Brian O'Rourke (politician) facts for kids
Bernard Brian O'Rourke (born 1874, died 1956) was an important Irish politician and businessman. He came from a place called Inniskeen in County Monaghan, Ireland. He played a big part in Irish politics during a very important time when Ireland was becoming independent.
Bernard O'Rourke: A Life in Business and Politics
Bernard O'Rourke was known for both his business skills and his political work. He started his career in business and later became a key figure in local and national government.
Early Life and Business Ventures
Bernard O'Rourke grew up in Inniskeen. He inherited a farm and a corn mill, which is a place where grain is ground into flour. He later bought an even bigger mill in Dundalk.
He was also very involved in the pottery industry. In 1918, he bought Belleek Pottery, a famous company known for its beautiful porcelain. Later, in 1934, he helped start another pottery company called Arklow Pottery. These businesses showed his talent for industry and creating jobs.
Stepping into Politics
O'Rourke first got involved in politics at a local level.
- In 1899, he was elected to the local council in Carrickmacross. This council helped manage the town.
- In 1905, he joined the Monaghan County Council, which looked after the whole county.
- In 1906, he became a justice of the peace (JP). A JP was a local official who helped keep law and order and dealt with minor legal matters.
Changing Political Views
Bernard O'Rourke was first a supporter of the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP). This party wanted Ireland to have more self-government while still being part of the British Empire.
However, his views changed during the First World War. The IPP leader, John Redmond, encouraged Irish people to join the British army. O'Rourke disagreed with this. He supported the 1916 Rising, which was an attempt by Irish rebels to gain full independence from Britain. Because of his support, he was held by the authorities and lost his role as a justice of the peace.
During the Irish War of Independence, when Ireland fought for its freedom, O'Rourke served as a judge in the Dáil courts. These were special courts set up by the Irish independence movement.
Supporting the New Irish State
After the War of Independence, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in 1921. This treaty created the Irish Free State, which was a new, independent Irish state. O'Rourke strongly supported this treaty. Unfortunately, some of his properties were damaged by people who were against the treaty during the Irish Civil War.
Serving in the Seanad
When the Irish Free State was formed in 1922, Bernard O'Rourke became a member of Seanad Éireann, which is the upper house of the Irish parliament (similar to a Senate). He was one of the first 30 members elected.
- He served a nine-year term.
- He was re-elected in 1931 for another nine years.
- However, the Seanad was abolished in 1936, so his second term was cut short.
He was a member of the political party Cumann na nGaedheal and its later party, Fine Gael. He tried to get elected to the lower house of parliament (the Dáil) in 1937 but was not successful.
He returned to the Seanad when it was reformed in 1938. He also continued to serve on the county council until 1945, except for a few years between 1925 and 1929.
Family Life
Bernard O'Rourke married Clare Clinton in 1907. They had a large family with four daughters and three sons. His important papers from the time of the Irish fight for independence were later given to University College Dublin in 1993, where they can be studied by historians.
