationalistpartiets (fra 1882 Irish Parliamentary Party) kandidat til den tomme plads, men måtte noget overrasket erkende at Parnell allerede havde lovet det tomme sæde til sin sekretær Timothy Healy.