Michael Noyk
Encyclopedia
Michael Noyk was a solicitor and Irish Republican
politician. Noyk was born in Telšiai
, Lithuania
, the son of a Jewish couple, Isaac Noyk and Esther Chana Raivid. The family emigrated when Michael was one year old. He was educated at the High School
and entered Trinity College Dublin as a sizar
in Hebrew before winning a classics scholarship and graduating in 1907. Shortly afterwards he worked as a solicitor. Noyk befriended Arthur Griffith
and through him, he became highly sympathetic to the cause of Irish Republicanism
. He was Griffith's personal solicitor until his death. He joined Sinn Féin
shortly after the Easter Rising
and was responsible for defending a number of Irish Republican Army
prisoners including Sean MacEoin and Thomas Whelan
. In the 1917 Clare East by-election he was a prominent worker for Éamon de Valera
, and in the 1918 general election he was the election agent for Constance Markievicz and Seán T. O'Kelly
. During the Irish War of Independence
Noyk was a high level official and adviser with the Department of Finance which was then headed by Michael Collins
. Noyk also participated in Dáil Courts
held in Dublin. He was responsible for the procurement of offices at 22 Mary Street in Dublin where the First Dáil
's Department of Finance was located during the war.
He married Mabel Stein with whom he had four children, and lived for many years on Wellington Road, Dublin. He died in London, England on the 22 October 1966. He was given a full military funeral
by the IRA's Dublin Brigade.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
politician. Noyk was born in Telšiai
Telšiai
Telšiai , is a city in Lithuania with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of Telšiai County and Samogitia region, and it is located on Lake Mastis.-Names:...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, the son of a Jewish couple, Isaac Noyk and Esther Chana Raivid. The family emigrated when Michael was one year old. He was educated at the High School
The High School, Dublin
The High School is a co-educational school located in Rathgar, Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1870 in Harcourt Street before moving to its current location in Rathgar in 1971 and amalgamated with The Diocesan School for Girls in 1974, thereby becoming co-educational.-Millennium...
and entered Trinity College Dublin as a sizar
Sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is a student who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined job....
in Hebrew before winning a classics scholarship and graduating in 1907. Shortly afterwards he worked as a solicitor. Noyk befriended Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. He served as President of Dáil Éireann from January to August 1922, and was head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations in London that produced the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.-Early life:...
and through him, he became highly sympathetic to the cause of Irish Republicanism
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
. He was Griffith's personal solicitor until his death. He joined Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
shortly after the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
and was responsible for defending a number of 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...
prisoners including Sean MacEoin and Thomas Whelan
Thomas Whelan
Thomas Whelan was one of six men executed in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin on 14 March 1921. He was 22 years old at the time of his death.- Background :...
. In the 1917 Clare East by-election he was a prominent worker for Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, and in the 1918 general election he was the election agent for Constance Markievicz and Seán T. O'Kelly
Sean T. O'Kelly
Seán Thomas O'Kelly was the second President of Ireland . He was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1918 until his election as President. During this time he served as Minister for Local Government and Minister for Finance...
. During the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
Noyk was a high level official and adviser with the Department of Finance which was then headed by Michael Collins
Michael Collins
- Politics :* Michael Collins , Irish Labour party politician, Lord Mayor Of Dublin 1977–1978* Michael Collins , Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician...
. Noyk also participated in Dáil Courts
Dáil Courts
During the Irish War of Independence, the Dáil Courts were the judicial branch of government of the short-lived Irish Republic. They were formally established by a decree of the First Dáil Éireann on 29 June 1920, replacing more limited Arbitration Courts that had been authorised a year earlier...
held in Dublin. He was responsible for the procurement of offices at 22 Mary Street in Dublin where the First Dáil
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
's Department of Finance was located during the war.
He married Mabel Stein with whom he had four children, and lived for many years on Wellington Road, Dublin. He died in London, England on the 22 October 1966. He was given a full military funeral
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
by the IRA's Dublin Brigade.