- James O'Mara
James O'Mara (possibly spelt O'Meara) (6 August 1873 – 21 November 1948) was an Irish bacon merchant and
politician who became a nationalist leader and key member of the revolutionaryFirst Dáil . As an MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, he introduced the bill which madeSaint Patrick's Day a national holiday inIreland in 1903. He was one of the few politicians to have served both as member in the House of Commons and in Dáil ÉireannEarly life
Born in
Limerick , O'Mara was educated by the Christian Brothers inLimerick , and atClongowes Wood College inDublin . His studies at theRoyal University of Ireland were postponed after the death of his Uncle Jim in 1893, when James was sent toLondon to take over his Uncle's business functions. After his marriage in 1895 to Agnes Cashel, he moved toEpsom inSurrey , and then toSydenham in London. He finally got his B.A. degree from the Royal University in 1898.Political career
In the 1900 general election, O'Mara was elected as
Irish Parliamentary Party MP for South Kilkenny.His career in Westminster is noted for his introduction of the Bill which became the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, making
Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday. O'Mara later introduced the law which required that pubs be closed on 17 March, a provision which was repealed only in the 1970s.In 1907, O'Mara resigned from Parliament and from the Irish Parliamentary Party to join
Sinn Féin , the first MP to do so. He returned to Dublin in 1914 to continue his work in the bacon business, and remained active in Sinn Féin.Dáil Éireann
At the 1918 general election, he was Sinn Féin's Director of Finance and the party's fourth Director of Elections (his three predecessors having been imprisoned). He was elected as a
Sinn Féin MP for Kilkenny South, one of 73 constituencies returning Sinn Féin MPs pledged not to take their seats at Westminster. In the First Dáil Éireann he became Trustee of Dáil Éireann funds, and travelled to theUnited States withÉamon de Valera to pursue a fund-raising drive. He resigned his trusteeship and his Dáil seat in 1921 after a disagreement with de Valera.A supporter of the 1921
Anglo-Irish Treaty , he was appointed as the first Irish Ambassador to the United States, but served only briefly.After the death in 1923 of
Philip Cosgrave , theCumann na nGaedhael TD for Dublin South and brother ofW. T. Cosgrave , O'Mara stood as the Cumann na nGaedhael candidate in the by-election. Polling took place on 12 March 1924 [http://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1923B&cons=102%20&ref=3 ElectionsIreland.org: 4th Dail By Elections - Dublin South First Preference Votes ] ] , and O'Mara was returned to the4th Dáil , which sat until 1927. He did not contest the June 1927 general election, and retired from politics.He died on 21 November 1948 and is buried in
Glasnevin Cemetery ,Dublin , near the grave of Éamon de Valera. His wife Agnes died on 2 June 1958.ources
* [http://web.archive.org/web/19991104210114/http://www.limerick-leader.ie/issues/19981212/memories.html Down Memory Lane] (Limerick Leader, Saturday, 12 December 1998)
* [http://humphrysfamilytree.com/OMeara/james.html James O'Mara family tree]
* [http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=1471 James O'Mara's electoral history] (ElectionsIeland.org)Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.