Richard Lalor
Encyclopedia
Richard Lalor was Irish
Nationalist Member of Parliament
for Queen's County
, 1880-85 and for Queen's County (Leix)
, 1885-92.
He was the son of Patrick Lalor of Mountrath, Queen’s County, who had himself been an M.P. for Queen’s County in 1832-35. His eldest brother was James Fintan Lalor
. His mother was Anna, daughter of Patrick Dillon of Sheane. He was educated privately and became a civil engineer and tenant farmer. Like his brother James Fintan, he was a Young Ireland
er. In 1852 he married Margaret, daughter of Michael Dunne of Mountrath. He became a magistrate for Queen’s County.
He headed the poll as a Parnellite Home Ruler in the election for the two Queen’s County seats in 1880, ousting the former Home Rule member, Kenelm Digby. He then won the new Queen’s County (Leix) seat in 1885, defeating his Conservative opponent by more than 7 to 1. He won again in 1886, by an even bigger margin.
T. P. O'Connor
described him in 1886: ‘Today he is a feeble and bent man with wearied eyes and a thin voice, but his spirit is exactly the same as in his hot youth. In 1848 he had his pike and his thousands of pikemen ready for action; today, as then, he is the unconquerable and irreclaimable rebel – the Blanqui
of Irish politics.’
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over the leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
, Lalor supported Parnell. However failing health prevented him from campaigning in the general election of 1892, and he was ousted from his seat.
He died at his home at Ballinakill, Queen’s County, on Monday 13 November 1893.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Nationalist Member of Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
for Queen's County
Queen's County (UK Parliament constituency)
Queen's County was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament 1801–1885 and one in 1918–1922.-Boundaries:This constituency comprised the whole of Queen's County now known as County Laois, except for the Parliamentary borough of Portarlington 1801–1885.- MPs...
, 1880-85 and for Queen's County (Leix)
Queen's County Leix (UK Parliament constituency)
Leix, a division of Queen's County, was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1918.Prior to the 1885 general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1918 the area was part of the Queen's County constituency...
, 1885-92.
He was the son of Patrick Lalor of Mountrath, Queen’s County, who had himself been an M.P. for Queen’s County in 1832-35. His eldest brother was James Fintan Lalor
James Fintan Lalor
James Fintan Lalor was an Irish revolutionary, journalist, and “one of the most powerful writers of his day.” A leading member of the Irish Confederation , he was to play an active part in both the Rebellion in July 1848 and the attempted Rising in September of that same year...
. His mother was Anna, daughter of Patrick Dillon of Sheane. He was educated privately and became a civil engineer and tenant farmer. Like his brother James Fintan, he was a Young Ireland
Young Ireland
Young Ireland was a political, cultural and social movement of the mid-19th century. It led changes in Irish nationalism, including an abortive rebellion known as the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Many of the latter's leaders were tried for sedition and sentenced to penal transportation to...
er. In 1852 he married Margaret, daughter of Michael Dunne of Mountrath. He became a magistrate for Queen’s County.
He headed the poll as a Parnellite Home Ruler in the election for the two Queen’s County seats in 1880, ousting the former Home Rule member, Kenelm Digby. He then won the new Queen’s County (Leix) seat in 1885, defeating his Conservative opponent by more than 7 to 1. He won again in 1886, by an even bigger margin.
T. P. O'Connor
T. P. O'Connor
Thomas Power O'Connor , known as T. P. O'Connor and occasionally as Tay Pay, was a journalist, an Irish nationalist political figure, and a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for nearly fifty years.-Biography:O'Connor was born in...
described him in 1886: ‘Today he is a feeble and bent man with wearied eyes and a thin voice, but his spirit is exactly the same as in his hot youth. In 1848 he had his pike and his thousands of pikemen ready for action; today, as then, he is the unconquerable and irreclaimable rebel – the Blanqui
Louis Auguste Blanqui
Louis Auguste Blanqui was a French political activist, notable for the revolutionary theory of Blanquism, attributed to him....
of Irish politics.’
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over the leadership of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
, Lalor supported Parnell. However failing health prevented him from campaigning in the general election of 1892, and he was ousted from his seat.
He died at his home at Ballinakill, Queen’s County, on Monday 13 November 1893.