William Kenny (Irish politician)
Encyclopedia
William Kenny PC
QC
(14 January 1846 — 4 February 1921), was an Irish judge and Liberal Unionist
politician.
He was born in Dublin, the only son of Edward Kenny, solicitor, of Kilrush
, County Clare, and his wife, Catherine (née Murphy). Before he was called to the bar in 1868, he had graduated with a B.A. from Trinity College, Dublin
and worked as a clerk in the Census Office.
He married Mary Coffey on 13 August 1873, and they had a family of eight children. He practiced on the Munster Circuit and became a Q.C. in 1885 and a Bencher of the King's Inns in 1890. He was mainly instrumental in establishing the Liberal Union of Ireland after the defeat of the Home Rule Bill of 1886, and in organising the visit of Lord Hartington
and George Goschen to Dublin in 1887.
Kenny was returned to Parliament for Dublin St Stephen's Green
in the 1892 general election
over the nationalist candidate, George Noble Plunkett, aka Count Plunkett, whose son, Joseph Mary Plunkett
, was a leader in the 1916 Easter Rising
. Count Plunkett would later be elected to office as a Sinn Féin
candidate, after the Rising.
Kenny served as Solicitor-General for Ireland
from 1895 to 1898 in the Unionist administration of Lord Salisbury
. In the House of Commons, he joined his cousin Matthew Joseph Kenny
, who had been elected as a Parnellite in 1882.
In 1898 Kenny was appointed a Judge of the High Court and resigned as Solicitor-General and from his seat in the House of Commons
. In 1902 he was sworn of the Irish Privy Council
. He remained on the bench until his death at his Dublin residence, Marlfield, Cabinteely
, on 4 February 1921, aged 75. His portrait by Sarah Purser hangs in the King's Inns.
Maurice Healy
in his memoir The Old Munster Circuit described Kenny as stern and inflexible, but also a sound and learned lawyer with a strong sense of justice.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
QC
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...
(14 January 1846 — 4 February 1921), was an Irish judge and Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
politician.
He was born in Dublin, the only son of Edward Kenny, solicitor, of Kilrush
Kilrush
Kilrush is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. Kilrush is a town of great historical significance, being one of the listed Heritage Towns of Ireland.-History:...
, County Clare, and his wife, Catherine (née Murphy). Before he was called to the bar in 1868, he had graduated with a B.A. from 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...
and worked as a clerk in the Census Office.
He married Mary Coffey on 13 August 1873, and they had a family of eight children. He practiced on the Munster Circuit and became a Q.C. in 1885 and a Bencher of the King's Inns in 1890. He was mainly instrumental in establishing the Liberal Union of Ireland after the defeat of the Home Rule Bill of 1886, and in organising the visit of Lord Hartington
Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire
Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman...
and George Goschen to Dublin in 1887.
Kenny was returned to Parliament for Dublin St Stephen's Green
Dublin St Stephen's Green (UK Parliament constituency)
St Stephen's Green, a division of Dublin, was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1885–1922....
in the 1892 general election
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...
over the nationalist candidate, George Noble Plunkett, aka Count Plunkett, whose son, Joseph Mary Plunkett
Joseph Mary Plunkett
Joseph Mary Plunkett was an Irish nationalist, poet, journalist, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Background:...
, was a leader in the 1916 Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
. Count Plunkett would later be elected to office as a Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
candidate, after the Rising.
Kenny served as Solicitor-General for Ireland
Solicitor-General for Ireland
The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. At least one holder of the office, Patrick Barnewall played a significant role in...
from 1895 to 1898 in the Unionist administration of Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
. In the House of Commons, he joined his cousin Matthew Joseph Kenny
Matthew Joseph Kenny
Matthew Joseph Kenny was an Irish lawyer and Nationalist politician from County Clare. He was elected to the United Kingdom House of Commons at the age of 21, qualified as a barrister whilst still a Member of Parliament , and later became a judge in the Irish Free State.- Early life :Kenny was...
, who had been elected as a Parnellite in 1882.
In 1898 Kenny was appointed a Judge of the High Court and resigned as Solicitor-General and from his seat 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...
. In 1902 he was sworn of the Irish Privy Council
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
. He remained on the bench until his death at his Dublin residence, Marlfield, Cabinteely
Cabinteely
Cabinteely is a south-eastern suburb of Dublin in Ireland, in the administrative county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.-History:There is a prehistoric burial tomb known as Brennanstown Portal Tomb, Glendruid cromlech/dolmen, or The Druids’ Altar near Cabinteely....
, on 4 February 1921, aged 75. His portrait by Sarah Purser hangs in the King's Inns.
Maurice Healy
Maurice Healy
Maurice Healy was an Irish nationalist politician, lawyer and Member of Parliament . As a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, he was returned to in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland four times between 1885 and 1918.He was one of twins, the third son born...
in his memoir The Old Munster Circuit described Kenny as stern and inflexible, but also a sound and learned lawyer with a strong sense of justice.