Edmund Leamy
Encyclopedia
Edmund Leamy was an Irish
journalist, barrister
, author of fairy tales, nationalist
politician and MP.
in the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
where as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
and leading supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell
he represented various Irish seats for much of the period from 1880 until his death in 1904.
Leamy was educated at the University High School, Waterford
and at Tullabeg College. He was called to the Irish bar in 1885. In 1880
he was elected as a Parnellite Home Ruler to one of the two seats for Waterford City
. When representation at Waterford was reduced to one seat at the 1885 election
, he stood down but was elected unopposed at Cork North East in 1885 and again in 1886
. He also stood at Mid Armagh
in 1885, but was not elected. Resigning from Cork North East in 1887, he was elected unopposed to a vacancy at South Sligo
in 1888.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Leamy was one of the minority in the Irish National League who supported Parnell. Parnell made him editor of his newspaper United Ireland after regaining editorial control in 1891. At the subsequent general election in 1892, Leamy unsuccessfully contested East Waterford. He also unsuccessfully contested Galway City
as a Parnellite in 1895 and as candidate for the reunited Irish Party in 1900.
However, in 1900 he was re-elected to the House of Commons as Nationalist member for North Kildare
, serving until his death in 1904. He died at Pau in southern France where he was staying for the sake of his health. At the request of John Redmond
, Pat O'Brien
went out to Pau to accompany Leamy's widow and the body for their return to Waterford for the funeral on 21 December 1904.
Leamy's fairy tales, including The Golden Spears, By the Barrow River
and The Fairy Minstrel of Glenmalure, have been reprinted several times in various editions in Ireland and the USA.
The book Parnell’s Faithful Few by his widow Margaret Leamy contains a good deal of biographical material and is a significant source for the history of the Parnellite split in the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
journalist, barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, author of fairy tales, nationalist
Irish 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...
politician and MP.
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,...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
where as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
and leading supporter 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 represented various Irish seats for much of the period from 1880 until his death in 1904.
Leamy was educated at the University High School, Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
and at Tullabeg College. He was called to the Irish bar in 1885. In 1880
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
he was elected as a Parnellite Home Ruler to one of the two seats for Waterford City
Waterford City (UK Parliament constituency)
Waterford City was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland.-Boundaries and boundary changes:This constituency was the Parliamentary borough of Waterford in County Waterford.It returned one MP 1801–1832, two MPs 1832–1885 and one 1885–1922...
. When representation at Waterford was reduced to one seat at the 1885 election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
, he stood down but was elected unopposed at Cork North East in 1885 and again in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. He also stood at Mid Armagh
Mid Armagh (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Armagh was a constituency in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act for the 1885 general election and returned one Member of Parliament until it was abolished with effect from the 1922 general election....
in 1885, but was not elected. Resigning from Cork North East in 1887, he was elected unopposed to a vacancy at South Sligo
South Sligo (UK Parliament constituency)
South Sligo was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1922....
in 1888.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Leamy was one of the minority in the Irish National League who supported Parnell. Parnell made him editor of his newspaper United Ireland after regaining editorial control in 1891. At the subsequent general election in 1892, Leamy unsuccessfully contested East Waterford. He also unsuccessfully contested Galway City
Galway Borough (UK Parliament constituency)
Galway Borough 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.-Boundaries:This...
as a Parnellite in 1895 and as candidate for the reunited Irish Party in 1900.
However, in 1900 he was re-elected to the House of Commons as Nationalist member for North Kildare
North Kildare (UK Parliament constituency)
North Kildare was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1922.Prior to the United Kingdom general election, 1885 the area was part of the Kildare constituency. From 1922 it was not represented in the UK Parliament....
, serving until his death in 1904. He died at Pau in southern France where he was staying for the sake of his health. At the request of John Redmond
John Redmond
John Edward Redmond was an Irish nationalist politician, barrister, MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1900 to 1918...
, Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (Irish politician)
Patrick O'Brien , generally known as Pat, was Irish Nationalist MP in the House Of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented North Monaghan and Kilkenny City . He was Chief Whip of the Irish Party from 1907 until his...
went out to Pau to accompany Leamy's widow and the body for their return to Waterford for the funeral on 21 December 1904.
Leamy's fairy tales, including The Golden Spears, By the Barrow River
River Barrow
The Barrow is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest and most prominent of the three rivers...
and The Fairy Minstrel of Glenmalure, have been reprinted several times in various editions in Ireland and the USA.
The book Parnell’s Faithful Few by his widow Margaret Leamy contains a good deal of biographical material and is a significant source for the history of the Parnellite split in the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Selected Writings
- Irish Fairy Tales, Dublin, Mercier Press, 1978
- Irish Fairy Stories for Children, illustrated by Frank and Gail Dowling, Dublin, Mercier Press; Chester Springs, PA (Dufour Editions, US distributor), 1983, repr. 1992
Sources
- Freeman's Journal, 12 and 22 December 1904
- Margaret Leamy, Parnell’s Faithful Few, New York, Macmillan, 1936
- Brian M. Walker (ed.), Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 1978
- Who Was Who, 1897-1916
External Links
- Full text of "Golden Spears, and Other Fairy Tales", Desmond Fitzgerald, Inc., 1911.