Daniel Fitzgerald Gabbett
Encyclopedia
Daniel Fitzgerald Gabbett, M.P.
(7 November 1841 – 4 August 1898) was an Irish
Home Rule League
Member of Parliament
(M.P.) for Limerick City
from 1879 to 1885.
, a sixteenth century Archbishop of Cashel
in the Church of Ireland
.
He was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin and at Trinity College, Dublin
. He served in the 2nd Life Guards
beginning in 1862, and in the 10th Royal Hussars, retiring 6 November 1867.
Gabbett was reported to be a patron of the theatre: “Actors in distress especially enlisted his sympathy, the theatrical profession possessing an attraction for his somewhat Bohemian tastes.”
In 1894, he married Augusta Janey Thornton. He died in London on 4 August 1898.
in County Limerick
, and served in the House of Commons as a Home Rule League
M.P. for the Borough of Limerick
from 1879 to 1885.
journalist Justin McCarthy, M.P.:
“I read, the other day, an account of the death of a former Parliamentary colleague, whose name will probably be quite unknown to the American public in general, but of whom I venture to offer a few words of reminiscence. I am speaking of Major Daniel Fitzgerald Gabbett, who was in the House of Commons and an Irish Nationalist member several years ago. My old friend Gabbett was just such an Irishman as Thackeray
would have loved to draw. He could tell a rattling good story; he could sing a good song in an exquisite baritone voice; he was fond of giving musical parties at his rooms off Pall Mall
; he was full of animal spirits and was never without a joke on his lips.
He was of the landlord class but unlike most of his class, he became a Nationalist and a follower of Charles Stewart Parnell
. He was in the House of Commons during the times of the terrible obstruction, when seven or eight of us used to keep the House sitting for days and nights together by our incessant making of speeches and insisting on divisions; and his good spirits helped to keep us alive during many a weary night. We take a vote in the House of Commons, as most of your readers know, by passing into the Ay or the No Lobby, according as we are inclined to vote for the motion or against it, and each lobby is a long, spacious room or corridor, the length of the Chamber itself, and inclosing the Chamber on either side. At one time, before our numbers grew stronger, and before we had any English supporters, we, the followers of Parnell, used to pass, the whole seven or eight of us, into one lobby, and the entire House of Commons used to stream down the other lobby. Then it was that our friend Gabbett's animal spirits shone out. He was always the first in our lobby, and he put on the appearance of a man bewildered and affrighted by the pressure of a vast crowd behind him. ‘Keep back, boys,’ he used to cry, imploringly, to the six or seven of us; ‘don’t stifle us! Don’t keep crushing on us in that sort of way! We’ll all get through, I assure you, in time, if you’ll only have patience; but it will do no good to the cause if we crush each other to death.’
I could not help feeling a genuine pang of personal regret when I learned that poor Gabbett's jovial, humorous career had come to an end, that he would never sing a song or make a joke on earth any more.”
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(7 November 1841 – 4 August 1898) was an Irish
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...
Home Rule League
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(M.P.) for Limerick City
Limerick City (UK Parliament constituency)
Limerick City was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland. It returned one MP 1801–1832, two MPs 1832–1885 and one thereafter. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801...
from 1879 to 1885.
Personal life
Gabbett was born on 7 November 1841. He was the son of Daniel Gabbett and Susannah Fitzgerald. Gabbett descended on his mother’s side from Miler MagrathMiler Magrath
Miler Magrath or Miler McGrath , was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland. He came from a family of hereditary historians to the O'Brien clan. He entered the Franciscan Order and was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood...
, a sixteenth century Archbishop of Cashel
Archbishop of Cashel
The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....
in the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
.
He was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin and at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He served in the 2nd Life Guards
Life Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
beginning in 1862, and in the 10th Royal Hussars, retiring 6 November 1867.
Gabbett was reported to be a patron of the theatre: “Actors in distress especially enlisted his sympathy, the theatrical profession possessing an attraction for his somewhat Bohemian tastes.”
In 1894, he married Augusta Janey Thornton. He died in London on 4 August 1898.
Political career
Gabbett was a Justice of the Peace (J.P.)Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, and served in the House of Commons as a Home Rule League
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
M.P. for the Borough of Limerick
Limerick City (UK Parliament constituency)
Limerick City was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland. It returned one MP 1801–1832, two MPs 1832–1885 and one thereafter. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801...
from 1879 to 1885.
Contemporary Description
Shortly after his death in 1898, Gabbett was eulogized by the Irish NationalistIrish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
journalist Justin McCarthy, M.P.:
“I read, the other day, an account of the death of a former Parliamentary colleague, whose name will probably be quite unknown to the American public in general, but of whom I venture to offer a few words of reminiscence. I am speaking of Major Daniel Fitzgerald Gabbett, who was in the House of Commons and an Irish Nationalist member several years ago. My old friend Gabbett was just such an Irishman as Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist of the 19th century. He was famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society.-Biography:...
would have loved to draw. He could tell a rattling good story; he could sing a good song in an exquisite baritone voice; he was fond of giving musical parties at his rooms off Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
; he was full of animal spirits and was never without a joke on his lips.
He was of the landlord class but unlike most of his class, he became a Nationalist and a follower of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
. He was in the House of Commons during the times of the terrible obstruction, when seven or eight of us used to keep the House sitting for days and nights together by our incessant making of speeches and insisting on divisions; and his good spirits helped to keep us alive during many a weary night. We take a vote in the House of Commons, as most of your readers know, by passing into the Ay or the No Lobby, according as we are inclined to vote for the motion or against it, and each lobby is a long, spacious room or corridor, the length of the Chamber itself, and inclosing the Chamber on either side. At one time, before our numbers grew stronger, and before we had any English supporters, we, the followers of Parnell, used to pass, the whole seven or eight of us, into one lobby, and the entire House of Commons used to stream down the other lobby. Then it was that our friend Gabbett's animal spirits shone out. He was always the first in our lobby, and he put on the appearance of a man bewildered and affrighted by the pressure of a vast crowd behind him. ‘Keep back, boys,’ he used to cry, imploringly, to the six or seven of us; ‘don’t stifle us! Don’t keep crushing on us in that sort of way! We’ll all get through, I assure you, in time, if you’ll only have patience; but it will do no good to the cause if we crush each other to death.’
I could not help feeling a genuine pang of personal regret when I learned that poor Gabbett's jovial, humorous career had come to an end, that he would never sing a song or make a joke on earth any more.”