John Patrick Hayden
Encyclopedia
John Patrick Hayden was an Irish
nationalist
politician and MP.
in the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
represented South Co. Roscommon
from 1897 to 1918. He was also editor and proprietor of the Westmeath Examiner
, published in Mullingar
, Co. Westmeath
, and a member of the Irish Board of Agriculture. He was imprisoned four times by the British administration under different Coercion Acts
.
He was the seventh son of Luke and Mary Hayden of Roscommon
, and was educated at St Comans, Roscommon. In 1912 he married Henrietta Hill, daughter of Thomas Scott of Hannaville, Greenisland
, Co. Antrim
.
Hayden founded the Westmeath Examiner in 1882, when he was not yet 20. In his early days he also made valuable contributions to Irish literature. He was an active campaigner during the Land War
and Plan of Campaign
of the 1880s. Like his older brother Luke Hayden
, MP for South Leitrim and later for South Roscommon, John Hayden supported Charles Stewart Parnell
during the split in the Irish nationalist movement from 1890 over Parnell’s leadership. As a result, the Westmeath Examiner was subjected to a clerically organized boycott, and only survived commercially through a pact between Unionists and Parnellites on the Mullingar Board of Guardians, dividing advertising between pro-Parnellite and Unionist papers and excluding the clericalist Westmeath Independent.
On Luke’s unexpected death in 1897, John Hayden was adopted as the Parnellite candidate to succeed him at South Roscommon. He was returned unopposed at the ensuing by-election and remained unopposed in the same seat at each succeeding general election until 1918, when he was defeated by the prominent Sinn Féiner Harry Boland
by 10,685 votes to 4,233. Fitzpatrick (2003, pp. 109–12) gives a vivid account of the turbulent election campaign at South Roscommon in 1918.
In spite of his role as a land campaigner, in the early 1900s Hayden was himself the target for hostile agitation headed by Laurence Ginnell
, who saw him as symbolising the Irish Party’s hypocritical tolerance of ‘grazing’, the operation of large tracts of land for cattle-rearing rather than as smaller holdings for poorer farmers.
Hayden was a close associate of the leader of the Irish Party, John Redmond
. He was consulted by Redmond before he made his historic statement in the British House of Commons in August 1914 committing Irish Volunteer
support for Britain and her Allies
and in the First World War. He was also was one of the committee of six who drafted the Irish Parliamentary Party manifesto for the 1918 general election
.
After his Parliamentary defeat, Hayden continued to take an active part in the editorship of the Westmeath Examiner until a fortnight before his death. By the time J. P. Hayden died at the age of 91 in July 1954, he was thought to be the last survivor of the Irish Parliamentary Party which had dominated Irish politics up to 1918 (but see entry on Patrick Whitty
).
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...
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....
and 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...
represented South Co. Roscommon
South Roscommon (UK Parliament constituency)
South Roscommon was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1922.Prior to the 1885 general election the area was part of the Roscommon constituency. From 1922 it was not represented in the UK Parliament....
from 1897 to 1918. He was also editor and proprietor of the Westmeath Examiner
Westmeath Examiner
The Westmeath Examiner is a broadsheet newspaper in Westmeath, Ireland. It was founded in 1882. The Westmeath Examiner is a sister paper of the Westmeath Independent which circulates in the Athlone area of the county. The Westmeath Examiner circulates in the north of the county and is based in...
, published in Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
, Co. Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, and a member of the Irish Board of Agriculture. He was imprisoned four times by the British administration under different Coercion Acts
Irish Coercion Act
The Protection of Person and Property Act 1881 was one of more than 100 Coercion Acts passed by the Parliament of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland between 1801 and 1922, in an attempt to establish law and order in Ireland. The 1881 Act was passed by parliament and introduced by...
.
He was the seventh son of Luke and Mary Hayden of Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
, and was educated at St Comans, Roscommon. In 1912 he married Henrietta Hill, daughter of Thomas Scott of Hannaville, Greenisland
Greenisland
Greenisland is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 7 miles north-east of Belfast and 3 miles south-west of Carrickfergus. The village is on the coast of Belfast Lough and is named after a tiny islet to the west, the Green Island....
, Co. Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
.
Hayden founded the Westmeath Examiner in 1882, when he was not yet 20. In his early days he also made valuable contributions to Irish literature. He was an active campaigner during the Land War
Land War
The Land War in Irish history was a period of agrarian agitation in rural Ireland in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League and was dedicated to bettering the position of tenant farmers and ultimately to a redistribution of land to tenants from...
and Plan of Campaign
Plan of Campaign
The Plan of Campaign was a stratagem adopted in Ireland between 1886 and 1891, co-ordinated by Irish politicians for the benefit of tenant farmers, against mainly absentee and rack-rent landlords. It was launched to counter agricultural distress caused by the continual depression in prices of dairy...
of the 1880s. Like his older brother Luke Hayden
Luke Hayden
Luke Patrick Hayden was an Irish nationalist politician and MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented South Leitrim from 1885 to 1892 and South Roscommon from 1892 until his death in 1897.He was the...
, MP for South Leitrim and later for South Roscommon, John Hayden supported 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...
during the split in the Irish nationalist movement from 1890 over Parnell’s leadership. As a result, the Westmeath Examiner was subjected to a clerically organized boycott, and only survived commercially through a pact between Unionists and Parnellites on the Mullingar Board of Guardians, dividing advertising between pro-Parnellite and Unionist papers and excluding the clericalist Westmeath Independent.
On Luke’s unexpected death in 1897, John Hayden was adopted as the Parnellite candidate to succeed him at South Roscommon. He was returned unopposed at the ensuing by-election and remained unopposed in the same seat at each succeeding general election until 1918, when he was defeated by the prominent Sinn Féiner Harry Boland
Harry Boland
Harry Boland was an Irish Republican politician and member of the First Dáil.-Early life:Boland was born in Phibsboro, Dublin on 27 April 1887. He was active in GAA circles in early life, and ultimately joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood...
by 10,685 votes to 4,233. Fitzpatrick (2003, pp. 109–12) gives a vivid account of the turbulent election campaign at South Roscommon in 1918.
In spite of his role as a land campaigner, in the early 1900s Hayden was himself the target for hostile agitation headed by Laurence Ginnell
Laurence Ginnell
Laurence Ginnell was an Irish nationalist politician, lawyer and Member of Parliament of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party for Westmeath North at the 1906 UK general election, from 1910 he sat as an Independent...
, who saw him as symbolising the Irish Party’s hypocritical tolerance of ‘grazing’, the operation of large tracts of land for cattle-rearing rather than as smaller holdings for poorer farmers.
Hayden was a close associate of the leader of the Irish Party, 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 was consulted by Redmond before he made his historic statement in the British House of Commons in August 1914 committing Irish Volunteer
National Volunteers
The National Volunteers was the name taken by the majority of the Irish Volunteers that sided with Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Redmond after the movement split over the question of the Volunteers' role in World War I.-Origins:...
support for Britain and her Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
and in the First World War. He was also was one of the committee of six who drafted the Irish Parliamentary Party manifesto for the 1918 general election
Irish (UK) general election, 1918
The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland. It is seen as a key moment in modern Irish history...
.
After his Parliamentary defeat, Hayden continued to take an active part in the editorship of the Westmeath Examiner until a fortnight before his death. By the time J. P. Hayden died at the age of 91 in July 1954, he was thought to be the last survivor of the Irish Parliamentary Party which had dominated Irish politics up to 1918 (but see entry on Patrick Whitty
Patrick Whitty
Patrick Joseph Whitty was, for a brief period, an Irish nationalist politician and MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party he represented North Louth from 1916 until 1918...
).
Sources
- Paul BewPaul BewPaul Anthony Elliott Bew, Baron Bew of Donegore is a Northern Irish historian. He has worked at Queen's University Belfast since 1979, and is currently Professor of Irish Politics, a position he has held since 1991.-Academic career:...
, Conflict and Conciliation in Ireland 1890-1910: Parnellites and Radical Agrarians, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1987 - Dod's Parliamentary Companion, 1912
- David Fitzpatrick, Harry Boland's Irish Revolution, Cork University Press, 2003
- Stephen Gwynn, John Redmond’s Last Years, London, Edward Arnold, 1919
- Irish Times, 5 July 1954
- F. S. L. LyonsF. S. L. LyonsFrancis Stewart Leland Lyons was one of Ireland's premier historians.-Biography:Lyons was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1923, but soon moved to Boyle in County Roscommon where his father was a bank official...
, ohn Dillon99: A Biography, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968 - Patrick Maume, The Long Gestation: Irish Nationalist Life 1891-1918, Dublin, Gill & MacMillan
- Brian M. Walker (ed.), Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 1978
- Who Was Who 1951-1960