William Keogh
Encyclopedia
William Keogh PC
(1817–1878) was an unpopular and controversial Irish politician and judge, whose name became a byword for betraying one's political principles.
city, son of William Keogh, clerk of the Crown for Kilkenny
and his wife Mary ffrench. He graduated from the University of Dublin and was called to the Bar in 1840, Queens Counsel 1849. No-one ever disputed his intellectual abilities: he was a superb speaker both in public and private, founded a well-known debating society, The Tail-end club, and published several books on law, politics and literature. He married Kate Rooney in 1841; their daughter Mary married James Murphy, judge of the High Court of Ireland.
, and was re-elected in 1852. In the latter year he helped found the Independent Irish Party
popularly known as "the Pope's Brass Band", pledged to repeal of the Ecclesiastical Titles Act and to tenant reform. Most crucially its members pledged not to take office but to hold the balance of power at Westminster. In this they were at first successful, helping to vote out the administration of Lord Derby, who was replaced by Lord Aberdeen
.
Within months of pledging not to take office, Keogh (like his friend John Sadleir
) made the decision which destroyed his reputation in his own lifetime and beyond: he accepted office in the Aberdeen Government, becoming Solicitor-General for Ireland
, and Attorney-General for Ireland
in 1855. His decision was seen as an unforgivable betrayal of a solemn pledge and his name, and Sadleirs, entered the Irish political vocabulary. Even a century later, John A. Costello
turned down the offer by Éamon de Valera
to make him a Supreme Court judge on the ground that he "did not wish face charges of being another Sadleir or Keogh".
. Unfortunately his conduct as a judge did nothing to restore his reputation. He was a man of strong opinions, always expressed forcefully, and his hot temper led to frequent quarrels with counsel; on one occasion Peter O'Brien, the future Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
, was threatened with removal from Court. Keogh's conduct of the "Fenian Trials" of 1865–6 and the savage sentences handed down, was much criticised, although his defenders said Charles Kickham
at least had been treated as leniently as the case allowed.
Far greater damage was done to his reputation by the Galway election petition case of 1872, where William Le Poer Trench
, the unsuccessful candidate, petitioned to unseat the winner, John Philip Nolan
, on the grounds of intimidation and undue pressure from the Catholic clergy. According to Delaney Keogh's judgment took nine hours to read and "was delivered in an extremely biased manner and did nothing to enhance the reputation of the judiciary". Much of it seems to have been a diatribe against the Catholic hierarchy, which came very strangely from a former member of the "Pope's Brass Band". There was a public uproar, and the Government had to move to defeat a motion in the House of Commons calling for Keogh's removal from the bench. On foot of the judgment the Government much to its own embarrassment felt obliged to prosecute the Bishop of Clonfert and was visibly relieved when he was acquitted.
. His death, like much in his life is controversial. While it has been questioned, the generally accepted version is that he committed suicide after an unsuccessful attempt to murder his valet.
to protest that in any country but Ireland his talents would have won him popularity and respect. However, as McCullagh points out, not many politicians so damage their reputations that they are still spoken of with contempt a century later; and despite Keogh's gifts, it is hard not to conclude that the damage to his reputation was self-inflicted.
The inscription on the Cormack brothers memorial
at Loughmore – placed there 32 years after Keogh's death – was typical of the continuing hostility to him.
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...
(1817–1878) was an unpopular and controversial Irish politician and judge, whose name became a byword for betraying one's political principles.
Background
Hw was born in GalwayGalway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
city, son of William Keogh, clerk of the Crown for Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
and his wife Mary ffrench. He graduated from the University of Dublin and was called to the Bar in 1840, Queens Counsel 1849. No-one ever disputed his intellectual abilities: he was a superb speaker both in public and private, founded a well-known debating society, The Tail-end club, and published several books on law, politics and literature. He married Kate Rooney in 1841; their daughter Mary married James Murphy, judge of the High Court of Ireland.
Political career
In 1847 Keogh was elected MP for AthloneAthlone (UK Parliament constituency)
Athlone was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.-Boundaries:...
, and was re-elected in 1852. In the latter year he helped found the Independent Irish Party
Independent Irish Party
The Independent Irish Party was an Irish political party founded in July 1852 by 40 Liberal Irish MPs who had been elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is sometimes mentioned as the Irish Independent Opposition Party, and colloquially known as the...
popularly known as "the Pope's Brass Band", pledged to repeal of the Ecclesiastical Titles Act and to tenant reform. Most crucially its members pledged not to take office but to hold the balance of power at Westminster. In this they were at first successful, helping to vote out the administration of Lord Derby, who was replaced by Lord Aberdeen
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, FRS, PC , styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a Scottish politician, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1852 until 1855.-Early life:Born in Edinburgh on 28 January 1784, he...
.
Within months of pledging not to take office, Keogh (like his friend John Sadleir
John Sadleir
John Sadleir was an Irish financier and politician.He entered the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1847 as a Member of Parliament for Carlow...
) made the decision which destroyed his reputation in his own lifetime and beyond: he accepted office in the Aberdeen Government, becoming 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...
, and Attorney-General for Ireland
Attorney-General for Ireland
The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...
in 1855. His decision was seen as an unforgivable betrayal of a solemn pledge and his name, and Sadleirs, entered the Irish political vocabulary. Even a century later, John A. Costello
John A. Costello
John Aloysius Costello , a successful barrister, was one of the main legal advisors to the government of the Irish Free State after independence, Attorney General of Ireland from 1926–1932 and Taoiseach from 1948–1951 and 1954–1957....
turned down the offer by Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
to make him a Supreme Court judge on the ground that he "did not wish face charges of being another Sadleir or Keogh".
Judicial career
In 1856 Keogh was appointed a judge of the Irish Court of Common PleasCourt of Common Pleas (Ireland)
The Court of Common Pleas was one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror image of the equivalent court in England...
. Unfortunately his conduct as a judge did nothing to restore his reputation. He was a man of strong opinions, always expressed forcefully, and his hot temper led to frequent quarrels with counsel; on one occasion Peter O'Brien, the future Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
thumb|200px|The Four CourtsThe headquarters of the Irish judicial system since 1804. The Court of King's Bench was one of the original four courts that sat there....
, was threatened with removal from Court. Keogh's conduct of the "Fenian Trials" of 1865–6 and the savage sentences handed down, was much criticised, although his defenders said Charles Kickham
Charles Kickham
Charles Joseph Kickham was an Irish revolutionary, novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.-Early life:...
at least had been treated as leniently as the case allowed.
Far greater damage was done to his reputation by the Galway election petition case of 1872, where William Le Poer Trench
William Le Poer Trench
Colonel The Hon. William Le Poer Trench CVO, JP was an Anglo-Irish politician and British army officer.He was the son of William Thomas Le Poer Trench, 3rd Earl of Clancarty and Lady Sarah Juliana Butler....
, the unsuccessful candidate, petitioned to unseat the winner, John Philip Nolan
John Philip Nolan
Lieutenant-Colonel John Philip Nolan was an Irish nationalist landowner and Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented Galway County and Galway North , .He was the eldest son of John...
, on the grounds of intimidation and undue pressure from the Catholic clergy. According to Delaney Keogh's judgment took nine hours to read and "was delivered in an extremely biased manner and did nothing to enhance the reputation of the judiciary". Much of it seems to have been a diatribe against the Catholic hierarchy, which came very strangely from a former member of the "Pope's Brass Band". There was a public uproar, and the Government had to move to defeat a motion in the House of Commons calling for Keogh's removal from the bench. On foot of the judgment the Government much to its own embarrassment felt obliged to prosecute the Bishop of Clonfert and was visibly relieved when he was acquitted.
Last years and death
In his last years, Keogh showed increasing signs of eccentricity, and not long before his death, rumours circulated that he had gone mad. He died suddenly while traveling in Germany in September 1878, and was buried in BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
. His death, like much in his life is controversial. While it has been questioned, the generally accepted version is that he committed suicide after an unsuccessful attempt to murder his valet.
Reputation
Keogh's death did nothing to lessen hostility to him at home; the Irish papers heaped abuse on him, causing The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
to protest that in any country but Ireland his talents would have won him popularity and respect. However, as McCullagh points out, not many politicians so damage their reputations that they are still spoken of with contempt a century later; and despite Keogh's gifts, it is hard not to conclude that the damage to his reputation was self-inflicted.
The inscription on the Cormack brothers memorial
Loughmore
Loughmore, officially Loughmoe , is a village in North Tipperary in the province of Munster, Ireland. The village is best known for its castle, seat of the Barons of Loughmoe....
at Loughmore – placed there 32 years after Keogh's death – was typical of the continuing hostility to him.