Stephen M. O'Mara
Encyclopedia
Stephen Mary O'Mara was a businessman and Irish republican
politician in Limerick
.
O'Mara was the third son of Stephen O'Mara, Snr
, a former mayor of Limerick and briefly an Irish Parliamentary Party
M.P. He married Nancy O'Brien and had a son, Peter. His elder brother James
was an early supporter Sinn Féin
, which Stephen also joined after the Easter Rising
. He was a member of Limerick Corporation when the Irish War of Independence
began. The mayor of Limerick, George Clancy
, was killed by the Black and Tans
on 7 March 1921, and O'Mara was elected in his place on 22 March.. In May, he went to the United States to replace his brother James as "fiscal agent" raising funds for the Irish Republic
.. He was re-elected mayor in January 1922, and opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty
. The fact that Dáil Éireann Funds in America were in O'Mara's name as trustee caused legal difficulties for the pro-Treaty administration.
In March 1922, there was a stand-off in Limerick city between pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty units of the Irish Republican Army
during the transfer of bases by the withdrawing British Army
. O'Mara negotiated a resolution to this. In May 1922, O'Mara established a Limerick City Police Force to replace the withdrawn Royal Irish Constabulary
. In June a general Civil War broke out
across the nascent Irish Free State
. The City Police Force was replaced in July by the Free State Civic Guard
. O'Mara was interned by the Free State in November, but re-elected mayor in January 1923; he was released in March. He resigned as mayor in October, after the Civil War had ended in defeat for the anti-Treaty side.
O'Mara was a loyal supporter of Éamon de Valera
, who was staying at his home of Strand House the night the Treaty was signed O'Mara himself was still in America with Harry Boland
. The evening before the 1922 general election
, de Valera, O'Mara, and Boland dined together and discussed a possible grand coalition
government. He joined Fianna Fáil
on its formation in 1926. He was a member of the Commission of Vocational Organisations from 1933 to 1943. His expanded the family bacon business, opening factories in Claremorris
and Letterkenny
. When de Valera won the 1959 election to become President
, he appointed O'Mara to the Council of State
. O'Mara died less than two months later in the Mater Hospital, Dublin.
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 in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
.
O'Mara was the third son of Stephen O'Mara, Snr
Stephen O'Mara (senator)
Stephen O'Mara was an Irish nationalist politician and businessman from Limerick.-Personal life:O'Mara's father James owned a bacon factory in the city, and Stephen entered the family business. His brother Joseph O'Mara became an opera singer. Stephen marred Ellen Pigott in 1867. They had 12...
, a former mayor of Limerick and briefly an 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...
M.P. He married Nancy O'Brien and had a son, Peter. His elder brother James
James O'Mara
James O'Mara was an Irish bacon merchant and politician who became a nationalist leader and key member of the revolutionary First Dáil. As an MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, he introduced the bill which made Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday in Ireland in 1903...
was an early supporter 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...
, which Stephen also joined 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...
. He was a member of Limerick Corporation when 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...
began. The mayor of Limerick, George Clancy
George Clancy
George Clancy was an Irish nationalist politician and Mayor of Limerick. He was shot dead by the Auxiliary Police in 1921 during the Anglo-Irish conflict . The previous Mayor, Michael O'Callaghan, was murdered on the same night by the same group.Clancy was born at Grange, County Limerick...
, was killed by the Black and Tans
Black and Tans
The Black and Tans was one of two newly recruited bodies, composed largely of British World War I veterans, employed by the Royal Irish Constabulary as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland...
on 7 March 1921, and O'Mara was elected in his place on 22 March.. In May, he went to the United States to replace his brother James as "fiscal agent" raising funds for the Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
.. He was re-elected mayor in January 1922, and opposed 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...
. The fact that Dáil Éireann Funds in America were in O'Mara's name as trustee caused legal difficulties for the pro-Treaty administration.
In March 1922, there was a stand-off in Limerick city between pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty units 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...
during the transfer of bases by the withdrawing British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. O'Mara negotiated a resolution to this. In May 1922, O'Mara established a Limerick City Police Force to replace the withdrawn Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
. In June a general Civil War broke out
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....
across the nascent 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...
. The City Police Force was replaced in July by the Free State Civic Guard
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
. O'Mara was interned by the Free State in November, but re-elected mayor in January 1923; he was released in March. He resigned as mayor in October, after the Civil War had ended in defeat for the anti-Treaty side.
O'Mara was a loyal supporter of 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...
, who was staying at his home of Strand House the night the Treaty was signed O'Mara himself was still in America with Harry Boland
Harry Boland
Harry Boland was an Irish Republican politician and member of the First Dáil.-Early life:Boland was born in Phibsboro, Dublin on 27 April 1887. He was active in GAA circles in early life, and ultimately joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood...
. The evening before 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...
, de Valera, O'Mara, and Boland dined together and discussed a possible grand coalition
Grand coalition
A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political parties of opposing political ideologies unite in a coalition government...
government. He joined Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
on its formation in 1926. He was a member of the Commission of Vocational Organisations from 1933 to 1943. His expanded the family bacon business, opening factories in Claremorris
Claremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
and Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
. When de Valera won the 1959 election to become President
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, he appointed O'Mara to the Council of State
Council of State (Ireland)
The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
. O'Mara died less than two months later in the Mater Hospital, Dublin.