Maurice Healy
Encyclopedia
Maurice Healy was an Irish
nationalist
politician, lawyer and Member of Parliament
(MP). 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 to Maurice, a Poor Law Union clerk, and Eliza Healy (née Sullivan) in Bantry
. His mother died during the birth. As he grew up he became very close to his elder brother Tim Healy
, they even married sisters. It is said that the nurse placed Maurice in the young Tim's arms and said, "This little boy has no mother now and you will have to be a mother to him." The orphaned children were effectively raised by their maternal grandmother, Jane Sullivan. The family moved to Lismore
, where he was educated at the local Christian Brothers
school.
Admitted as a solicitor in 1882, he practised as such and was returned to parliament four times, first as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party for Cork city
from 1885 to 1900, in which year standing as a Healyite
nationalist he was defeated by William O'Brien
in a bitter campaign. He was returned again for Cork city in May 1909 to January 1910. In 1910 for north-east Cork
, this time as a supporter and member of William O'Brien's All-for-Ireland Party
(AFIL). From the December 1910 general election until the December 1918 general election
he again represented Cork city.
His force in parliament was land law. He was a close confidant of his brother and although more retiring and stolid than his better known elder brother Tim Healy, he was considered the more intelligent and often acted as a counter-balance to his brother's emotionality. On the outbreak of World War I
in 1914 both had a son enlisted in one of the Irish Divisions.
His uncle, Timothy Daniel Sullivan
was also a Member of Parliament
, as was his oldest brother, Thomas J. Healy and father-in-law A. M. Sullivan
. His son, also called Maurice (1887–1943)
, educated at Clongowes Wood College
stood unsuccessfully as an AFIL candidate for West Waterford
in December 1910, was a regular contributor (including much satirical verse) to the O’Brienite Cork Free Press
. Maurice (junior) moved to England
after the founding of the Irish Free State
where he was both a successful lawyer, and a broadcaster for the BBC
during the early years of World War II
. He wrote the well-known legal memoir The Old Munster Circuit and the popular Stay Me With Flagons: A Book about Wine and Other Things.
Maurice (senior) died at his residence, Ballintemple, Cork, on 9 November 1923 and was buried in St. Joseph's cemetery.
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, lawyer and 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). As a 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...
, he was returned to 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....
four times between 1885 and 1918.
He was one of twins, the third son born to Maurice, a Poor Law Union clerk, and Eliza Healy (née Sullivan) 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...
. His mother died during the birth. As he grew up he became very close to his elder brother Tim Healy
Timothy Michael Healy
Timothy Michael Healy, KC , also known as Tim Healy, was an Irish nationalist politician, journalist, author, barrister and one of the most controversial Irish Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, they even married sisters. It is said that the nurse placed Maurice in the young Tim's arms and said, "This little boy has no mother now and you will have to be a mother to him." The orphaned children were effectively raised by their maternal grandmother, Jane Sullivan. The family moved to Lismore
Lismore, County Waterford
Lismore is a town in County Waterford, Ireland. It is located where the N72 road crosses the River Blackwater.-History:It was founded by Saint Mochuda, also known as Saint Carthage. In the 7th century, Lismore was the site of the well-known Lismore Abbey. It is also home to Lismore Castle, the...
, where he was educated at the local Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
school.
Admitted as a solicitor in 1882, he practised as such and was returned to parliament four times, first as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party for Cork city
Cork City (UK Parliament constituency)
Cork City was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1880 to 1922 it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
from 1885 to 1900, in which year standing as a Healyite
Independent Nationalist
Independent Nationalist was a political title frequently used by Irish nationalists when contesting elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland not as members of the Irish Parliamentary Party, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.In the...
nationalist he was defeated by 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...
in a bitter campaign. He was returned again for Cork city in May 1909 to January 1910. In 1910 for north-east Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, this time as a supporter and member of William O'Brien'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). From the December 1910 general election until the December 1918 general election
Irish (UK) general election, 1918
The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland. It is seen as a key moment in modern Irish history...
he again represented Cork city.
His force in parliament was land law. He was a close confidant of his brother and although more retiring and stolid than his better known elder brother Tim Healy, he was considered the more intelligent and often acted as a counter-balance to his brother's emotionality. On the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914 both had a son enlisted in one of the Irish Divisions.
His uncle, Timothy Daniel Sullivan
Timothy Daniel Sullivan
Timothy Daniel Sullivan was an Irish nationalist, journalist, politician and poet who wrote the Irish national hymn "God Save Ireland", in 1867...
was also 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,...
, as was his oldest brother, Thomas J. Healy and father-in-law A. M. Sullivan
Alexander Martin Sullivan (Irish politician)
Alexander Martin Sullivan was an Irish politician, lawyer and journalist from Bantry, County Cork.He was the son of Daniel and Ann Sullivan, and brother to Timothy Daniel Sullivan, who was Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1886 to 1888....
. His son, also called Maurice (1887–1943)
Maurice Healy (writer)
Maurice Healy was an Irish lawyer and author best remembered for his legal memoir The Old Munster Circuit.He was born in Cork, son of the well-known solicitor Maurice Healy and nephew of Timothy Michael Healy, the first Governor General of the Irish Free State. His mother was a sister of A.M...
, educated at Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
stood unsuccessfully as an AFIL candidate for West Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
in December 1910, was a regular contributor (including much satirical verse) to the O’Brienite Cork Free Press
Cork Free Press
The Cork Free Press was a nationalist newspaper in Ireland, which circulated primarily in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, and was the newspaper of the dissident All-for-Ireland League party...
. Maurice (junior) moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after the founding of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
where he was both a successful lawyer, and a broadcaster for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
during the early years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He wrote the well-known legal memoir The Old Munster Circuit and the popular Stay Me With Flagons: A Book about Wine and Other Things.
Maurice (senior) died at his residence, Ballintemple, Cork, on 9 November 1923 and was buried in St. Joseph's cemetery.
Sources
- Paul BewPaul BewPaul Anthony Elliott Bew, Baron Bew of Donegore is a Northern Irish historian. He has worked at Queen's University Belfast since 1979, and is currently Professor of Irish Politics, a position he has held since 1991.-Academic career:...
, Healy, Timothy Michael (1855–1931) in: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004) - Patrick Maume The long Gestation, Irish Nationalist Life 1891–1918 (1999)
- Tim Cadogan & Jeremiah Falvey A Biographical Dictionary of Cork (2006)