Cathal O'Shannon
Encyclopedia
Cathal O'Shannon was an Irish
politician, trade unionist and journalist.
Born in Randalstown
, County Antrim
, he was educated at St. Columb's College
, Derry
. He became a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
and was involved in Conradh na Gaeilge, writing articles for the Peasant, Sinn Féin and An Claidheamh Soluis
publications. He worked as a clerk in the Belfast office of the Heysham Steamship Company.
In 1913, he was one of the founders of Irish Volunteers
in Belfast
. He was a founding member of the Socialist Party of Ireland, led by James Connolly
and at whose request he joined the staff of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Belfast.
On Easter Sunday 1916, he mobilised with a hundred Volunteers at Coalisland
, County Tyrone
; they dispersed when there were no orders from Dublin. He was later arrested by the British authorities who interned him until the General Amnesty of 1917. He was arrested during the German Plot and went on a hunger strike
. He was released seventeen days later.
A serving member of the Irish Republican Army
in 1920-21, he supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty
and was elected to Dáil Éireann
in the 1922 General Election
as a Labour Party TD
for Louth–Meath.
He failed to be re-elected when he stood for the Louth
constituency in the 1923
and for the Meath in the September 1927 general elections. He remained a prominent figure in Labour, however, and edited The Voice of Labour and The Watchword from 1930-32.
In 1941 he became Secretary of the Irish Trade Union Congress
, and afterwards of the Congress of Irish Unions
. He served for twenty-three years, until his death, as one of the workers' representatives when the Labour Court was established in 1946.
was a veteran Irish broadcaster and journalist who died on 22 October 2011.
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...
politician, trade unionist and journalist.
Born in Randalstown
Randalstown
Randalstown is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Antrim and Toome. It had a population of 4,956 people in the 2001 Census. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, he was educated at St. Columb's College
St. Columb's College
St. Columb's College is a Roman Catholic boys' grammar school in Derry, Northern Ireland and, since 2008, a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing...
, Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. He became a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
and was involved in Conradh na Gaeilge, writing articles for the Peasant, Sinn Féin and An Claidheamh Soluis
An Claidheamh Soluis
An Claidheamh Soluis was an Irish nationalist newspaper published in the early 20th century by Conradh na Gaeilge ....
publications. He worked as a clerk in the Belfast office of the Heysham Steamship Company.
In 1913, he was one of the founders of Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. He was a founding member of the Socialist Party of Ireland, led by James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
and at whose request he joined the staff of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Belfast.
On Easter Sunday 1916, he mobilised with a hundred Volunteers at Coalisland
Coalisland
Coalisland is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 4,917 people . As its name suggests, it was formerly a centre for coal mining.-History:...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
; they dispersed when there were no orders from Dublin. He was later arrested by the British authorities who interned him until the General Amnesty of 1917. He was arrested during the German Plot and went on a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
. He was released seventeen days later.
A serving member of the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
in 1920-21, he supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
and was elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in the 1922 General Election
Irish general election, 1922
The Irish general election of 1922 took place in Southern Ireland on 16 June 1922, under the provisions of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty to elect a constituent assembly paving the way for the formal establishment of the Irish Free State...
as a Labour Party TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for Louth–Meath.
He failed to be re-elected when he stood for the Louth
Louth (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Louth is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency in the 1923
Irish general election, 1923
The Irish general election of 1923 was held on 27 August 1923. The newly elected members of the 4th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 19 September when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed. The election was held just after the end...
and for the Meath in the September 1927 general elections. He remained a prominent figure in Labour, however, and edited The Voice of Labour and The Watchword from 1930-32.
In 1941 he became Secretary of the Irish Trade Union Congress
Irish Trade Union Congress
The Irish Trade Union Congress was a union federation covering the island of Ireland.Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress. However, many felt that they had little impact on the British body, and decided to form their own federation. This...
, and afterwards of the Congress of Irish Unions
Congress of Irish Unions
The Congress of Irish Unions was one of the two governing bodies that emerged after the split in the Irish trade union body the Irish Trade Union Congress in 1945. The split developed under pressure from an anticipated fresh labour-state relationship, and alleged 'British domination in ITUC'...
. He served for twenty-three years, until his death, as one of the workers' representatives when the Labour Court was established in 1946.
Death
He died in Dublin in 1969. His son Cathal O'ShannonCathal O'Shannon (TV presenter)
Cathal O'Shannon was an Irish journalist and television presenter. He was a former journalist with The Irish Times newspaper and a former TV reporter and presenter for RTÉ...
was a veteran Irish broadcaster and journalist who died on 22 October 2011.