Todd Andrews
Encyclopedia
Christopher Stephen "Todd" Andrews (6 October 1901 – 11 October 1985) was an Irish political activist and public servant. He participated in the Irish War of Independence
and Civil War
as a political and military activist in the Irish Republican movement. Todd Andrews never ran for election and was never a government minister. He was a supporter, though not a member, of Fianna Fáil
.
, and at University College Dublin
.
at the age of fifteen and had an active role in the Irish Republican Army
during the Irish War of Independence
. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1920, however he was released after ten days on hunger strike. He was interned at the Curragh in 1921 but he escaped. Andrews took the Republican side during the Irish Civil War
. He was interned by the government of the Irish Free State
until 1924. He then continued with his studies and graduated with a Commerce degree.
. When the Fianna Fáil
government came to power in 1932 Andrews was put in charge of turf development. He advocated the setting up of a properly managed commercial enterprise. In 1946 Bord na Móna
was set up with Andrews as managing director.
In 1958 he was appointed chairman of the Irish transport company, Córas Iompair Éireann
. Aping the widescale closures in Britain (the Beeching Axe
), he presided over closure of significant sections of the rail network which by 1962 included
In 1966 Todd Andrew was appointed chairman of the RTÉ
authority. Asked the difference between his new job as director of RTÉ and his old job as head of the national transport system, he is reputed to have declared, "RTÉ carries more passengers" (though this was a fairly common joke among Dubliners at that time). He resigned in 1970 when his son, David Andrews was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach
.
Andrews died in Dublin at the age of 84.
He was widely known in his neighbourhood of Dundrum as being an arrogant, demanding & self-absorbed man (see the letters to his mother
from his prison days)
Two of his sons, Niall Andrews
and David Andrews became TDs, with David Andrews becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs
.
Todd's grandson, Ryan Tubridy
, is a radio presenter and television chatshow host on RTÉ
, while grandsons Barry Andrews and Chris Andrews
were Fianna Fáil
TD
s. Ryan Tubridy has just been appointed (in May 2009) by RTÉ to be the next host of the television station's long-running chat show The Late Late Show, whose legendary first host (and producer) was Gay Byrne. Byrne, in his memoir The Time of My Life relates how Andrews, when appointed chairman of the RTÉ Authority phoned the Director-General of RTÉ
and ordered him to "sack that fucker Byrne". The management politely declined.
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
as a political and military activist in the Irish Republican movement. Todd Andrews never ran for election and was never a government minister. He was a supporter, though not a member, of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
.
Early life
Andrews was born in Dublin, but soon acquired the nickname "Todd", because of his perceived resemblance to an English comic strip hero. He was educated by the Irish Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
, and at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
.
Nationalist revolutionary
He joined the Irish VolunteersIrish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
at the age of fifteen and had an active role in the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1920, however he was released after ten days on hunger strike. He was interned at the Curragh in 1921 but he escaped. Andrews took the Republican side during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
. He was interned by the government 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...
until 1924. He then continued with his studies and graduated with a Commerce degree.
Political career
He got a job with the Irish Tourist Association and later with Electricity Supply BoardElectricity Supply Board
The Electricity Supply Board , is a semi-state electricity company in Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a liberalised and competitive market...
. When the Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
government came to power in 1932 Andrews was put in charge of turf development. He advocated the setting up of a properly managed commercial enterprise. In 1946 Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...
was set up with Andrews as managing director.
In 1958 he was appointed chairman of the Irish transport company, Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
. Aping the widescale closures in Britain (the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
), he presided over closure of significant sections of the rail network which by 1962 included
- the Bray to Harcourt Street railway, now partially reopened as part of the LUAS Green Line
- the substantial railway network west of Cork city (Bandon, Bantry and Macroom and the associated branchlines to Clonakility, Skibbereen and Kinsale)
- the West Clare Railway and the legacy tramway around the Hill of Howth inherited from the Great Northern Railway.
- Caheriveen, Kenmare & Kanturk lines
In 1966 Todd Andrew was appointed chairman of the RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
authority. Asked the difference between his new job as director of RTÉ and his old job as head of the national transport system, he is reputed to have declared, "RTÉ carries more passengers" (though this was a fairly common joke among Dubliners at that time). He resigned in 1970 when his son, David Andrews was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
.
Later life and family
He was the recipient of several honorary doctorates and degrees from various universities. He published his autobiography in two volumes in 1979 and 1982, under the titles of Dublin Made Me and Man of No Property.Andrews died in Dublin at the age of 84.
He was widely known in his neighbourhood of Dundrum as being an arrogant, demanding & self-absorbed man (see the letters to his mother
from his prison days)
Two of his sons, Niall Andrews
Niall Andrews
Niall Andrews was an Irish politician. He served as a Teachta Dála and Member of the European Parliament for the Fianna Fáil party....
and David Andrews became TDs, with David Andrews becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...
.
Todd's grandson, Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy , affectionately known as "Tubs", is an Irish broadcaster and writer, a presenter of live shows on radio and television in Ireland. He has been described as "one of Ireland's most gifted broadcasters"...
, is a radio presenter and television chatshow host on RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
, while grandsons Barry Andrews and Chris Andrews
Chris Andrews (politician)
Chris Andrews is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency from 2007 to 2011.-Family:He is the grandson of Todd Andrews, a leading figure in the early days of Fianna Fáil...
were Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
s. Ryan Tubridy has just been appointed (in May 2009) by RTÉ to be the next host of the television station's long-running chat show The Late Late Show, whose legendary first host (and producer) was Gay Byrne. Byrne, in his memoir The Time of My Life relates how Andrews, when appointed chairman of the RTÉ Authority phoned the Director-General of RTÉ
Director-General of RTÉ
The Director-General of Raidió Teilifís Éireann is chief executive and editor in chief of RTÉ. The current Director-General is Noel Curran, and is the most senior person in the Public Service Broadcaster, Noel Curran replaced Cathal Goan in the role in February 2011.The RTÉ Board appoints the...
and ordered him to "sack that fucker Byrne". The management politely declined.
Autobiography
- Dublin Made Me (Lilliput, 2001) ISBN 978-1-901866-65-0
- Man of no Property (Lilliput, 2001) ISBN 978-1-901866-66-7