James FitzGerald-Kenney
Encyclopedia
James FitzGerald-Kenney (1 January 1878 – 21 October 1956) was an Irish politician and Senior Counsel
. He was first elected at the June 1927 general election as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Mayo
constituency. He was appointed to the Cabinet on his first year in Dáil Éireann
as Minister for Justice. He was re-elected at every election until he lost his seat at the 1944 general election
. He subsequently retired from politics, and spent his remaining years farming at Clogher which he inherited from his mother. He died in 1956.
in County Mayo
, second son of James Fitzgerald Kenney of Galway
and Helena Crean-Lynch. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College
and University College Dublin
where he took his degree in 1898. He was called to the Bar in 1899 and rapidly built up a large practice on the Western Circuit. He was called to the Inner Bar in 1925.
In politics he was until 1918 a firm supporter of John Redmond
; he joined the Irish Volunteers
in 1914. He was one of the earliest members of the Gaelic League.
and the Garda Commissioner Eoin O'Duffy
. His appointment after only a few months in Parliament naturally caused surprise, and his lack of experience made him the target of Opposition attacks. Admirers however praised his ability to shrug off such attacks and his barrister's talent for making impromptu replies. Unlike O'Higgins, he allowed O'Duffy complete discretion as to how he ran the police force. He occasionally invited ridicule in his willingness to defend O'Duffy : his claim that a victim of Garda brutality had been knocked down by a cow led to a brief fashion for referring to Gardai as " Fitzgerald-Kenney's cows".
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
. He was first elected at the June 1927 general election as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála
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...
(TD) for the Mayo
Mayo (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Mayo is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies...
constituency. He was appointed to the Cabinet on his first year in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
as Minister for Justice. He was re-elected at every election until he lost his seat at the 1944 general election
Irish general election, 1944
The Irish general election of 1944 was held on 30 May 1944, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 9 May. The 138 newly elected members of the 12th Dáil assembled on 9 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. He subsequently retired from politics, and spent his remaining years farming at Clogher which he inherited from his mother. He died in 1956.
Biography
He was born at his mother's family home Clogher, near ClaremorrisClaremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
in County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, second son of James Fitzgerald Kenney of Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and Helena Crean-Lynch. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
and University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
where he took his degree in 1898. He was called to the Bar in 1899 and rapidly built up a large practice on the Western Circuit. He was called to the Inner Bar in 1925.
In politics he was until 1918 a firm supporter 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...
; he joined the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
in 1914. He was one of the earliest members of the Gaelic League.
As Minister
Historians have not paid much attention to his career as Minister: he is inevitably overshadowed by the more charismatic figures of his predecessor Kevin O'HigginsKevin O'Higgins
Kevin Christopher O'Higgins was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice. He was part of early nationalist Sinn Féin, before going on to become a prominent member of Cumann na nGaedheal. O'Higgins initiated the An Garda Síochána police force...
and the Garda Commissioner Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy was in succession a Teachta Dála , the Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army , the second Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, leader of the Army Comrades Association and then the first leader of Fine Gael , before leading the Irish Brigade to fight for Francisco Franco during...
. His appointment after only a few months in Parliament naturally caused surprise, and his lack of experience made him the target of Opposition attacks. Admirers however praised his ability to shrug off such attacks and his barrister's talent for making impromptu replies. Unlike O'Higgins, he allowed O'Duffy complete discretion as to how he ran the police force. He occasionally invited ridicule in his willingness to defend O'Duffy : his claim that a victim of Garda brutality had been knocked down by a cow led to a brief fashion for referring to Gardai as " Fitzgerald-Kenney's cows".