John Joseph Mooney
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Mooney KBE JP (1874 – 12 April 1934) was an Irish
nationalist
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1900 to 1918, taking his seat as an Irish Parliamentary Party
member of the House of Commons of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
. He was a member of a prominent Dublin business and pub-owning family, J G Mooney & Co plc.
At the general election in October 1900
, Mooney stood as the nationalist candidate in County Dublin South, where the agricultural reformer Horace Plunkett had held the seat for the Unionists since 1892
. However, Plunkett's conciliatory approach to nationalists led to hardline unionists backing an independent unionist candidate, splitting the unionist vote, and Mooney won the seat with 43% of the votes, becoming the youngest member of the House of Commons.
Mooney did not stand again in South County Dublin, where the unionists reunited at the 1906 general election
and regained the seat. He stood instead in the safer nationalist territory of the Newry constituency
in County Down
, where he was returned to Westminster
with a slim majority over his only opponent, an Independent Nationalist
candidate.
At the January 1910 election, he was returned with a two-to-one majority over a unionist opponent, and in December 1910 he was returned unopposed, holding the seat until the parliamentary borough
of Newry was abolished at the 1918 general election
.
Mooney was one of the younger members of John Redmond
's inner circle. He was Redmond's Parliamentary Private Secretary, and also treasurer of the Irish Parliamentary Party. After 1918 he pursued a career at the English Bar. He was also Knighted after the war, for services to the Crown in connection with the war. He was married to Ethel MacMillian in 1912, who was possibly a relative or Harold MacMillian the British Prime Minister.
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...
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. He was a 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,...
(MP) from 1900 to 1918, taking his seat as an 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...
member of the House of Commons of what was then 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....
. He was a member of a prominent Dublin business and pub-owning family, J G Mooney & Co plc.
At the general election in October 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, Mooney stood as the nationalist candidate in County Dublin South, where the agricultural reformer Horace Plunkett had held the seat for the Unionists since 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
. However, Plunkett's conciliatory approach to nationalists led to hardline unionists backing an independent unionist candidate, splitting the unionist vote, and Mooney won the seat with 43% of the votes, becoming the youngest member of the House of Commons.
Mooney did not stand again in South County Dublin, where the unionists reunited at the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
and regained the seat. He stood instead in the safer nationalist territory of the Newry constituency
Newry (UK Parliament constituency)
Newry was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Members of Parliament:...
in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, where he was returned to Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
with a slim majority over his only opponent, an Independent Nationalist
Independent Nationalist
Independent Nationalist was a political title frequently used by Irish nationalists when contesting elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland not as members of the Irish Parliamentary Party, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.In the...
candidate.
At the January 1910 election, he was returned with a two-to-one majority over a unionist opponent, and in December 1910 he was returned unopposed, holding the seat until the parliamentary borough
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
of Newry was abolished at the 1918 general election
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...
.
Mooney was one of the younger members 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...
's inner circle. He was Redmond's Parliamentary Private Secretary, and also treasurer of the Irish Parliamentary Party. After 1918 he pursued a career at the English Bar. He was also Knighted after the war, for services to the Crown in connection with the war. He was married to Ethel MacMillian in 1912, who was possibly a relative or Harold MacMillian the British Prime Minister.