Joseph Brennan | |
|---|---|
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| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 1948 – May 1951 | |
| Constituency | Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1889-09-10)10 September 1889 |
| Died | 4 May 1968(1968-05-04) (aged 78) Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Party | Clann na Poblachta |
| Other political affiliations | Labour Party |
| Spouse | |
| Education | |
Joseph Patrick Brennan (10 September 1889 – 4 May 1968) was anIrishClann na Poblachta politician and medical doctor.
He was born in 1889 inFitchburg,Massachusetts, U.S. He was the son of Patrick Brennan and Julia O'Connor who married inBoston in 1888. He moved back from the US to his mother's nativeKnocknagoshel,County Kerry at around the age of six years. His father had received communication from his brothers inKalgoorlie,Western Australia regarding the Gold Rush and decided to join them in Australia and made his fortune with his brothers in thedrapery business. The Brennan Building still stands today in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie. On his father's return to Ireland in either 1908 or 1912 he brought an estate called Delbrook Park inDublin.
He was educated atBlackrock College andRockwell College. He qualified as a doctor in 1917. He married Anne Elizabeth Bulloch inEdinburgh, Scotland in 1914. He entered theBritish Army in 1917 as aMedical officer serving inEgypt andTurkey.
He returned to Ireland around 1918 and became aGeneral practitioner inBlackrock,County Dublin. He also becameCoroner for South County Dublin. Brennan was also involved in theRepublican movement sometime in 1918. He was Head of Medical Services during theIrish Civil War. During the civil war, a group of insurgents that included Brennan had occupied part of the Gresham Hotel inO'Connell Street and were holding out against theFree State army. Their position became untenable and the group decided to surrender. The surrender was underway butCathal Brugha refused to surrender himself came out brandishing a revolver and was shot by the Free State troops. Brennan attended his wounds but Brugha died two days later.
He was Vice President of theIrish Christian Front which held its inaugural meeting at theMansion House, Dublin on 22 August 1936. The Irish Independent invited the formation of a committee to make a decision to support pro-Franco citizens of Spain in their war effort. Support was also given by the Catholic Church.
Brennan was a founding member ofClann na Poblachta. He was first elected toDáil Éireann at the1948 general election as a Clann na PoblachtaTeachta Dála (TD) for theDún Laoghaire and Rathdown constituency.[1] He stood as aLabour Party candidate at the1951 general election but was not re-elected. He also stood unsuccessfully as a Labour Party candidate at the1954 general election.[2]
He presided over the International Congress of Catholic Doctors which took place atUniversity College Dublin in 1954. He was President of the Irish Bridge Union in 1955. He was elected as the first President of the Medico Legal Society of Ireland in 1956.
He is buried atDeans Grange Cemetery in Dublin.
