Laurence O'Neill

For those of a similar name, see Lawrence O'Neill (disambiguation).

Laurence O'Neill
Senator
In office
2 January 1940 – 26 July 1943
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Senator
In office
20 June 1929 – 29 May 1936
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1922 – August 1923
ConstituencyDublin Mid
Lord Mayor of Dublin
In office
1921–1924
Preceded byThomas Kelly[a]
Succeeded byAlfie Byrne (1930)
In office
1917–1920
Preceded byJames Gallagher
Succeeded byThomas Kelly[a]
Personal details
Born(1864-03-04)4 March 1864
Dublin, Ireland
Died26 July 1943(1943-07-26) (aged 79)
Dublin, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
EducationBelvedere College

Laurence O'Neill (4 March 1864 – 26 July 1943) was an Irish politician and corn merchant who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1917 to 1924, serving through the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.[1][2] He refused an offer to act as Crown Prosecutor after the Easter Rising. During the 1920 Irish hunger strikes, O'Neill actively supported the demands of the 36 hunger strikers in Mountjoy Prison.[3]

During his time as an elected official, O'Neill was criticised for "doing little to solve Dublin's dreadful housing problem".[2] The problem could not be solved without generous government aid, which was not forthcoming, as the UK was involved in a world war.[2] In an effort to retore peace during the 1922 Battle of Dublin, O'Neill chaired a committee of prominent women who met with military leaders on both sides.[4] O'Neill was elected to Dáil Éireann as an independent Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Mid at the 1922 general election.[5] He did not contest the 1923 general election and he was an unsuccessful candidate at the September 1927 general election.

He was elected to the Irish Free State Seanad Éireann at a by-election on 20 June 1929 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice.[6] He was re-elected to the Seanad for a 9-year term in 1931 and served until the Free State Seanad was abolished in 1936. He was nominated by the Taoiseach on 2 January 1940 to the 3rd Seanad. He did not contest the 1943 Seanad election.

See also

Further reading

  • Morrissey, Thomas J. (2014). Laurence O'Neill (1864–1943) : Lord Mayor of Dublin (1917–1924) : patriot and man of peace. Dublin: Four Courts. ISBN 9781907002120.

References

  1. ^ "Lord Mayors of Dublin 1665–2020" (PDF). Dublin City Council. June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Morrissey, Thomas J. "O'Neill, Laurence". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. ^ O'Farrell, Padraic (1997). Who's Who in the Irish War of Independence. Dublin: Lilliput Press. p. 83. ISBN 1-874675-85-6.
  4. ^ Macardle, Dorothy (1965). The Irish Republic. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 750.
  5. ^ "Laurence O'Neill". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Laurence O'Neill". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
Civic offices
Preceded by Lord Mayor of Dublin
1917–1920 		Vacant
Position vacant due to Thomas Kelly's imprisonment.[a]
Preceded by Lord Mayor of Dublin
1921–1924 		Vacant
Position suspended
Title next held by
Alfie Byrne
(1930)
  1. ^ a b c d Thomas Kelly was unanimously elected as Lord Mayor of Dublin while being held in Wormwood Scrubs prison in England. Due to his imprisonment, he was unable to formally take up the position.