The Very Rev. Professor Robert Corkey, PC (NI),(1881 – 26 January 1966) was a Presbyterian minister, a professor of theology

Theology

Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

 and a Unionist

Ulster Unionist Party

The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...

 politician in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

.

He was born at Glendermott, and educated at Foyle College

Foyle and Londonderry College

Foyle College, which is also known by its former name Foyle and Londonderry College or FALC, is a co-educational voluntary grammar school in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976, two local schools, Foyle College and Londonderry High School, merged under the Foyle and Londonderry College Act...

, Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

, Magee College

Magee College

Magee College is a campus of the University of Ulster located in Derry, Northern Ireland. It opened in 1865 as a Presbyterian Christian arts and theological college...

, Queen’s College, Belfast, Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...

. He was a Minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Presbyterian Church in Ireland

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland , is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland...

 at Ballygawley

Ballygawley

Ballygawley or Ballygawly is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is about southwest of Dungannon, near the meeting of the A5 Omagh–Monaghan and A4 Dungannon–Enniskillen roads....

 from 1906 to 1910 and Monaghan

Monaghan

Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...

 from 1910 to 1917; and then Professor of Ethics and Practical Theology at the Presbyterian College, Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 from 1917 to 1951. He was Moderator

Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the most senior office-bearer within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant denomination....

 of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland from 1945 to 1946.

He was elected to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland

House of Commons of Northern Ireland

The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act...

 from the Queen's University

Queen's University of Belfast (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Queen's University of Belfast was a university constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 until 1969. It returned four MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation...

 seat in 1929, and represented the University until his resignation on election to the Senate

Senate of Northern Ireland

The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.-Powers:...

 in 1943 (in which he served until 1965). He served as Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance

Minister of Finance (Northern Ireland)

The Minister of Finance was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972...

 and Assistant Whip

Ulster Unionist Chief Whip

This is a list of people who served as Chief Whip of the Ulster Unionist Party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Parliament of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Parliament of the United Kingdom:...

 from 1942 to 1943. He served in Sir Basil Brooke's

Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough

Basil Stanlake Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, Bt, KG, CBE, MC, PC, HML was an Ulster Unionist politician who became the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in 1943 and held office until 1963....

 Cabinet as Minister of Education

Minister of Education (Northern Ireland)

The Minister of Education was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972.-References:*...

 from 1943 to 1944, joining the Privy Council (Northern Ireland) on his promotion. He was Deputy Speaker of the Senate

Speaker of the Senate of Northern Ireland

The Speaker of the Senate of Northern Ireland was the Speaker in the Senate of Northern Ireland.-List of Speakers:*1921-1930: Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 3rd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava*1930-1950: Maxwell Ward, 6th Viscount Bangor...

 from 1952 to 1953 and from 1957 to 1958. He died on 26 January 1966.