Andrew O'Dwyer facts for kids

Andrew Carew O'Dwyer (born 1800, died 15 November 1877) was an important Irish politician. He worked as a lawyer and also wrote articles. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Drogheda and was involved in a group called the Repeal Association.

Who Was Andrew Carew O'Dwyer?

Early Life and Becoming a Lawyer

Andrew Carew O'Dwyer was born in Cork, a city in Ireland, around the year 1800. He studied hard to become a barrister. A barrister is a special type of lawyer who represents people in court. While he was studying, he also wrote articles for different magazines and newspapers. After he finished his training, he lived in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland.

Entering Politics

In 1832, O'Dwyer decided to run for a seat in the British Parliament. He wanted to represent the town of Drogheda. This was during a time when new laws, like the Reform Act 1832, made more people eligible to vote. O'Dwyer worked very hard to help these new voters register.

Just before the election, a very famous Irish leader named Daniel O'Connell supported O'Dwyer. O'Connell was a leader of the Repeal Association. This group wanted to undo the Act of Union, which had joined Ireland and Great Britain. O'Dwyer won the election and became a Member of Parliament (MP).

Election Challenges

O'Dwyer was re-elected in the 1835 election. However, his win was challenged. This means someone officially complained that the election was not fair or that he was not eligible. As a result, he was removed from his seat.

A new election, called a by-election, was held in Drogheda in 1835. O'Dwyer ran again and won once more. But because he had already been declared ineligible, his opponent, Randall Edward Plunkett, was given the seat instead.

Later Career

In 1837, Andrew O'Dwyer received a government job. He was appointed as the "filacer of the exchequer." This was a position related to financial records and legal matters. He held this job until 1845, when the office was closed down. After that, he received a good pension, which is like a regular payment for his past service.

Later, in the 1857 election, O'Dwyer tried to become an MP again. He ran in Waterford City as a "Radical." Radicals were a political group who wanted big changes in society. However, he did not win this time and finished last in the election. Andrew Carew O'Dwyer passed away on November 15, 1877.