Background
Bruen was elected unopposed at 1857 general election, taking a seat previously held by his father Henry Bruen (1789–1852).
Bruen was elected unopposed at 1857 general election, taking a seat previously held by his father Henry Bruen (1789–1852).
He was the third (and last) in a line of Henry Bruens to represent County Carlow. He was returned unopposed at the next the general elections, but at the 1880 general election, Carlow"s two Conservative MPs were both defeated by Home Rule League candidates. In addition to his Parliamentary seat, Bruen held a number of other appointments.
He was High Sheriff of Carlow in 1855, and High Sheriff of Wexford in 1883, and was at some unspecified time a Justice of the Peace in both counties.
He was also a Deputy Lieutenant (Doctor of Laws) of County Carlow.
18th United Kingdom Parliament. 19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament.
21st United Kingdom Parliament]
He was Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Carlow County from 1857 to 1880, taking his seat in the House of Commons of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 26 April 1880, shortly after his electoral defeat, he was sworn as a member of the Privy Council of Ireland.