Sir Anthony Charles Esmonde, 15th Baronet (18 January 1899 – 17 March 1981) was an Irish

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 � ...

politician, medical doctor and farmer.

Early and personal life

He was born on 18 January 1899, at Ashlett House,

Church Stretton Church Stretton is a market town in Shropshire, England, south of Shrewsbury and north of Ludlow. The population in 2011 was 4,671.

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...

, the youngest son among the three sons and three daughters of

John Joseph Esmonde John Joseph Esmonde (27 January 1862 – 17 April 1915) was a physician and an Irish nationalist Member of Parliament for North Tipperary from 1910 to 1915. Family Esmonde was born on 27 January 1862 in Drominagh, Borrisokane, County Tipperary, ...

and his first wife, Rose (née Magennis). He was educated in Germany, at

Clongowes Wood College Clongowes Wood College SJ is a voluntary boarding school for boys near Clane, County Kildare, Ireland, founded by the Jesuits in 1814, which features prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel ''A Portrait of the Artist as a Yo ...

, and at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. After qualifying in 1921 he served as surgeon-lieutenant in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

from 1921 to 1925. Thereafter he practised medicine successively in Nenagh,

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 ...

, and Gorey,

County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...

Politics

Esmomde first stood for

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

candidate for the

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

constituency at the 1943 general election, but was unsuccessful. He did not stand again until the 1951 general election, when he was returned to the 14th Dáil for the

Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...

constituency. His brother Sir John Lymbrick Esmonde was previously a TD for Wexford and retired in 1951. He was re-elected at five successive elections until he retired from the Dáil at the 1973 general election. He served as a member of the first Irish delegation as

Members of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Commu ...

from January to February 1973.

Family

His eldest brother was Sir John Esmonde, 14th Baronet, and his second elder brother,

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Geoffrey Esmonde (1897–1916), was killed in action in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

serving with the 4th

Tyneside Irish Tyneside is a built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne in northern England. Residents of the area are commonly referred to as Geordies. The whole area is surrounded by the North East Green Belt. The population of Tyneside as published ...

of the

Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution ...

. His half-brother

Eugene Esmonde Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde, (1 March 1909 – 12 February 1942) was a distinguished Irish pilot in the Fleet Air Arm who was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awa ...

was awarded a

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

posthumously in 1942 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. His son Sir John Esmonde, 16th Baronet was a Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1973 to 1977. He married his second cousin Eithne Moira Grattan Esmonde in 1927, the youngest child of

Sir Thomas Esmonde, 11th Baronet Sir Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde, 11th Baronet, (21 September 1862 – 15 September 1935) was an Irish Home Rule nationalist politician and author. Politics Esmonde was elected Irish Parliamentary Party MP for the constituencies South Dubl ...

; they had three sons and three daughters. He died 17 March 1981 in a Wexford nursing home after a short illness.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Esmonde, Anthony, 15th Baronet 1899 births 1981 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of Ireland Irish diplomats Irish farmers Fine Gael TDs Members of the 14th Dáil Members of the 15th Dáil Members of the 16th Dáil Members of the 17th Dáil Members of the 18th Dáil Politicians from County Wexford Members of the 19th Dáil

Anthony Anthony or Antony is a masculine given name, derived from the '' Antonii'', a ''gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descendants of Anton, ...

Fine Gael MEPs MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1973 People educated at Clongowes Wood College Alumni of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Early and personal life

Politics

Family

See also

References

External links