Art O'Connor | |
|---|---|
 O'Connorc. 1920s | |
| Secretary for Agriculture | |
| In office 26 August 1921 – 9 January 1922 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Barton |
| Succeeded by | Fionán Lynch |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 1921 – June 1922 | |
| Constituency | Kildare–Wicklow |
| In office December 1918 – May 1921 | |
| Constituency | Kildare South |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1888-05-18)18 May 1888 Celbridge,County Kildare, Ireland |
| Died | 10 May 1950(1950-05-10) (aged 61) Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Education | Blackrock College |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
Arthur James Kickham O'Connor (18 May 1888 – 10 May 1950) was an Irish politician, lawyer and judge.[1]
He was born in 1888, the second son of Arthur O'Connor of Elm Hall,Celbridge,County Kildare (1834–1907) and his second wife Elizabeth (née Saul).[2] He was educated atBlackrock College,County Dublin. He obtained the dispensation which was at that time required by Catholics in order to study engineering at the then almost exclusively ProtestantTrinity College Dublin, from which he duly graduated in 1911.
O'Connor was electedSinn FéinMP forKildare South at the1918 general election.[3] In January 1919 Sinn Féin MPs, who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918, refused to recognise theParliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral revolutionary parliament calledDáil Éireann. In the First Dáil, he was appointed Substitute Director of Agriculture[4] during the absence ofRobert Barton. In the Second Dáil he held the position of Minister of Agriculture from 26 August 1921 to 9 January 1922. O'Connor opposed theAnglo-Irish Treaty and joined the Republican side.[5] In March 1926, O'Connor became titular President of the Republic whenÉamon de Valera resigned. He later resigned the presidency in 1927.[6] He lost his Dáil seat in the1923 general election and failed to be elected as a Sinn Féin candidate in 1927.
He retired from politics, returned to Trinity College Dublin to study law, after graduating in law he was called to the bar, subsequently appointed assenior counsel, eventually being appointed Circuit Judge forCork city.
He never married and died suddenly at his family home, Elm Hall, in 1950,[2] and is buried in Donacomper Cemetery, Celbridge. His brothers were also involved in the Irish Republican movement and his sister Fanny was a member ofCumann na mBan. His brother Daniel was the State Solicitor for Kildare.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forKildare South 1918–1922 | Constituency abolished |
| Oireachtas | ||
| New constituency | Teachta Dála forKildare South 1918–1921 | Constituency abolished |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| People | |
