Joseph Neale McKenna
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Neale McKenna (1819 – August 15, 1906) was an Irish
banker and politician whose career extended from the elite home rule politics of the mid-nineteenth century to the fall of Charles Stewart Parnell
, whom he supported in later years.
He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Youghal
from 1865 to 1868 and for South Monaghan
from 1885 to 1892, representing the Home Rule League
and its successor the Irish Parliamentary Party
from 1874 to 1885 in the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
. He was an early participant in the Home Rule
movement, led by Isaac Butt
, and played a leading role in forming Irish Nationalist thinking on the over-taxation of Ireland. He was knighted
in 1867, and was a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant
for County Cork
and a magistrate in County Waterford
.
A Catholic, he was born in Dublin, the son of Michael McKenna, and educated at Trinity College Dublin. In 1842 he married Esther Louise Howe of Dublin, and after her death married Amelia, widow of R. W. Hole. He was called to the Irish bar
in 1849. He was an able financier, was chairman of the National Bank of Ireland
and became wealthy.
He entered Parliament as member for Youghal
, Co. Cork, at the general election of 1865
, defeating the incumbent Isaac Butt
, the later Home Rule leader, by 122 to 30 votes, the electorate being a tiny 237. Both stood as Liberals
. McKenna lost the seat to Christopher Weguelin, also a Liberal, in 1868
by 127 votes to 106, and accepted defeat although Weguelin’s election was declared void on account of bribery (which was a viable tactic with such a small electorate).
McKenna joined the Home Government Association
in September 1873. He attended the founding conference of the Home Rule League
in Dublin on 18-21 November 1873 and moved one of the resolutions. In 1874 McKenna stood as a Home Rule candidate at Youghal and regained the seat, defeating the Conservative
Robert Uniacke-Penrose-Fitzgerald by 124 to 106. He also defeated a renewed Conservative challenge in 1880.
McKenna worked closely with Isaac Butt
and took part in parliamentary obstruction
with the more radical Irish members including Joseph Biggar. But in the vital vote of 17 May 1880 in which Parnell displaced William Shaw
as chairman of the Irish Parliamentary Party
, McKenna voted for Shaw.
The 1885 general election
was fought on new boundaries with a greatly enlarged electorate. McKenna had insufficient support to stand in the new East Cork constituency
into which Youghal was absorbed, and moved to South Monaghan
, where he defeated a Conservative by nearly five to one in 1885 and a Unionist
by a similar margin in 1886.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, McKenna joined the Parnellite minority which supported Parnell. He was one of only two MPs who had opposed Parnell’s takeover in the vote of May 1880 who supported Parnell in the split of 1890, the other being Richard Power
.
McKenna retired at the subsequent general election in 1892
, being then well over 70.
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...
banker and politician whose career extended from the elite home rule politics of the mid-nineteenth century to the fall of 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...
, whom he supported in later years.
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 Youghal
Youghal (UK Parliament constituency)
Youghal 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.-Boundaries:...
from 1865 to 1868 and for South Monaghan
South Monaghan (UK Parliament constituency)
South Monaghan was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1885 to 1922....
from 1885 to 1892, representing the Home Rule League
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
and its successor 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...
from 1874 to 1885 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....
. He was an early participant in the Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
movement, led by Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
, and played a leading role in forming Irish Nationalist thinking on the over-taxation of Ireland. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1867, and was a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
and a magistrate in County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
.
A Catholic, he was born in Dublin, the son of Michael McKenna, and educated at Trinity College Dublin. In 1842 he married Esther Louise Howe of Dublin, and after her death married Amelia, widow of R. W. Hole. 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 1849. He was an able financier, was chairman of the National Bank of Ireland
National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank is a commercial bank in Ireland, one of the traditional Big Four. In December 2004 Danske Bank agreed to purchase National Irish Bank from the National Australia Bank for GB£967m ....
and became wealthy.
He entered Parliament as member for Youghal
Youghal (UK Parliament constituency)
Youghal 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.-Boundaries:...
, Co. Cork, at the general election of 1865
United Kingdom general election, 1865
The 1865 United Kingdom general election saw the Liberals, led by Lord Palmerston, increase their large majority over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives to more than 80. The Whig Party changed its name to the Liberal Party between the previous election and this one.Palmerston died later in the same...
, defeating the incumbent Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
, the later Home Rule leader, by 122 to 30 votes, the electorate being a tiny 237. Both stood as Liberals
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. McKenna lost the seat to Christopher Weguelin, also a Liberal, in 1868
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
by 127 votes to 106, and accepted defeat although Weguelin’s election was declared void on account of bribery (which was a viable tactic with such a small electorate).
McKenna joined the Home Government Association
Home Government Association
The Home Government Association was a pressure group founded by Isaac Butt in 1870 in support of home rule for Ireland.Its inaugural public meeting was held on 1 September 1870.It became the Home Rule League in 1873....
in September 1873. He attended the founding conference of the Home Rule League
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
in Dublin on 18-21 November 1873 and moved one of the resolutions. In 1874 McKenna stood as a Home Rule candidate at Youghal and regained the seat, defeating the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Robert Uniacke-Penrose-Fitzgerald by 124 to 106. He also defeated a renewed Conservative challenge in 1880.
McKenna worked closely with Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
and took part in parliamentary obstruction
Obstructionism
Obstructionism is the practice of deliberately delaying or preventing a process or change, especially in politics.-As workplace aggression:An obstructionist causes problems. Neuman and Baron identify obstructionism as one of the three dimensions that encompass the range of workplace aggression...
with the more radical Irish members including Joseph Biggar. But in the vital vote of 17 May 1880 in which Parnell displaced William Shaw
William Shaw (Irish politician)
William Shaw was an Irish Protestant nationalist politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and one of the founders of the Irish home rule movement....
as chairman 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...
, McKenna voted for Shaw.
The 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
was fought on new boundaries with a greatly enlarged electorate. McKenna had insufficient support to stand in the new East Cork constituency
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...
into which Youghal was absorbed, and moved to South Monaghan
South Monaghan (UK Parliament constituency)
South Monaghan was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1885 to 1922....
, where he defeated a Conservative by nearly five to one in 1885 and 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...
by a similar margin in 1886.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, McKenna joined the Parnellite minority which supported Parnell. He was one of only two MPs who had opposed Parnell’s takeover in the vote of May 1880 who supported Parnell in the split of 1890, the other being Richard Power
Richard Power (Irish politician)
Richard Power 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 Home Rule League and the Irish Parliamentary Party represented Waterford City from February 6, 1874 until his death at the early age of 40, in...
.
McKenna retired at the subsequent general election in 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...
, being then well over 70.
Publications
- Speech of Joseph Neale McKenna Esq., M.P., to his Constituents at Youghal Court House, September 21, 1866, London, Keating & Co., 1866
- Sir J. N. McKenna’s Statement to the Shareholders of the National Bank, London, printed for private circulation, 1869
- The National Bank: A Case with Proofs, London, Wertheimer, Lea, 1870
- The incidence of imperial taxation on Ireland: a speech delivered at the Rotunda, Dublin, on Tuesday 2 November 1875, Dublin, Irish Home Rule League, 1876
- Imperial taxation: the case of Ireland plainly stated for the information of the English people and of those others whom it may concern, London, Rivingtons, Waterloo Place, 1883
- The Irish Land Question. Where the funds for its solution are to be found etc. London, W. Ridgway, 1887
- Silver, the burning question of the century. An analysis and exposition of it. London, Chapman and Hall, 1894
Sources
- T. P. O’Connor, The Parnell Movement, London, Kegan, Paul, Trench & Co., 1886
- The Times (London), 27 November 1885, 17 August 1906
- David Thornley, Isaac Butt and Home Rule, London, Macgibbon & Kee, 1964
- Brian M. Walker (ed.), Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 1978
- Who Was Who, 1897-1916