Fionán Lynch ( ga, Fionán Ó Loingsigh; 17 March 1889 – 3 June 1966) was an Irish revolutionary, barrister, politician and judge of the
Circuit Court from 1944 to 1959,
Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The (; "Head of heCouncil"; plural usually ) is the chairperson (or speaker) of , the lower house of the (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the from among their number in the first session a ...
of
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
from 1938 to 1939,
Minister for Lands and Fisheries from 1928 to 1932,
Minister for Fisheries from 1922 to 1928,
Minister without portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet w ...
from August 1922 to December 1922 and
Minister for Education from April 1922 to August 1922. He served as a
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parli ...
(TD) from 1918 to 1944.
Early life
Lynch was born on 17 March 1889 in
Cahersiveen
Cahersiveen (), sometimes Cahirciveen, is a town on the N70 national secondary road in County Kerry, Ireland. As of the 2016 CSO census, the town had a population of 1,041.
Geography
Cahersiveen is on the slopes of 376-metre-high Bentee, and ...
,
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
.
He was the seventh of eleven children to his parents Finian Lynch and Ellie McCarthy, the master and mistress of the new national school in the townland of Kilmakerrin, near Cahersiveen, in County Kerry.
His father, Finian Lynch, was the younger son of Partalan Lynch, a stonemason, farmer and hedge school teacher, who had purchased some land from the O’Connell estate at Kenneigh in Kerry, between Cahersiveen and
Waterville on the
Ballinskelligs
Ballinskelligs, officially (Irish for "town (townland) of the craggy rock"), is a townland in the civil parish of Prior, County Kerry, Ireland. It may also refer to the wider district around the townland. It is located in the south-west of the ...
side of the road and north of the river Inny. His elder brother became a stonemason but Finian trained as a teacher in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. His mother, Ellie McCarthy was the daughter of the teachers in the national school at Spunkane, near Waterville. She was born in 1853 and went to Dublin to train as a teacher.
Education
He grew up bilingual, speaking mostly in Irish at home, but in English at school. He was initially educated in the parent's school in Kilmakerrin but subsequently went to
St Brendan's College, Killarney and then, at the age of 14 in about September 1903, to the Holy Ghost Fathers School at
Rockwell College
Rockwell College ( ga, Coláiste Charraig an Tobair), founded in 1864, is a voluntary day and boarding Catholic secondary school near Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland.
The school has a rugby tradition and has won the Munster Schools S ...
,
County Tipperary
County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after th ...
.
In 1907, he finished for one year with the Holy Ghost Fathers in
Blackrock College
Blackrock College ( ga, Coláiste na Carraige Duibhe) is a voluntary secondary school, voluntary day school, day and boarding school, boarding Catholicism, Catholic secondary school for boys aged 13–18, in Williamstown, Blackrock, Dublin, Bl ...
, Dublin. He had planned to study medicine, but in 1907, when he was 18 years old his father died and he did not have the money to pursue this career path.
Instead, when he was 18, he went to
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
and taught in a parish school, not as a trained teacher, but as a well-educated young man, before returning to Ireland in 1909, where he started training as a teacher in
St Patrick's College, Dublin
St Patrick's College ( ga, Coláiste Phádraig), often known as St Pat's, was a third level institution in Ireland, the leading function of which was as the country's largest primary teacher training college, which had at one time up to 2,000 s ...
. He graduated in 1911 as a primary school teacher and took up a teaching position in Dublin in April 1912, in St. Michan's School, Halston Street near North King Street, Dublin, by chance, within the area of his activity in 1916.
Munster Hotel
![44 Mountjoy Street on the 100th anniversary commemorations of the Easter Rising](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/44_Mountjoy_Street_on_the_100th_anniversary_commemorations_of_the_Easter_Rising.jpg)
While in training he met and became a lifelong friend of
Gearóid O'Sullivan
Gearóid O'Sullivan (28 January 1891 – 25 March 1948) was an Irish teacher, Irish language scholar, army officer, barrister and Sinn Féin and Fine Gael politician.
Early life and education
Jeremiah O'Sullivan was born in Coolnagurrane near ...
, a fellow student from
Skibbereen
Skibbereen (; ) is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is located in West Cork
West Cork ( ga, Iarthar Chorcaí) is a tourist region and municipal district in County Cork, Ireland. As a municipal district, West Cork falls within the administr ...
,
County Cork
County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
. Both having got jobs in Dublin, they arranged to stay at the Munster Hotel (also known as "Grianan na nGaedheal" or "Aras na nGael"), 44 Mountjoy Street, Dublin, the hotel and lodgings run by his aunt Miss Myra McCarthy.
This address would later become well known because
Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to:
* Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician
* Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...
, a first cousin of Gearóid O'Sullivan, stayed there after his release from
Frongoch internment camp
Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch in Merionethshire, Wales was a makeshift place of imprisonment during the First World War and the 1916 Easter Rising.
History
1916 the camp housed German prisoners of war in a yellow distillery and cru ...
in December 1916 sharing a room with Lynch, with it remaining his base until 1922. Even after Collins went on the run he would still call in for breakfast and to collect his laundry. According to Lynch it was probably the most raided house in Dublin during 1920.
During 1918, the British spy Timothy Quinlisk stayed.
Gaelic League
While in Swansea, and keen on fostering the Irish language both written and spoken, Lynch had formed a branch of the
Gaelic League
(; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it emer ...
. When he returned to Dublin in 1912 Lynch,
Gearóid O'Sullivan
Gearóid O'Sullivan (28 January 1891 – 25 March 1948) was an Irish teacher, Irish language scholar, army officer, barrister and Sinn Féin and Fine Gael politician.
Early life and education
Jeremiah O'Sullivan was born in Coolnagurrane near ...
and his friend
Diarmuid O'Hegarty
Diarmuid O'Hegarty (Irish: ''Ó hÉigeartaigh''; 1892–1958) was an Irish revolutionary and civil servant. He was a member of the Irish Volunteer executive (June 1916 – November 1921), IRA Director of Communications (July 1918 – March 1920) ...
joined the very active and influential Keating Branch of the Gaelic League, where IRB influence was strong. The Chairman of the branch was
Cathal Brugha
Cathal Brugha (; born Charles William St John Burgess; 18 July 1874 – 7 July 1922) was an Irish republican politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1919 to 1922, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann in January 1919, the first presiden ...
and
Piaras Béaslaí
Piaras Béaslaí (; 15 February 1881 – 22 June 1965) was an Irish author, playwright, biographer and translator, who was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, fought in the Easter Rising and served as a member of Dáil Éireann.
Ear ...
was a member, with Seán Mac Diarmada a frequent visitor. Lynch, O’Sullivan and Ó Hegarty were soon brought onto the committee of the branch and undertook teaching of both adults and children.
Lynch proceeded to the
Royal University of Ireland
The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the ''University Education (Ireland) Act 1879'' as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on 27 Apri ...
and
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...
, where he got a BA in Celtic studies in 1913 and a Higher Diploma in Education in 1914. He had a story about his BA in Celtic studies whereby the university was short of an examiner fluent in the Irish language and sought the help, probably of the Gaelic league. He was registered as a student as Finian Lynch, the anglicised version of his name, and the recommendation from the Gaelic league for a suitable examiner was one Fionán Ó Loingsigh.
Na hAisteoirí
Piaras Béaslaí established a dramatic society which was called ''Na hAisteoirí'' (The Actors) and all three joined. They undertook plays around the country at social events such as the
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:
*The President of Ireland
*The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...
. Lynch translated
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
's “Le Maladie Imaginaire” into the
Irish language
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...
for the purpose.
During 1914 to 1915, they produced plays in Irish at intervals in Dublin and in the summer of 1914 they did a tour of Cork and Kerry producing plays in different towns each night and finishing off with two or three nights at the Oireachtas in Killarney. In July 1914, they were producing Irish plays at the Oireachtas in
Drogheda
Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
and Seán Mac Diarmada insisted that they go ahead even though it clashed with the Howth gun running.
Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Brotherhood
On 25 November 1913, Lynch, together with
Gearóid O'Sullivan
Gearóid O'Sullivan (28 January 1891 – 25 March 1948) was an Irish teacher, Irish language scholar, army officer, barrister and Sinn Féin and Fine Gael politician.
Early life and education
Jeremiah O'Sullivan was born in Coolnagurrane near ...
and
Diarmuid O'Hegarty
Diarmuid O'Hegarty (Irish: ''Ó hÉigeartaigh''; 1892–1958) was an Irish revolutionary and civil servant. He was a member of the Irish Volunteer executive (June 1916 – November 1921), IRA Director of Communications (July 1918 – March 1920) ...
attended the meeting at the Rotunda Rink for the founding of the
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers ( ga, Óglaigh na hÉireann), sometimes called the Irish Volunteer Force or Irish Volunteer Army, was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists and republicans. It was ostensibly formed in respons ...
and they joined on that first night. Drilling started within a couple of weeks, at the Foresters Hall on
Parnell Square
Parnell Square () is a Georgian square sited at the northern end of O'Connell Street in the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the city's D01 postal district.
Formerly named ''Rutland Square'', it was renamed after Charles Stewart Parnell (1 ...
(Russell Square at the time) and instructors were chosen and Lynch was chosen to train a squad. In summer 1914, there was the first election of volunteer officers and Lynch was elected 2nd lieutenant of F Company, which would be placed in 1st Battalion.
With the formation of the battalion the captain of F Company,
Piaras Béaslaí
Piaras Béaslaí (; 15 February 1881 – 22 June 1965) was an Irish author, playwright, biographer and translator, who was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, fought in the Easter Rising and served as a member of Dáil Éireann.
Ear ...
, was promoted to second in command of the battalion and, as Sean (Jack) Shouldice who was the first lieutenant couldn't accept the captaincy, Lynch was promoted to captain of F Company. His friend from the Gaelic League Diarmuid Ó Hegarty was made second lieutenant.
Soon after this he was asked by his close friend
Seán Mac Diarmada
Seán Mac Diarmada (27 January 1883 – 12 May 1916), also known as Seán MacDermott, was an Irish republican political activist and revolutionary leader. He was one of the seven leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916, which he helped to organi ...
, along with
Con Collins
Cornelius Collins ( ga, Conchobhar Ó Coileáin; 13 November 1881 – 23 November 1937), known as Con Collins, was an Irish Sinn Féin politician.
He was born in Arranagh, Newcastle West, County Limerick. He had joined the Gaelic League by 191 ...
, to join the
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...
. The IRB supreme Council were trying to ensure volunteer officers were members of the brotherhood and the fact that he was already friendly with Seán MacDiarmada made him acceptable. He subsequently took the oath and was sworn in around spring 1915. He was allocated to the Circle in
Gardiner Street
Gardiner Street () is a long Georgian street in Dublin, Ireland. It stretches from the River Liffey at its southern end via Mountjoy Square to Dorset Street at its northern end. The Custom House terminates the vista at the southern end, and th ...
, with Diarmuid Ó Hegarty and Gearoid O’Sullivan members of the same circle.
From late 1914, Lynch and the other members of the Irish Volunteers came under observation by the
Dublin Metropolitan Police
The Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) was the police force of Dublin, Ireland, from 1836 to 1925, when it was amalgamated into the new Garda Síochána.
History
19th century
The Dublin city police had been subject to major reforms in 1786 and ...
. At the time, Lynch was an assistant teacher in St. Michan's School, and at the beginning of 1916 the Commissioners of National Education notified the school that his activities were not compatible with his teaching duties. Lynch's schoolmaster told him that his salary would be withdrawn if he continued his involvement to which Lynch surprised him by replying that he would consult with his superior officers about it. He did so and was ordered by Tom McDonagh to lay low and formally sever his connections with the Volunteers. However, during this time he organised a Sunday morning training squad centre at the headquarters of the Gaelic League, 25 Parnell Square, for members whose positions made it impossible for them to be openly associated with the Volunteers.
However, he continued to attend the meetings of the battalion council, where he was told which area would be occupied by his company at the forthcoming rising.
1916 Easter Rising
Lynch fought in the
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
in Dublin in 1916 in the
Four Courts
The Four Courts ( ga, Na Ceithre Cúirteanna) is Ireland's most prominent courts building, located on Inns Quay in Dublin. The Four Courts is the principal seat of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit ...
garrison with Commandant
Edward Daly in North King Street.
On Holy Thursday he again went to the formation parade and re-took formal command of F Company. He was greeted back with cheers and excitement having previously told his men that he would be back to lead them when there was ‘anything doing’.
On Easter Sunday Lynch and Gearoid O'Sullivan were at early Mass and got the Sunday Independent with the countermanding order and brought the bad news to Seán McDermott. The leaders were alerted, Lynch collecting Patrick Pearce from his home at Saint Enda's and a series of meetings were held through the day to late evening at Liberty Hall.
The decision to proceed with the
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
having been taken, the First Battalion mobilised in Blackhall Place on the morning of Easter Monday under the command of Commandant Ned Daly. Lynch was stationed in North King Street, adjacent to the Four Courts, having previously reconnoitred the area on Good Friday, they were rapidly able to occupy their chosen houses, create barricades and arrange food supplies in line with their original plans. F Company occupied the area from North King St. along Church St. to May Lane where it was joined to C Company which held the Four Courts.
There was little fighting in the area until the Wednesday 26 April, from which point the fighting was intense, especially along North King Street, until the order for surrender on the Saturday. His final engagement was on Saturday afternoon at the barricade on the May Lane side of the Franciscan Church, during which Seán Hurley was fatally wounded.
Lynch and his men, who were worn out from fighting, retreated to the Four Courts on Saturday evening where they received the order to surrender shortly afterwards.
Lynch, describing the valour of his men said: "I shall merely say that it was a great honour for any man to be their captain. As to how they fought, the words of our enemies at the time are the greatest tribute we could call for". General
Sir John Maxwell said of North King Street: "With the one exception of the place at
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge () (from historic Ball's Bridge) is an affluent neighbourhood of the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The area is largely north and west of a three-arch stone bridge across the River Dodder, on the south side of the city. Th ...
, where the Sherwood Foresters were ambushed, this was by far the worst fighting that occurred in the whole of Dublin. At first the troops, coming from one end of the street, were repulsed. And it was only when we made an attack from both sides that we succeeded, after twenty-four hours fighting, in capturing the street. The casualties were very heavy during this fighting".
After the surrender Lynch was sent to
Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol ( ga, Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leade ...
, where, on 4 May 1916, Captain Lynch was tried by Field General Court martial, sentenced to death but immediately had his sentence commuted to 10 years
penal servitude. He was transferred to
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison ( ga, Príosún Mhuinseo), founded as Mountjoy Gaol and nicknamed ''The Joy'', is a medium security men's prison located in Phibsborough in the centre of Dublin, Ireland.
The current prison Governor is Edward Mullins.
History
...
and then spent a period in Portland Jail, on Portland Isle off the Dorset coast, after which he was transferred to Lewis Prison. He was released in June 1917 with the other Irish prisoners under the general amnesty.
1917–1918
On his release in June 1917, his re‐employment was refused. He became an organiser for the Volunteer Executive, working in South Kerry, Armagh and Offaly, militarily as well as politically for Sinn Féin. He continued to preach about the benefits of Ireland becoming a republic and was soon drafted to East Clare for electioneering in the hugely significant campaign for the July 1917 East Clare by-election where Éamon de Valera, for Sinn Féin, beat the Irish Parliamentary Party candidate.
He attended the first Roger Casement Commemoration in
Banna Strand
Banna Strand, (Gaeilge: Trá na Beannaí) also known as Banna Beach, is situated in Ballyheigue Bay. It is an Atlantic Ocean beach extending from Ballyheigue Beach at the Blackrock in the North to Barrow Beach at its southern edge, located in ...
, County Kerry, in August 1917, being driven back to
Tralee
Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
, together with
Thomas Ashe
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the Ap ...
,
Austin Stack
Augustine Mary Moore Stack (7 December 1879 – 27 April 1929) was an Irish republican and politician who served as Minister for Home Affairs from 1921 to 1922. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1927.
Early life
Stack was born in Ball ...
and Stack's father, by Tom Slattery, a significant merchant in the town, who was active in the GAA and a member of the IRB.
Lynch was arrested on 13 August 1917 along with Thomas Ashe and Austin Stack under the charge of making seditious speeches and wearing the Volunteer uniform. They were each sentenced to two years’ jail and ended up in
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison ( ga, Príosún Mhuinseo), founded as Mountjoy Gaol and nicknamed ''The Joy'', is a medium security men's prison located in Phibsborough in the centre of Dublin, Ireland.
The current prison Governor is Edward Mullins.
History
...
, being treated as common criminals. With a few other republicans, they undertook a hunger strike. Unfortunately, this had a tragic outcome when, in September 1917, Thomas Ashe died after food was fed into his lungs during a forced feeding. Lynch, returning from his own forced feeding had said to Ashe as they crossed paths ‘Stick it Tom boy’ to which he replied ‘I’ll stick it Fin’. Fionán Lynch records the fact that he was the last person to speak to Ashe before his death, as these were Ashe's last words.
The prisoners were released in November 1917, but Lynch was re‐arrested on 18 May 1918, along with most of those previously released on licence, this time the reason given was a ‘
German Plot’.
First Dáil and War of Independence (1918–1921)
In December 1918, Lynch stood as a candidate in the United Kingdom general election, being elected unopposed as an
abstentionist
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in ...
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
MP for
Kerry South, becoming a
Member of the 1st Dáil. Apparently his candidature was a surprise as, being imprisoned, Lynch had not been available to sign his assent to his nomination which had been done for him by Michael Collins, without troubling to notify his friend that he had done so. Sinn Féin won an overwhelming majority in Ireland at the
1918 Westminster election, but did not take up their seats in Westminster in protest. The parliament met in Dublin in January 1919, but Lynch, along with many other members, was unable to attend being imprisoned at the time.
In April 1919, Lynch was transferred to
Strangeways Prison
HM Prison Manchester is a Category A and B men's prison in Manchester, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It is still commonly referred to as Strangeways, which was its former official name derived from the area in which it is l ...
,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
as a political prisoner. He was released from Manchester Jail “time served”, again while on hunger strike, on 19 August 1919, and was met upon release by Paddy O'Donoghue, who passed onto him orders from Michael Collins. Lynch pointed out areas of the prison that were weakly guarded inside, including counting the number of bricks in the walls to estimate the height for the rope ladders. This led to the successful escape of the remaining political prisoners eight weeks later, including Austin Stack and Stack's father.
As
TD for Kerry South he spent much time in the county on parliamentary and paramilitary activities. Many meetings were held in
Tralee
Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
, in the premises of Thomas Slattery an active republican in his hometown who figured prominently in the movement.
In November 1919, Lynch married Bridget Slattery, daughter of Tom Slattery, having met at a republican meeting hosted by Tom Slattery in August 1917. After the marriage, which was conducted by his brother, Father John Lynch, he and Bridget got a flat at 98 Pembroke Road, Dublin leaving 44 Mountjoy Street.
After September 1919 the Dáil was declared illegal following which it met rarely, but its cabinet held meetings in various different locations across the city of Dublin, overseeing the guerrilla war that was being fought at that time against the British. He and Bridget hosted some of these cabinet meetings at their flat on Pembroke Road. He was appointed to the GHQ Staff of the IRA as assistant director of organisation under Diarmaid Ó Heigeartaigh in early 1920.
Around this time Lynch set up an insurance business and worked part-time as an organiser until his re‐arrest on 8 January 1921. He was interned in Ballykinlar internment Camp in County Down, where he was when his father in law died, and was released with the other TDs on 12 August 1921 to attend a meeting of the Dáil in Dublin on 16 August 1921. His business collapsed as a result of his internment.
Second Dáil and Anglo-Irish Treaty
In the May 1921 elections, Lynch was re-elected as an abstentionist member of the
House of Commons of Southern Ireland
The Parliament of Southern Ireland was a Home Rule legislature established by the British Government during the Irish War of Independence under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was designed to legislate for Southern Ireland,"Order in Cou ...
and a
Member of the 2nd Dáil as a Sinn Féin
TD for
Kerry–Limerick West at the
1921 elections.
![Fionán Lynch electioneering](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Fion%C3%A1n_Lynch_electioneering.jpg)
In October 1921, he was a member of the delegation that went to
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
to negotiate the
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...
with the UK, serving as joint secretary.
He supported the
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...
like almost all IRB members and during the Dáil Debates criticised some Anti-Treaty TDs. Lynch believed the Treaty to be the practical solution, arguing for it in the Dáil debates, saying that
Under the terms of the Treaty a Provisional Government was established in January 1922, with the task of overseeing the implementation of the Treaty and to be dissolved on 5 December 1922, one year after the signing of the treaty.
His position in this government from April 1922 to August 1922 was
Minister for Education. This overlapped with the cabinet of the third Dáil and Lynch came to a pragmatic arrangement with Michael Hayes, the other Minister for Education at that time, whereby roles were divided between them, with Lynch taking responsibility for primary education. Lynch had the task of dissolving the education board which had sacked him from his teaching job after the Easter Rising.
Irish Civil War (1922–1923) and Third Dáil
Under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Treaty had to be ratified by popular vote and the Second Dáil had decided that the 16 June 1922 general election, campaigned on the Treaty, would be that ratification. By April, there were increasing clashes between government troops and irregulars and, in late April, Lynch attended public rallies with Michael Collins in Killarney and Tralee to argue for the Treaty, despite significant harassment from anti-treaty activists.
Sinn Féin knew that the June election would split the party and in an effort to retain unity a Pact was drawn up in May 1922 under which it was agreed that both Pro and Anti-Treaty TDs would form a coalition government. The outcome of June 1922 election was strongly in favour of acceptance of the Treaty, both in the number of Pro-Treaty TDs elected and the votes cast.
However, there were continuing disagreements about the Anglo-Irish Treaty, combined with many acts of aggression against treaty supporters as well as National Forces leading ultimately to the civil war, with the shelling of the Four Courts on 28 June 1922 being a significant watershed moment.
During the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
he fought with the
Irish National Army
The National Army, sometimes unofficially referred to as the Free State army or the Regulars, was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922 until October 1924. Its role in this period was defined by its service in the Irish Civil War, ...
and rose to the rank of Brigadier-General. He enlisted in the National Army at
Portobello Barracks on 12 July 1922, as a General Staff Officer in the General Headquarters Staff. By mid-summer the major cities were under government control and the Irregulars were concentrated in the rural areas of the province of Munster, particularly in the counties of Tipperary, Cork, and Kerry.
![Irish soldiers during the Civil War](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Irish_soldiers_during_the_Civil_War.jpg)
In July 1922, with the sub-division of the original military districts, Lynch was appointed by Collins a vice commandant of the South Western Division with the rank of commandant-general, commanding a unit of Dublin soldiers in County Kerry. He served in that appointment under General
Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O'Duffy (born Owen Duffy; 28 January 1890 – 30 November 1944) was an Irish military commander, police commissioner and politician. O'Duffy was the leader of the Monaghan Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and a prominent figure in ...
, General Officer Commanding the Division, up to 13 December 1922. He undertook trips to his constituency in Kerry and the rest of the county but the population of the county was heavily anti treaty and there was considerable danger. On occasion he had to endure being ambushed and, during one ambush, he was hit on a metal cigarette case which saved his life.
In August 1922, he travelled by car with Michael Collins as far as Limerick, where Lynch headed for his constituency of Kerry and Collins for Cork, but on 22 August 1922 Collins was ambushed and assassinated.
On Friday, 25 August 1922, Lynch, in command of a large force of Dublin Guards, set out for
Kenmare
Kenmare () is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of ''Ceann Mara'', meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay.
Location
Kenmare is located at the head of Kenmare ...
to relieve and strengthen the garrison that had been established earlier in the month by Tom O’Connor-Scarteen. The geography meant that the Kenmare could only be supplied by sea and a land link was necessary. As Lynch's column advanced along the Killarney-
Kilgarvan
Kilgarvan () is a small village in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is situated on the banks of the Roughty River which flows into Kenmare Bay. By car, the village is a ten-minute trip from Kenmare, and thirty minutes from Killarn ...
road it came under fire from anti-treaty forces at Filadown, near
Glenflesk. This brought an ironic comment to Lynch, TD for the area, that his constituents did not seem to think much of him. As night fell, and following a number of wounded, the Free State column retreated, returning to the area the next day.
He was elected to the
3rd Dáil
Third or 3rd may refer to:
Numbers
* 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3
* , a fraction of one third
* 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute''
Places
* 3rd Street (disambiguation)
* Third Avenue (disambiguation)
* Hig ...
at the
1922 general election as a
Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
TD and on 9 September 1922, Lynch was appointed as a
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet w ...
in the government of the Third Dáil, being unavailable for immediate service in the Government as he remained on active service.
On 5 December, legislation adopted by the Westminster parliament approved both the Free State Constitution and the Anglo-Irish Treaty of a year before, satisfying the British insistence that the Free State be based on constitutionalism and legislation rather than violence. On 14 December 1922, with the dissolution of the Provisional Government, Lynch became
Minister for Fisheries in the Free State Government of
W. T. Cosgrave
William Thomas Cosgrave (5 June 1880 – 16 November 1965) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as the president of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1932, leader of the Opposition in both the Free State and Ir ...
.
On 6 December 1922, the day the Irish Free State came into being, two members of its legislature were shot by the Irregulars, one of whom,
Sean Hales, was killed, as part of a retaliatory policy for the military court executions that had started a few weeks earlier.
Following the execution of the Four Courts IRA members, a threat was published that all pro-treaty TDs were legitimate targets for assassination.
However, the reluctance of former colleagues to attack him may have ensured his survival during the war – Frank Henderson of Dublin's No. 1 brigade of the IRA told Ernie O'Malley of his reluctance to become involved in reprisal shootings after Free State executions, commenting: ‘I didn't like that order. I could have shot Eamon Duggan and Fionán Lynch, for they went home every night drunk, but I left them alone.’
Although the civil war ended in 1923, Lynch was provided with an armed guard as late as 1932, because of the ongoing threat of assassination.
Later life
The Military Service Pensions Act of 1924 aided post-Civil War reconciliation and, from October 1924 until October 1928, Lynch acted as a member of the Board of Assessors for the adjudication of military service pensions, along with
Eamonn Duggan
Eamonn Seán Duggan ( ga, Éamonn Ó Dúgáin; 2 March 1878 – 6 June 1936) was an Irish lawyer and politician who served as Government Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 1927 to 1932, Parliamentary Secre ...
and
Gearóid O'Sullivan
Gearóid O'Sullivan (28 January 1891 – 25 March 1948) was an Irish teacher, Irish language scholar, army officer, barrister and Sinn Féin and Fine Gael politician.
Early life and education
Jeremiah O'Sullivan was born in Coolnagurrane near ...
acting as Secretary.
Lynch was re-elected at each subsequent general election as a
Cumann na nGaedheal
Cumann na nGaedheal (; "Society of the Gaels") was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. In 1933 it merged with smaller groups to form the Fine Gael party.
Origins
In 1922 the pro-Treaty G ...
and later
Fine Gael
Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil ...
TD for the constituencies of
Kerry
Kerry or Kerri may refer to:
* Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Kerry, Queensland, Australia
* County Kerry, Ireland
** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
from 1923 to 1937 and
Kerry South from 1937 until 1944.
Lynch served as
Minister for Education from April to August 1922, as
Minister for Fisheries from 1922 to 1928, and as Minister for Land and Fisheries from 1928 to 1932.
In 1932, he was re-elected to his constituency of Kerry but the government was defeated by
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...
's
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...
. He had been called to the
Irish Bar
The Bar of Ireland ( ga, Barra na hÉireann) is the professional association of barristers for Ireland, with over 2,000 members. It is based in the Law Library, with premises in Dublin and Cork. It is governed by the General Council of the Ba ...
in 1930
and practised as a barrister in the Irish Midlands Circuit.
He managed to remain friendly with members of both sides and in 1937 he suffered a very severe heart attack. For the
1938 election he was unfit to canvas or undertake electioneering. The parties agreed to put forward only the number of candidates for which there were seats and he was elected unopposed. In 1938, he was appointed
Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The (; "Head of heCouncil"; plural usually ) is the chairperson (or speaker) of , the lower house of the (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the from among their number in the first session a ...
(deputy chairperson) of
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
but suffered serious illness and relinquished the post in May 1939. He continued as a TD until 1944.
Having built up a legal practice, he retired from politics in October 1944 when he was appointed a Judge of the
Circuit Court, in
Sligo
Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
and
Donegal Donegal may refer to:
County Donegal, Ireland
* County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster
* Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland
* Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...
Circuit Court by his old adversary Éamon de Valera. Despite their differences on the Treaty, they remained good friends and de Valera attended his funeral in June 1966.
He retired from the bench in 1959.
Family
He married Bridget Slattery on 26 November 1919. Bridget was the daughter of Tom Slattery of Rock Street, Tralee. They had six boys and one girl; with one son predeceasing him.
Tom qualified in medicine and practiced psychiatry and was Professor of Psychiatry at the
Royal College of Surgeons
The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...
,
St. Stephen's Green, Dublin. Kevin Lynch qualified in arts and was called to the Irish bar. He finished his career as a Judge of the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
He died at his home in
Dartry
Dartry () is a small suburb of Dublin, Ireland, often referred to as a corridor between Rathmines area and Milltown. Among the locations in Dartry are Dartry Road, Temple Road, Orwell Park and Palmerston Park.
Boundaries
Part of Dartry Road ...
, Dublin, on 3 June 1966, aged 77, shortly after celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. He was survived by his wife, and their five sons and one daughter. His papers are on permanent loan to Kerry County Library archives.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Finian
1889 births
1966 deaths
Irish barristers
People of the Irish Civil War (Pro-Treaty side)
Early Sinn Féin TDs
Cumann na nGaedheal TDs
Fine Gael TDs
Members of the 1st Dáil
Members of the 2nd Dáil
Members of the 3rd Dáil
Members of the 4th Dáil
Members of the 5th Dáil
Members of the 6th Dáil
Members of the 7th Dáil
Members of the 8th Dáil
Members of the 9th Dáil
Members of the 10th Dáil
Members of the 11th Dáil
Members of the 12th Dáil
Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for County Kerry constituencies (1801–1922)
Politicians from County Kerry
UK MPs 1918–1922
People educated at Rockwell College
People educated at Blackrock College
Alumni of St Patrick's College, Dublin
Ministers for Education (Ireland)
Politicians imprisoned during the Irish revolutionary period
Irish Republican Army (1919–1922) members
People from Cahersiveen