John J. O'Kelly
Encyclopedia
John Joseph O'Kelly was an Irish
politician, author and publisher. He was a former president of the Gaelic League and of Sinn Féin
. He was born on Valentia Island
off the County Kerry
coast.
, O'Kelly joined the Irish National League and became treasurer of the Irish National Aid and Volunteers' Dependants' Fund for the relief of prisoners and their families. In February 1917 he was arrested and deported to England where he was interned without trial for several months. On his release O'Kelly was elected to the Provisional Committee of the newly merged Irish National League and Sinn Féin, thereafter called Sinn Féin. He was appointed editor of the influential "Catholic Bulletin". In the United Kingdom general election, 1918
he was elected as a Sinn Féin MP for Louth
by 255 votes in what was the closest contest in Ireland in that election. The closeness of the contest was due to the strong AOH
organisation in the county that campaigned for outgoing North Galway MP Richard Hazleton of the Irish Parliamentary Party
.
O'Kelly took his seat in Dáil Éireann
as a Sinn Féin
Teachta Dála
and was elected Leas-Cheann Comhairle (vice) Ceann Comhairle
in 1919-21. He was Secretary for Education
in the Government of the 2nd Dáil
. From 1919 to 1923, he was President of the Gaelic League. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty
that was ratified by the Dáil in January 1922, and refused to accept the legitimacy of the Irish Free State
established in December 1922. He and others maintained that the Irish Republic
continued to exist and that the rump of the Second Dáil, composed of those anti-Treaty TDs who had refused to take their seats in what became the Free State parliament, was the only legitimate government for the whole of Ireland. He was elected to the Third Dáil
but abstained
from taking his seat. After the resignation of Éamon de Valera
as president of Sinn Féin in 1926, O'Kelly was elected in his place and remained in this position until 1931.
O'Kelly was hostile towards the 1937 Constitution of Ireland
, claiming it was insufficiently supportive of
Irish Republicanism
and that the Constitution also did not require the President of Ireland
to be of Irish
birth.
anti-Masonic content. In 1916, members of Ireland's Jewish community protested after the Bulletin published a series of articles by
Fr. T.H. Burbage accusing the Jewish community of carrying out ritual murders ; O'Kelly refused
to apologise for the articles. O'Kelly opposed members of the IRA fighting against Franco in the Spanish Civil War
. In 1938, he was one of seven remaining abstentionist Second Dáil TDs who transferred the "authority" of what they believed was the "authority" of the Government of the Irish Republic to the IRA Army Council
(see Irish republican legitimatism
).
In 1938, he visited Germany, later publishing his impressions in the Irish Independent.
, on 26 March 1957, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
on March 28.
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, author and publisher. He was a former president of the Gaelic League and 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...
. He was born on Valentia Island
Valentia Island
Valentia Island is one of Ireland's westernmost points, lying off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry, Ireland. It is linked to the mainland by the Maurice O'Neill Memorial bridge at Portmagee, as well as by a ferry which sails from Reenard Point to Knightstown, the island's...
off the County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
coast.
Political career
He joined Sinn Féin at its inaugural meeting on November 5, 1905. Following the 1916 Easter RisingEaster Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
, O'Kelly joined the Irish National League and became treasurer of the Irish National Aid and Volunteers' Dependants' Fund for the relief of prisoners and their families. In February 1917 he was arrested and deported to England where he was interned without trial for several months. On his release O'Kelly was elected to the Provisional Committee of the newly merged Irish National League and Sinn Féin, thereafter called Sinn Féin. He was appointed editor of the influential "Catholic Bulletin". In the United Kingdom general election, 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
he was elected as a Sinn Féin MP for Louth
County Louth (UK Parliament constituency)
County Louth, otherwise known as Louth County or Louth, is a former parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
by 255 votes in what was the closest contest in Ireland in that election. The closeness of the contest was due to the strong AOH
Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be Catholic and either Irish born or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836...
organisation in the county that campaigned for outgoing North Galway MP Richard Hazleton 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...
.
O'Kelly took his seat 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 a 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...
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...
and was elected Leas-Cheann Comhairle (vice) Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
in 1919-21. He was Secretary for Education
Minister for Education and Science (Ireland)
The Minister for Education and Skills is the senior minister at the Department of Education and Skills in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Education and Skills is Ruairi Quinn, TD...
in the Government of the 2nd Dáil
Government of the 2nd Dáil
The Second Dáil was elected at the 1921 Irish elections on 24 May 1921 and lasted 388 days.-Third Ministry:The Third Ministry was the Ministry of the Irish Republic that held office from 26 August 1921 – 9 January 1922...
. From 1919 to 1923, he was President of the Gaelic League. He opposed the Anglo-Irish 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...
that was ratified by the Dáil in January 1922, and refused to accept the legitimacy of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
established in December 1922. He and others maintained that the Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
continued to exist and that the rump of the Second Dáil, composed of those anti-Treaty TDs who had refused to take their seats in what became the Free State parliament, was the only legitimate government for the whole of Ireland. He was elected to the Third Dáil
Third Dáil
The Third Dáil, also known as the Provisional Parliament or the Constituent Assembly, was:*the "provisional parliament" or "constituent assembly" of Southern Ireland from 9 August 1922 until 6 December 1922; and...
but abstained
Abstentionism
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in the election itself...
from taking his seat. After the resignation 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...
as president of Sinn Féin in 1926, O'Kelly was elected in his place and remained in this position until 1931.
O'Kelly was hostile towards the 1937 Constitution of Ireland
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
, claiming it was insufficiently supportive of
Irish Republicanism
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
and that the Constitution also did not require the President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
to be of Irish
birth.
Literary interests
He was a prolific author on Irish language and history topics, editing Banba, The Catholic Bulletin and An Camán. He was intensely religious and a conservative Roman Catholic. Many of his speeches and writings contained anti-Semitic andanti-Masonic content. In 1916, members of Ireland's Jewish community protested after the Bulletin published a series of articles by
Fr. T.H. Burbage accusing the Jewish community of carrying out ritual murders ; O'Kelly refused
to apologise for the articles. O'Kelly opposed members of the IRA fighting against Franco in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. In 1938, he was one of seven remaining abstentionist Second Dáil TDs who transferred the "authority" of what they believed was the "authority" of the Government of the Irish Republic to the IRA 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...
(see Irish republican legitimatism
Irish republican legitimatism
A concept within Irish republicanism, Irish republican legitimatism denies the legitimacy of the political entities of Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and posits that the pre-partition Irish Republic continues to exist...
).
In 1938, he visited Germany, later publishing his impressions in the Irish Independent.
Death
O'Kelly died in Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's CrossOur Lady's Hospice
Our Lady's Hospice is a Hospice with its main centre in Harold's Cross, Dublin and a specialist palliative care unit in Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. The Hospice was founded and run by the Religious Sisters of Charity, a congregation themselves founded by Mary Aikenhead. They provide...
, on 26 March 1957, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery , officially known as Prospect Cemetery, is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland with an estimated 1.5 million burials...
on March 28.
Further reading
- Dr. Brian P. Murphy, The Catholic Bulletin and Republican Ireland 1898-1926: with special reference to J. J. O'Kelly (Athol Books: Belfast, 2005)
- "County Louth: the Irish political revolution and the 1918 general election" by Oisín S. Kelly (MA thesis, 2006, UCD)