James Colbert (3 January 1890 – 28 January 1970) was an Irish revolutionary, politician and farmer.

Early life

Born in the

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...

of Moanleana, Castlemahon,

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

, he was the son of Michael Colbert, a farmer, and Honora McDermott. An older brother

Con Colbert Cornelius Bernard Colbert ( ga, Conchúir Ó Colbáird; 19 October 1888 – 8 May 1916)D.J. Hickey & J. E. Doherty, ''A New Dictionary of Irish History from 1800'', Gill & MacMillan (Dublin), , Pg.75 was an Irish rebel and pioneer of Fianna Éir ...

, was executed for his part in the

1916 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 ...

. His family later moved to the village of

Athea Athea ( or ''Áth Té'') is a village in west County Limerick, Ireland. Athea has a Roman Catholic church, and is the centre for the parish of Athea, which encompasses several nearby townlands. History The community was dependent on agriculture ...

. In 1901, his family were living in the townland of Templeathea West.

Political activity

During the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

, Colbert served as Brigade Quartermaster of West Limerick Brigade, IRA and took part in ambushes and operations against British forces while attached to IRA 'Flying Column' (Active Service Unit). Taking the anti-Treaty side in the

Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...

, Colbert took part in engagements against National forces in County Limerick and County Kerry. He was arrested in September 1922 but escaped escaped from Tintown, the Curragh, County Kildare on 23 April 1923 and remained 'on the run' until 1924. Colbert later applied to the Irish government for a service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 and was awarded 6 and 11/24 years service in 1941 at Grade C for his service with the Irish Volunteers and the IRA between 1 April 1917 and 30 September 1923. He was first elected to

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 ...

as a

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 ...

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) for the

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

constituency at the 1923 general election. He did not take his seat in the

4th Dáil Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

due to Sinn Féin's

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 ...

policy. He was elected as a

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- ...

TD at the June 1927 general election. He was re-elected at the September 1927 and

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

general elections. He lost his seat at the 1933 general election.

Death

Colbert, who was a resident of Bray,

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...

, died on 28 January 1970 in Dublin. He was buried in

Glasnevin Cemetery Glasnevin Cemetery ( ga, Reilig Ghlas Naíon) is a large cemetery in Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland which opened in 1832. It holds the graves and memorials of several notable figures, and has a museum. Location The cemetery is located in Glasne ...

. James Colbert and

Michael Colbert Michael Brendan Colbert (9 July 1899 – 1 April 1959) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was born in the townland of Templeathea, in Athea, County Limerick, to William Colbert, a farmer, and Nora Danaher. A farmer and horse breeder, he ...

, who both represented Fianna Fáil for Limerick at different times, were cousins.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colbert, James 1890 births 1970 deaths Early Sinn Féin TDs Fianna Fáil TDs Members of the 4th Dáil Members of the 5th Dáil Members of the 6th Dáil Members of the 7th Dáil Politicians from County Limerick 20th-century Irish farmers Burials at Glasnevin Cemetery