John Muldoon (Irish politician)
Encyclopedia
John Muldoon was an Irish
barrister
and nationalist
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for most of the period between 1905 and 1918, representing three different constituencies in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
.
, Co. Tyrone
, and of Catherine Gahan. He was educated at a local school and at Queen's College, Galway. He was called to the Irish bar
in 1894 and became a K.C. (King’s Counsel
) in 1913. In 1903 he married Olive, daughter of Charles Whamond of Westport
, Co. Mayo
.
and a Director of the Freeman's Journal
. He was returned unopposed as MP for the Irish Parliamentary Party
in North Donegal
at a by-election
in June 1905 but did not stand again at the general election of January 1906
, being deselected by the local clergy. In July 1907 he was elected unopposed at a by-election for East Wicklow, and was re-elected at both general elections of 1910, unopposed in January 1910 and by almost two to one over a Unionist
in the December 1910 election. In July 1911 he resigned
and stood for the East Cork
seat of fellow Nationalist Captain A. J. C. Donelan, who had been unseated following an election petition, having defeated William O'Brien
the previous December. Donelan succeeded Muldoon unopposed in East Wicklow, while Muldoon was in the event returned unopposed in East Cork.
Muldoon was politically very active from 1900-1914. His particular interests were the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
, the Land Acts
and the Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906, on all of which he published a number of works. He was a close political confidant of John Dillon
, while said to be close to John Redmond
and Joseph Devlin
.
Muldoon retired from politics at the general election of 1918. In 1921 he was appointed Registrar in Lunacy and five years later, after the establishment of the Irish Free State
, as Registrar in the office of the Chief Justice of Ireland
, retiring in 1935.
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...
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...
and 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) for most of the period between 1905 and 1918, representing three different constituencies in the House of Commons 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....
.
Early life
Muldoon was the third son of James Muldoon of DromoreDromore
- Places :* Dromore, Ontario, Canada* Dromore , a crater in the Lunae Palus quadrangle of Mars- Other :* Bishop of Dromore, named for the town in County Down; the pre-Reformation antecedent of:** Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore...
, Co. Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, and of Catherine Gahan. He was educated at a local school and at Queen's College, Galway. He was called to the Irish bar
King's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
in 1894 and became a K.C. (King’s Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
) in 1913. In 1903 he married Olive, daughter of Charles Whamond of Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
, Co. 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...
.
Political career
Muldoon was a treasurer of the United Irish LeagueUnited Irish League
The United Irish League was a nationalist political party in Ireland, launched 23 January 1898 with the motto "The Land for the People" . Its objective to be achieved through agrarian agitation and land reform, compelling larger grazier farmers to surrender their lands for redistribution amongst...
and a Director of the Freeman's Journal
Freeman's Journal
The Freeman's Journal was the oldest nationalist newspaper in Ireland. It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified with radical 18th century Protestant patriot politicians Henry Grattan and Henry Flood...
. He was returned unopposed as MP for 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...
in North Donegal
North Donegal (UK Parliament constituency)
North Donegal 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 Donegal constituency. From 1922 it was not represented in the UK Parliament....
at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in June 1905 but did not stand again at the general election of January 1906
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**...
, being deselected by the local clergy. In July 1907 he was elected unopposed at a by-election for East Wicklow, and was re-elected at both general elections of 1910, unopposed in January 1910 and by almost two to one over a Unionist
Irish Unionist Party
The Irish Unionist Alliance was a Unionist party founded in Ireland in 1891 to oppose plans for Gladstonian and Parnellite Home Rule for Ireland. The party was led for much of its life by Colonel Edward James Saunderson and later by the William St John Brodrick, Earl of Midleton...
in the December 1910 election. In July 1911 he resigned
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
and stood for the East Cork
East Cork (UK Parliament constituency)
East Cork, a division of County Cork, was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1885 to 1922 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.Until the 1885 general election...
seat of fellow Nationalist Captain A. J. C. Donelan, who had been unseated following an election petition, having defeated William O'Brien
William O'Brien
William O'Brien was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
the previous December. Donelan succeeded Muldoon unopposed in East Wicklow, while Muldoon was in the event returned unopposed in East Cork.
Muldoon was politically very active from 1900-1914. His particular interests were the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
The Local Government Act 1898 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, Wales and Scotland by legislation in 1888 and 1889...
, the Land Acts
Irish Land Acts
The Land Acts were a series of measures to deal with the question of peasant proprietorship of land in Ireland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Five such acts were introduced by the government of the United Kingdom between 1870 and 1909...
and the Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906, on all of which he published a number of works. He was a close political confidant of John Dillon
John Dillon
John Dillon was an Irish land reform agitator from Dublin, an Irish Home Rule activist, a nationalist politician, a Member of Parliament for over 35 years, and the last leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party....
, while said to be close to 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...
and Joseph Devlin
Joseph Devlin
Joseph Devlin, also known as Joe Devlin, was an Irish journalist and influential nationalist politician...
.
Muldoon retired from politics at the general election of 1918. In 1921 he was appointed Registrar in Lunacy and five years later, after the establishment 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...
, as Registrar in the office of the Chief Justice of Ireland
Chief Justice of Ireland
The Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
, retiring in 1935.
Sources
- Dod’s Parliamentary Companion, 1912
- Ferguson,Kenneth (ed.), King’s Inns Barristers, 1868-2004, Dublin, Honorable Society of King’s Inns in association with the Irish Legal History Society, 2005
- Irish Times, Obituary of John Muldoon K.C., 22 November 1938
- Maume, Patrick, The Long Gestation: Irish Nationalist Life 1891-1918, Dublin, Gill & MacMillan, 1999
- Walker, Brian M. (ed.), Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 1978
Publications
- A Guide to Irish Local Government, (with George McSweeny), Dublin, Eason & Son, 1898
- Local Government Rules and Orders, Dublin, Eason & Son, 1899
- A Guide to the Election of County and Rural District Councillors in Ireland, Dublin, Eason & Son, 1902
- Old Age Pensions in Ireland, Dublin, Eason & Co., 1908
- For Ireland’s Sake; or, Under the Green Flag, A romantic Irish drama, Dublin, E. Ponsonby, 1910
- The Story of a “Rigged Convention”, Dublin, 1915