Richard Sydney Anthony (20 October 1875 – 3 January 1962) was an Irish politician and trade unionist.

Biography

In his teens he joined the printing staff of '' The Cork Examiner'', where in time he became a linotype operator. A member of the Cork Typographical Association (president from the 1920s), he became a leading figure in the Cork Workers' Council. In the 1920s he was a member of the national executive of the Labour Party and in 1924 a member of the executive council of the Irish Trades Union Congress. Anthony stood unsuccessfully for election at the 1923 general election. 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 Labour Party Teachta Dála (TD) for the

Cork Borough Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

constituency at the June 1927 general election. He was re-elected as a Labour Party TD at the September 1927 general election. In 1931, Anthony defied the Labour whip and supported the Constitution (Amendment No. 17) Bill, a measure proposed by the government of W. T. Cosgrave against the Irish Republican Army. The Executive Council sought to establish military courts that were empowered to impose sentences – including capital punishment, without appeal – in response to IRA violence. Alongside Daniel Morrissey, Anthony broke ranks with Labour, who thought the measures too authoritarian, and voted for the bill, and both of them were expelled from the party. Anthony was elected as an Independent TD at the 1932 general election. He was re-elected as an independent TD at the

1933 Events January * January 11 – Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independence, against the wis ...

and

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...

general elections. Anthony was well known for his

anti-communist Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...

views. In August 1939 he told the forty-fifth

Irish Trade Union Congress The Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) was a union federation covering the island of Ireland. History Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). However, many felt that they had little imp ...

that he would prefer fascism to a " dictatorship of the proletariat". Earlier that same year, back in April, Anthony had proposed a motion at Cork City Corporation congratulating General Franco on "concluding his war against communism and anarchy in Spain". He lost his seat at the 1938 general election but was re-elected at the

1943 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured. * January 4 – ...

and

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

general elections as an independent. He re-joined the Labour Party in 1948. He again lost his Dáil seat at the 1948 general election but was elected to the

6th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 6th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. These Senate, Senators were elected or appointed in 1948, after the 1948 Irish general election, 1948 gene ...

on the Labour Panel at the subsequent Seanad election in 1948. He stood at the 1951 general election but was not elected. He did not contest the 1951 Seanad election but was elected to the 8th Seanad in 1954, again on the Labour Panel. He did not contest the 1957 Seanad election and retired from politics. He served as Lord Mayor of Cork from 1942 to 1943. He married three times; he and his first wife (née Powell from Cork) had seven children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anthony, Richard 1875 births 1962 deaths Independent TDs Independent members of Seanad Éireann Irish anti-communists Labour Party (Ireland) TDs Members of Cork City Council Lord Mayors of Cork Members of the 11th Dáil Members of the 12th Dáil Members of the 5th Dáil Members of the 6th Dáil Members of the 6th Seanad Members of the 7th Dáil Members of the 8th Dáil Members of the 8th Seanad Members of the 9th Dáil Politicians from County Cork Typesetters People from Clonmel Trade unionists from County Tipperary Labour Panel senators Labour Party (Ireland) local councillors Independent local councillors in the Republic of Ireland