Eamonn Mansfield
Encyclopedia
Eamonn Mansfield (1878–1954) was an Irish schoolteacher and public servant, and briefly a member of the Free State Seanad
.
Mansfield's father was a tenant farmer
who was evicted
. The son became principal of the national school in Cullen, County Tipperary
, where his wife was also a teacher. He was president of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation
(INTO) in 1910–11, and later its first full-time general secretary. He was dismissed as principal in October 1912 after his 1911 INTO president's address criticised W. H. Welpy, a school inspector who was reputed to give poor assessments in order to keep salaries down. Thomas O'Donnell
and other Irish Parliamentary Party
MPs campaigned for his reinstatement; Mansfield and his wife continued to teach without pay until this was achieved in 1915. He was later Chairman of the Wages Board c.1921.
On 7 December 1922, the day after the Irish Free State
came into existence, the members of the Third Dáil
(TDs) voted to choose 30 members of the newly created Seanad. With Labour Party
support, Mansfield was elected in 23rd place, thereby securing a three-year term to expire at the 1925 election
. The Irish Civil War
was in progress, and the same day, two pro-Treaty
TDs were shot, one fatally. The following day, four imprisoned anti-Treaty leaders were executed in reprisal. On 12 December, Mansfield sent a telegram resigning from the Seanad "on account of Friday's reprisal" and stating that "peace is Ireland's only hope".
Mansfield was later a member of the Commission of Agriculture, and was consulted in the drafting of the Land Acts of 1923 and 1933. In 1935, he was a member of a commission of inquiry into the sale of cottages and plots to agricultural labourers, as representative of the Cottier Tenants
' and Rural Workers' Association. He was a lay commissioner on the Appeals Tribunal of the Irish Land Commission
from 1934 to 1950. When Kathleen Browne
complained in the Seanad about his appointment, his expertise and impartiality were commended by minister Joseph Connolly
and senators Michael Comyn, James Charles Dowdall, and William Cummins. As commissioner, he was an influential advocate of land division, and the rights of evicted tenants.
Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State)
Seanad Éireann was the upper house of the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State from 1922–1936. It has also been known simply as the Senate, or as the First Seanad. The Senate was established under the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State but a number of constitutional amendments were...
.
Mansfield's father was a tenant farmer
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
who was evicted
Eviction
How you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
. The son became principal of the national school in Cullen, County Tipperary
Cullen, County Tipperary
Cullen is a rural village in County Tipperary, Ireland. The centre of the village is located at a junction of two roads. These roads lead to Monard, Lattin, the "Rocky Road" and Oola respectively. The most direct route to Cullen is by turning left in Oola village over the railway bridge and...
, where his wife was also a teacher. He was president of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation
Irish National Teachers' Organisation
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation , in Irish Cumann Múinteoirí Éireann, which was founded in 1868, is the largest teachers' trade union in Ireland. It represents teachers at primary level in the Republic of Ireland, and at primary and post-primary level in Northern Ireland. The head office...
(INTO) in 1910–11, and later its first full-time general secretary. He was dismissed as principal in October 1912 after his 1911 INTO president's address criticised W. H. Welpy, a school inspector who was reputed to give poor assessments in order to keep salaries down. Thomas O'Donnell
Thomas O'Donnell (MP)
Thomas O'Donnell was an Irish nationalist politician of the Irish Parliamentary Party who served as Member of Parliament for West Kerry from 1900 to 1918. He was an active promoter of agrarian reform. M.A. . Chairman of the Tralee and Dingle Railway...
and other Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
MPs campaigned for his reinstatement; Mansfield and his wife continued to teach without pay until this was achieved in 1915. He was later Chairman of the Wages Board c.1921.
On 7 December 1922, the day after the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
came into existence, the members of the Third Dáil
Third Dáil
The Third Dáil, also known as the Provisional Parliament or the Constituent Assembly, was:*the "provisional parliament" or "constituent assembly" of Southern Ireland from 9 August 1922 until 6 December 1922; and...
(TDs) voted to choose 30 members of the newly created Seanad. With Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
support, Mansfield was elected in 23rd place, thereby securing a three-year term to expire at the 1925 election
Irish Free State Seanad election, 1925
An election was held on 17 September 1925, for 19 of the 60 seats in Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Irish Free State. The election was by single transferable vote, with the entire state forming a single 19-seat electoral district. There were 76 candidates on the ballot paper, whom voters ranked...
. The Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
was in progress, and the same day, two pro-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...
TDs were shot, one fatally. The following day, four imprisoned anti-Treaty leaders were executed in reprisal. On 12 December, Mansfield sent a telegram resigning from the Seanad "on account of Friday's reprisal" and stating that "peace is Ireland's only hope".
Mansfield was later a member of the Commission of Agriculture, and was consulted in the drafting of the Land Acts of 1923 and 1933. In 1935, he was a member of a commission of inquiry into the sale of cottages and plots to agricultural labourers, as representative of the Cottier Tenants
Cotter (farmer)
See also Canadian band The Cottars.Cotter, cottier or cottar is the Scots term for a peasant farmer formerly in the Scottish highlands. Cotters occupied cottages and cultivated small plots of land...
' and Rural Workers' Association. He was a lay commissioner on the Appeals Tribunal of the Irish Land Commission
Irish Land Commission
The Irish Land Commission was created in 1881 as a rent fixing commission by the Land Law Act 1881, also known as the second Irish Land Act...
from 1934 to 1950. When Kathleen Browne
Kathleen Browne
Kathleen Anne Browne was an Irish politician, farmer, writer, historian and archaeologist. She was elected to Seanad Éireann of the Irish Free State as a Cumann na nGaedheal member, at a by-election on 20 June 1929. The by-election was caused by the death of Alice Stopford Green...
complained in the Seanad about his appointment, his expertise and impartiality were commended by minister Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.Born in Belfast in 1885, Joseph Connolly was an ardent nationalist. He was a co-founder of the first Freedom Club to propagate Sinn Féin's message in 1911. He was a leader of the Irish Volunteers in Belfast between 1914 and 1916, and was interned...
and senators Michael Comyn, James Charles Dowdall, and William Cummins. As commissioner, he was an influential advocate of land division, and the rights of evicted tenants.