Edward Sheil
Encyclopedia
Edward Sheil was Irish
nationalist
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Athlone
from 1874 to 1880, for Meath
from 1882 to 1885, and for South Meath
from 1885 to 1892, taking his seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
.
Sheil was the son of General Sir Justin Sheil and nephew of Richard Lalor Sheil
, a political ally of Daniel O’Connell. His mother was Mary Leonora, daughter of the Rt Hon. Stephen Woulfe
, an MP and afterwards Chief Baron of the Exchequer, Ireland. He was educated at Dr Newman’s Oratory School, and Christ Church, Oxford
.
At the 1874 general election
, when the franchise was still very restricted, he stood as a Home Rule League
candidate and unseated Athlone's sitting Liberal MP, Sir John James Ennis
. The poll was initially tied, each candidate scoring 140 votes, but Sheil was declared elected and on petition the result was amended to 153 votes for Shiel and 148 for Ennis. In 1880
, Ennis won the seat back by a one-vote majority of 163 to 162. Sheil was returned unopposed for Meath County in a by-election in April 1882, and when the Meath constituency was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, he was returned unopposed at the 1885 general election
as Irish Parliamentary party
MP for the newly-created Southern Division of Meath
, where he was re-elected unopposed in 1886
.
Sheil acted as Whip of the Home Rule Party
for four years.
In the Split in the Irish Parliamentary Party
in December 1890 over the leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
, he supported Parnell. However, he retired from Parliament at the general election of July 1892, apparently feeling that he could no longer defend the Parnellite cause. He wrote to John Redmond
on 8 February 1892: ‘I am not prepared to continue resistance to what I conceive to be Irish public opinion… , the sympathy of the great majority of electors in Ireland is with the section of the Irish Party led by Mr. McCarthy’ (i.e. the Anti-Parnellites
).
In retirement Sheil lived at Ramsgate
, Kent, where he died on 3 July 1915 and was buried on 6 July.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Athlone
Athlone (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:...
from 1874 to 1880, for Meath
Meath (UK Parliament constituency)
Meath was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.-Members of Parliament:-References:...
from 1882 to 1885, and for South Meath
South Meath (UK Parliament constituency)
South Meath was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1922.Prior to the 1885 general election the area was part of the Meath . From 1922 it was not represented in the UK Parliament....
from 1885 to 1892, taking his seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
.
Sheil was the son of General Sir Justin Sheil and nephew of Richard Lalor Sheil
Richard Lalor Sheil
Richard Lalor Sheil , Irish politician, writer and orator, was born at Drumdowney, Slieverue, County Kilkenny, Ireland...
, a political ally of Daniel O’Connell. His mother was Mary Leonora, daughter of the Rt Hon. Stephen Woulfe
Stephen Woulfe
Stephen Woulfe was an Irish barrister and Liberal politician. He served as Solicitor-General for Ireland, 1836 and as Attorney-General for Ireland in 1838; he became first Catholic to be Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer.-Life:...
, an MP and afterwards Chief Baron of the Exchequer, Ireland. He was educated at Dr Newman’s Oratory School, and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
At the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, when the franchise was still very restricted, he stood as a Home Rule League
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
candidate and unseated Athlone's sitting Liberal MP, Sir John James Ennis
Sir John Ennis, 2nd Baronet
Sir John James Ennis, 2nd Baronet was an Irish Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1868 and 1884....
. The poll was initially tied, each candidate scoring 140 votes, but Sheil was declared elected and on petition the result was amended to 153 votes for Shiel and 148 for Ennis. In 1880
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, Ennis won the seat back by a one-vote majority of 163 to 162. Sheil was returned unopposed for Meath County in a by-election in April 1882, and when the Meath constituency was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, he was returned unopposed at the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
as Irish Parliamentary party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
MP for the newly-created Southern Division of Meath
South Meath (UK Parliament constituency)
South Meath was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1922.Prior to the 1885 general election the area was part of the Meath . From 1922 it was not represented in the UK Parliament....
, where he was re-elected unopposed in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
.
Sheil acted as Whip of the Home Rule Party
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
for four years.
In the Split in the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
in December 1890 over the leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
, he supported Parnell. However, he retired from Parliament at the general election of July 1892, apparently feeling that he could no longer defend the Parnellite cause. He wrote to John Redmond
John Redmond
John Edward Redmond was an Irish nationalist politician, barrister, MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1900 to 1918...
on 8 February 1892: ‘I am not prepared to continue resistance to what I conceive to be Irish public opinion… , the sympathy of the great majority of electors in Ireland is with the section of the Irish Party led by Mr. McCarthy’ (i.e. the Anti-Parnellites
Irish National Federation
The Irish National Federation was a nationalist political party in Ireland. It was founded in March 1891 by former members of the Irish National League who had left the Irish Parliamentary Party in protest when Charles Stewart Parnell refused to resign the party leadership as a result of his...
).
In retirement Sheil lived at Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
, Kent, where he died on 3 July 1915 and was buried on 6 July.
Sources
- Irish Times, 7 July 1915
- National Library of Ireland, Papers of John Redmond, Collection List No.118
- Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, Who’s Who of British Members of Parliament, Vol.2 1886-1918, Sussex, Harvester Press, 1978