Cathal Ó Murchadha
Encyclopedia
Cathal Ó Murchadha was an Irish
politician and republican. He was born in Albert Place East, Dublin. He was a member of the Boland's Mills Garrison under the command of Éamon de Valera
during the 1916 Rising and was interned in Frongoch
after the Rising. He was manager of Arthur Griffith
's newspapers, Nationality and United Irishman, and looked after these during Griffith's periods of imprisonment.
He was elected to the 2nd Dáil
in the 1921 Irish elections
as a TD
for the Dublin South constituency
representing Sinn Féin
. He was not re-elected in the 1922 election
, was again elected to the 4th Dáil in the 1923 general election
, defeating Independent candidate Sir Andrew Beattie
by just 490 votes, but did not take his seat. He was defeated in the June 1927 general election.
Following the Treaty
, he sided with the anti-Treaty side. He was imprisoned a number of times and took part in a hunger strike in Mountjoy Prison
. He was officer commanding of the republican prisoners in Harepark Internment Camp, The Curragh, Co Kildare.
He served as an Alderman for Sinn Féin on Dublin City Council
.
He was president of Sinn Féin
from 1935 to 1937. He was one of the seven signatories of the document which transferred the supposed authority of the Second Dáil on 17 December 1938 to the Army Council
of the IRA
.
He was married to Nan Funge of Courtown Harbour, Co Wexford, and they had five children.
His brother-in-law had founded the printing firm Elo Press.
At the time of his death, on 28 April 1958, he was living at 217 South Circular Road, Dolphin's Barn
, Dublin.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
politician and republican. He was born in Albert Place East, Dublin. He was a member of the Boland's Mills Garrison under the command of Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
during the 1916 Rising and was interned in Frongoch
Frongoch
The village of Frongoch is located in Gwynedd, Wales. It lies close to the market town of Bala, on the A4212 road in north Wales.It was the home of the Frongoch internment camp, used to hold German prisoners-of-war during First World War, and then Irish Republican prisoners from the 1916...
after the Rising. He was manager of Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. He served as President of Dáil Éireann from January to August 1922, and was head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations in London that produced the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.-Early life:...
's newspapers, Nationality and United Irishman, and looked after these during Griffith's periods of imprisonment.
He was elected to the 2nd Dáil
Second Dáil
The Second Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 16 August 1921 until 8 June 1922. From 1919–1922 Dáil Éireann was the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The Second Dáil consisted of members elected in 1921...
in the 1921 Irish elections
Irish elections, 1921
Two elections in Ireland took place in 1921, as a result of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 to establish the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The election was used by Irish Republicans as the basis of membership of the Second Dáil...
as a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for the Dublin South constituency
Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
representing Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
. He was not re-elected in the 1922 election
Irish general election, 1922
The Irish general election of 1922 took place in Southern Ireland on 16 June 1922, under the provisions of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty to elect a constituent assembly paving the way for the formal establishment of the Irish Free State...
, was again elected to the 4th Dáil in the 1923 general election
Irish general election, 1923
The Irish general election of 1923 was held on 27 August 1923. The newly elected members of the 4th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 19 September when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed. The election was held just after the end...
, defeating Independent candidate Sir Andrew Beattie
Andrew Beattie (politician)
Sir Andrew Beattie was an Irish politician and public servant.Beattie was born in Rathfriland, County Down. For many years, both before and after the creation of the Irish Free State, he led the Unionist group on the Dublin City Council, of which he was an Alderman...
by just 490 votes, but did not take his seat. He was defeated in the June 1927 general election.
Following the Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
, he sided with the anti-Treaty side. He was imprisoned a number of times and took part in a hunger strike in Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison , founded as Mountjoy Gaol, nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security prison located in Phibsboro in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It has the largest prison population in Ireland.The current prison governor is Mr...
. He was officer commanding of the republican prisoners in Harepark Internment Camp, The Curragh, Co Kildare.
He served as an Alderman for Sinn Féin on Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
.
He was president of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
from 1935 to 1937. He was one of the seven signatories of the document which transferred the supposed authority of the Second Dáil on 17 December 1938 to the Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
of the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
.
He was married to Nan Funge of Courtown Harbour, Co Wexford, and they had five children.
His brother-in-law had founded the printing firm Elo Press.
At the time of his death, on 28 April 1958, he was living at 217 South Circular Road, Dolphin's Barn
Dolphin's Barn
Dolphin's Barn is an inner city suburb of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the Southside of the city in the Dublin 8, and partially in the Dublin 12, postal district. Its name derives from a family named Dolphyn who once owned a storehouse there. Surrounding areas include The Liberties, Inchicore,...
, Dublin.