Frank O'Beirne facts for kids

John Francis O'Beirne (1898 – 7 February 1978) was an important person from County Sligo, Ireland. He was a farmer and a businessman. He also worked to make Ireland independent and later became a politician with the Fianna Fáil party. He was a member of Seanad Éireann, which is part of the Irish parliament, for a short time.

Early Life and Irish Independence

John Francis O'Beirne grew up in a place called Collooney. From a young age, he supported Sinn Féin, a political party that wanted Ireland to be free from British rule.

In 1918, he was arrested because he was involved in taking over land for farming, which was against the rules at the time. He refused to pay bail and spent six months in prison. The next year, in 1919, he was arrested again for collecting money in a way that was not allowed. He went to prison for three months that time too. He also helped organize a fun outdoor cultural festival in Collooney.

Fighting for Freedom

As the Irish War of Independence grew bigger, John O'Beirne became a leader. He was in charge of the Collooney group of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA was a group of volunteers who fought for Ireland's independence.

In 1920, after local elections, O'Beirne became the chairman of the Sligo rural district council. This council decided to follow the rules of the First Dáil, which was Ireland's own parliament. Because he was chairman, he also became a member of the County Sligo county council, which made a similar decision. He even took two bullocks (young bulls) from someone who refused to pay taxes to the new Irish government.

On June 26, 1920, he helped a man named Frank Carty escape from Sligo Gaol (prison). In July, he helped settle disagreements in special courts set up by the Dáil.

O'Beirne sometimes used a house near Coolaney as a safe place to hide. He also led a raid on a British Army building in Carrick-on-Shannon. In May 1921, he was caught and accused of being involved in the killing of police officers in Ballisodare. But he managed to escape from Sligo Gaol again in June 1921 before he could be sentenced.

Irish Civil War and Politics

John O'Beirne was a good friend of Éamon de Valera, a very important Irish leader. When the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, it caused a big disagreement in Ireland, leading to the Irish Civil War. O'Beirne sided with those who were against the Treaty.

His group, now called "Irregulars," fought against the new Irish Free State Army. They even ambushed and killed five soldiers and captured two armored cars. Soon after, O'Beirne and forty of his men were captured in a surprise attack.

After the War

In 1925, O'Beirne ran for election in the Leitrim–Sligo area as a member of Sinn Féin. He didn't win, but he gave a speech saying he was proud of his Catholic faith and his Irish identity. He also said that priests and bishops were not always right about politics.

Later that year, he was found guilty of being involved in organizing the IRA, which was then an illegal group. The judge said this was a serious crime, but the jury suggested he shouldn't be treated like a regular criminal. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Later Life and Career

After his time in prison, John O'Beirne spent some time in the United States. He worked as a shipping agent, but this was actually a secret job where he helped with the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake, which was not fully legal at the time.

In the 1930s, he came back to Ireland. He continued to work as a farmer and businessman. He was also very active in the Fianna Fáil political party, helping with their plans to grow Irish industries.

In 1943, he was elected to the Seanad Éireann, which is like the upper house of the Irish parliament. However, he lost his seat in the next election in 1944. He also tried to get elected to the Dáil Éireann (the main Irish parliament) for Sligo but was not successful.

O'Beirne was a director for several companies, including one that exported meat. He also helped start the Sligo Industrial Development Corporation in 1953, which aimed to create more jobs and businesses in Sligo. In 1955, he bought a large country house called "Sea View" near Templeboy. He was also a member of the Racing Board from 1965 to 1970, which looked after horse racing.

John Francis O'Beirne died in a car crash in 1978 when he was 81 years old. His wife, Kathleen, had passed away in 1969.