James Gilhooly
Encyclopedia
James Gilhooly was an Irish
nationalist
politician and MP.
in the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
, from 1910 the All-for Ireland Party
, who represented his constituency (West Cork
) from 1885 for 30 years until his death, retaining his seat in eight elections (four of them contested).
Educated privately, he was the son of a coastguard officer and as a draper and storekeeper by trade, he established an extensive grocery business in Bantry
. He married Mary Collins in 1882.
In 1867, the authorities believed him to be a Fenian "Head Centre" in the Bantry area. During the Land League's Land War
and the later Plan of Campaign
in the late 1880s he was imprisoned several times under the Coercion Act, which permitted imprisonment without trial, and served a three-month sentence for his role in the No Rent Manifesto of 1881. He was first elected to parliament in the 1885 general election
as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP).
As chair person of the local branch of the United Irish League
he was some-time president of the local Irish National League. Involved in local politics, he served as Chairman of the Bantry town commissioners and at various times chairman of the Bantry Rural District Council and was a member of the Cork County Council
as an ex officio member of the Bantry RDC from its establishment in 1899.
After the "Split" in the IPP over Parnell's leadership he joined the anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation
majority group, then joined the re-united Irish Party again in 1900, for which he was elected in the 1900 general election
. He was however one of William O'Brien
's closest political supporters, joining his secession from the IPP in 1903, then elected in 1910 general election as a member of O'Briens's All-for-Ireland Party
(AFIL), of which he was Chairman.
He died on the 16 October 1916 at Madame Goulding’s Private Hospital, Patrick’s Place, Cork and was buried at Abbey Cemetery, Bantry, the town closing down for his funeral and many houses showed black crepe.
The ensuing bitter West-Cork by-election has a place in history as the first after the Rising and the last in which the Irish Party narrowly captured a seat and as the self-induced demise of the AFIL. At stake in the bitterly fought by-election was not just one of the 103 seats in the House of Commons, the great issue was William O’Brien’s AFIL versus John Redmond’s Irish Party. In November three candidates were nominated, the third also a local AFIL supporter and member who stood in protest after O’Brien had passed him over in favour of a Sinn Féin
close candidate (Frank Healy), thereby splitting the AFIL vote to the detriment of O’Brien’s party. (At that time seats were won by "candidates first past the post", or uncontested as in 1918 by Michael Collins
of Sinn Féin)
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
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 and MP.
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,...
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...
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....
as member of 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...
, from 1910 the All-for Ireland Party
All-for-Ireland League
The All-for-Ireland League , was an Irish, Munster-based political party . Founded by William O'Brien MP, it generated a new national movement to achieve agreement between the different parties concerned on the historically difficult aim of Home Rule for the whole of Ireland...
, who represented his constituency (West Cork
West Cork (UK Parliament constituency)
East Cork, a division of County Cork, was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1885 to 1922 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.Until the 1885 general election...
) from 1885 for 30 years until his death, retaining his seat in eight elections (four of them contested).
Educated privately, he was the son of a coastguard officer and as a draper and storekeeper by trade, he established an extensive grocery business in Bantry
Bantry
Bantry is a town on the coast of County Cork, Ireland. It lies on the N71 national secondary road at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending for 30 km to the west...
. He married Mary Collins in 1882.
In 1867, the authorities believed him to be a Fenian "Head Centre" in the Bantry area. During the Land League's Land War
Land War
The Land War in Irish history was a period of agrarian agitation in rural Ireland in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League and was dedicated to bettering the position of tenant farmers and ultimately to a redistribution of land to tenants from...
and the later Plan of Campaign
Plan of Campaign
The Plan of Campaign was a stratagem adopted in Ireland between 1886 and 1891, co-ordinated by Irish politicians for the benefit of tenant farmers, against mainly absentee and rack-rent landlords. It was launched to counter agricultural distress caused by the continual depression in prices of dairy...
in the late 1880s he was imprisoned several times under the Coercion Act, which permitted imprisonment without trial, and served a three-month sentence for his role in the No Rent Manifesto of 1881. He was first elected to parliament in 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 a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP).
As chair person of the local branch of the United Irish League
United Irish League
The United Irish League was a nationalist political party in Ireland, launched 23 January 1898 with the motto "The Land for the People" . Its objective to be achieved through agrarian agitation and land reform, compelling larger grazier farmers to surrender their lands for redistribution amongst...
he was some-time president of the local Irish National League. Involved in local politics, he served as Chairman of the Bantry town commissioners and at various times chairman of the Bantry Rural District Council and was a member of the Cork County Council
Cork County Council
Cork County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Cork in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach...
as an ex officio member of the Bantry RDC from its establishment in 1899.
After the "Split" in the IPP over Parnell's leadership he joined the anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation
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...
majority group, then joined the re-united Irish Party again in 1900, for which he was elected in the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. He was however one of William O'Brien
William O'Brien
William O'Brien was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
's closest political supporters, joining his secession from the IPP in 1903, then elected in 1910 general election as a member of O'Briens's All-for-Ireland Party
All-for-Ireland League
The All-for-Ireland League , was an Irish, Munster-based political party . Founded by William O'Brien MP, it generated a new national movement to achieve agreement between the different parties concerned on the historically difficult aim of Home Rule for the whole of Ireland...
(AFIL), of which he was Chairman.
He died on the 16 October 1916 at Madame Goulding’s Private Hospital, Patrick’s Place, Cork and was buried at Abbey Cemetery, Bantry, the town closing down for his funeral and many houses showed black crepe.
The ensuing bitter West-Cork by-election has a place in history as the first after the Rising and the last in which the Irish Party narrowly captured a seat and as the self-induced demise of the AFIL. At stake in the bitterly fought by-election was not just one of the 103 seats in the House of Commons, the great issue was William O’Brien’s AFIL versus John Redmond’s Irish Party. In November three candidates were nominated, the third also a local AFIL supporter and member who stood in protest after O’Brien had passed him over in favour of 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...
close candidate (Frank Healy), thereby splitting the AFIL vote to the detriment of O’Brien’s party. (At that time seats were won by "candidates first past the post", or uncontested as in 1918 by Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
of Sinn Féin)
Sources
- Who's Who in British Members of Parliament 1886-1918, Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, p.136
- Who Was Who 1916–1928, Adam and Charles Black, London (1929), p.407
- Who's Who in The long gestation, Patrick Maume (1999), p.229
- A Biographical Dictionary of Cork, Tim Cadogan & Jeremiah Falvey (2006)