William Magennis
Encyclopedia
William Magennis was an Irish
politician and university professor. Born in Belfast
, he was educated at Belvedere College
, Dublin, and University College Dublin
. In 1893 he was called to the Bar
. He was professor of philosophy at Carysfort College
and he held the Chair of Metaphysics
at University College Dublin.
Magennis was first elected to Dáil Éireann
as an independent
Teachta Dála
(TD) for the National University of Ireland
constituency at the 1922 general election
. He was elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD for the same constituency at the 1923 general election
.
In 1926, he was one of the founders of a new political party called Clann Éireann
. The party advocated the abolition of the Oath of Allegiance
to the British King
, called for lower taxes and less legislation and was critical of the report of the Boundary Commission
. The party attracted little support and it did not win any seats at the June 1927 general election, including the loss of Magennis' seat. He was nominated by the Taoiseach
to the 2nd Seanad in 1938 and served as an independent member until his death in 1946.
Speaking during the debate of the 1923 Censorship of Films Act, which was one of the first pieces of significant legislation to be passed by the Irish Free State
. Magennis declared: "Purity of mind and sanity of outlook upon life were long ago regarded as characteristic of our people. The loose views and the vile lowering of values that belong to other races and other peoples were being forced upon our people through the popularity of the cinematograph".
In 1942 Magennis spoke against the publication of obscene books such as The Tailor and Ansty
, adding that his moral standards "... do not date back to Queen Victoria's days; they date back to Moses
. The standards under which we operate go back to 1,500 years or so before Christ. If the Senator cares to accuse us of being old-fashioned, I am pleading guilty: I am so old-fashioned as to take my standards of life and conduct from Mount Sinai and not from Seán This and Seán That, whose books have been banned." In the ensuing debates it emerged that, while Magennis disapproved of sodomy
, he did not know what it involved.
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 and university professor. Born 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 educated at Belvedere College
Belvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
, Dublin, and University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
. In 1893 he was called to the Bar
Bar council
A bar council , in a Commonwealth country and in the Republic of Ireland, the Bar Council of Ireland is a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the King's Inns. Solicitors are generally regulated by the Law society....
. He was professor of philosophy at Carysfort College
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort was an important College of Education in Dublin, Ireland from its foundation in 1877 until its closure in 1988...
and he held the Chair of Metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
at University College Dublin.
Magennis was first 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...
as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Teachta Dála
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...
(TD) for the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland (constituency)
National University of Ireland is a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, through which graduates of the National University of Ireland have elected members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann.-Summary:...
constituency at 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...
. He was elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD for the same constituency at the 1923 general election
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...
.
In 1926, he was one of the founders of a new political party called Clann Éireann
Clann Éireann
Clann Éireann , also known as the People's Party, was a minor republican political party in the Irish Free State. The party was founded on 25 January 1926 as a result of a split from the ruling Cumann na nGaedheal party, to protest the Boundary Commission report, which permanently demarcated the...
. The party advocated the abolition of the Oath of Allegiance
Oath of Allegiance (Ireland)
The Irish Oath of Allegiance was a controversial provision in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which Irish TDs and Senators were required to take, in order to take their seats in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann .-Text of the Oath:The Oath was included in Article 17 of the Irish Free State's 1922...
to the British King
Monarchy in the Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was, in accordance with its constitution, governed formally under a form of constitutional monarchy. The British monarch was the head of state of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1931, when the Statute of Westminster came into effect, and thereafter the Irish Free State had a...
, called for lower taxes and less legislation and was critical of the report of the Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission (Ireland)
The Irish Boundary Commission was a commission which met in 1924–25 to decide on the precise delineation of the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland...
. The party attracted little support and it did not win any seats at the June 1927 general election, including the loss of Magennis' seat. He was nominated by the Taoiseach
Nominated by the Taoiseach
The composition of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland, is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees that are nominated by the Taoiseach...
to the 2nd Seanad in 1938 and served as an independent member until his death in 1946.
Speaking during the debate of the 1923 Censorship of Films Act, which was one of the first pieces of significant legislation to be passed by 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...
. Magennis declared: "Purity of mind and sanity of outlook upon life were long ago regarded as characteristic of our people. The loose views and the vile lowering of values that belong to other races and other peoples were being forced upon our people through the popularity of the cinematograph".
In 1942 Magennis spoke against the publication of obscene books such as The Tailor and Ansty
The Tailor and Ansty
The Tailor and Ansty is a 1942 book by Eric Cross about the life of the Irish tailor and storyteller, Timothy Buckley, and his wife Anastasia Buckley...
, adding that his moral standards "... do not date back to Queen Victoria's days; they date back to Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
. The standards under which we operate go back to 1,500 years or so before Christ. If the Senator cares to accuse us of being old-fashioned, I am pleading guilty: I am so old-fashioned as to take my standards of life and conduct from Mount Sinai and not from Seán This and Seán That, whose books have been banned." In the ensuing debates it emerged that, while Magennis disapproved of sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
, he did not know what it involved.
External links
- William Magennis biography (Dictionary of Ulster Biography)