Mid 1930s Dail politicians

ColumMcAndrew · 22-05-2020 10:40pm #1

Hi. I've an autograph book that my grandfather had signed by most (if not all) of the Irish cabinet in 1934. I'm trying to decipher some of the signatures, but it would help if I knew the names of those around the Dail during this time.

Can anyone help by providing a resource I can tap into?
Many thanks
Colum

Itssoeasy · 22-05-2020 10:50pm

ColumMcAndrew wrote: »

Hi. I've an autograph book that my grandfather had signed by most (if not all) of the Irish cabinet in 1934. I'm trying to decipher some of the signatures, but it would help if I knew the names of those around the Dail during this time.

Can anyone help by providing a resource I can tap into?
Many thanks
Colum

Oireachtas.ie and check the dail debates under dail term and 1934 would fall under the 8th dail which started in 1933 so normally the cabinet is elected on the first sitting like the Taoiseach and ceann comhairle. So while the cabinet may have changed you'll have most of them.

Edit: I typed Taoiseach but the Taoiseach wasn't created until 1937.

Water John · 22-05-2020 10:53pm

Todd Andrews, Frank Aiken and Sean Lemass would be three.

Itssoeasy · 22-05-2020 10:56pm

Courtesy of wiki.

President of the Executive Council Eamon de Valera
Minister for External Affairs
Vice-President of the Executive Council Seán T. O'Kelly
Minister for Local Government and Public Health
Minister for Justice P. J. Ruttledge
Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass
Minister for Finance Seán MacEntee
Minister for Agriculture James Ryan
Minister for Defence Frank Aiken
Minister for Education Thomas Derrig
Minister for Lands and Fisheries Joseph Connolly
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Gerard Boland.

Itssoeasy · 22-05-2020 11:00pm

The dail debates from that time are fascinating to read.

ColumMcAndrew · 23-05-2020 8:17pm

Thank you so much. I'll take a look.

tabbey · 24-05-2020 3:24pm

Many of them may have signed the Irish/Gaelic version.

ColumMcAndrew · 24-05-2020 5:55pm

Thanks everyone. I have managed to decipher signatures of Eamon de Valeria, Frank Aiken, P J Ruttledge, Sean Lemass, Patrick Little, Edward Dawson, Margaret Pearse, Seamus MacCall, and Dan Breen.

Others that I've not been able to decipher (mainly because the handwriting hard to read) could be:
Seamus O'Riam (?)
Sean T O'Meallay (?)
someone with the surname O'Congoile
Proinsias o'Faraig

There are also two others that I can't even begin to decipher. It looks like these forums don't allow images. Is that correct? As it could be a useful way for you useful people to help.

Water John · 24-05-2020 11:57pm

Sean T O'Meallay (?),(O'Ceallaig)that may be Sean T O'Kelly.
Seamus O'Riam (?), (O'Rian) that looks like James Ryan.
Joseph Connolly ( O'Connaille)
Proinsias o'Faraig (O'Fataig) Just a shot at the name Francis Fahy.
My Irish spellings may not fully correct.
You need 50 posts to put up pics, I think.

Water John · 25-05-2020 3:19pm

An alternative for;
Sean T O'Meallay (?) is Sean O'Meallain, that's Sean Moylan from North Cork.
But I don't think he was a Minister that early.

ColumMcAndrew · 25-05-2020 6:13pm

Thank you so much John. That's very helpful. I guess I'll have to post some more to get access to the insert picture option.

Dr.Nightdub · 26-05-2020 12:15am

Interesting aside re Joseph Connolly: originally from Belfast, he was the last government minister who wasn't a TD - while in office, he was a Senator.

Water John · 26-05-2020 12:21am

Dr. Jim Dooge was appointed a Senator by Garrett Fitzgerald and then made a Minister in the 1980s, never elected to public office.
I think that's the only one since the 1937 Constitution, your's may be the only one prior to it.

Dr.Nightdub · 27-05-2020 12:39am

Water John wrote: »

Dr. Jim Dooge was appointed a Senator by Garrett Fitzgerald and then made a Minister in the 1980s, never elected to public office.
I think that's the only one since the 1937 Constitution, your's may be the only one prior to it.

I stand corrected.

Mid 1930s Dail politicians

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