J. J. Clancy (North Dublin MP) facts for kids

J. J. Clancy around 1918

John Joseph Clancy (born 1847, died 1928) was an important Irish politician. People usually called him J. J. Clancy. He was a strong supporter of Irish nationalism. From 1885 to 1918, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP). This meant he represented the North Dublin area in the British Parliament.

Clancy was a key leader in the movement for Home Rule. This was a campaign for Ireland to have its own government, rather than being fully ruled by Britain. He also helped create the Housing of the Working Classes (Ireland) Act of 1908. This law, often called the Clancy Act, helped build better homes for many people. He also became a top lawyer, known as a King's Counsel, in 1906.

Early Life and Education

J. J. Clancy was born in 1847 in County Galway, Ireland. This was during the terrible time of the Great Irish Famine. His father, William Clancy, was a farmer.

He went to school at the College of the Immaculate Conception in Athlone. Later, he studied at Queen's College, Galway. He earned a degree in Ancient Classics in 1868. At both schools, he was classmates with T. P. O'Connor, who also became a politician.

After college, Clancy taught Classics for three years. He taught at Holy Cross School in Tralee. In 1868, he married Margaret Louise Hickie. She came from a family that strongly supported Irish independence. One of her nephews, Piaras Béaslaí, became a famous Irish revolutionary.

Starting in Politics

In 1870, J. J. Clancy started working for The Nation newspaper. This was a very important newspaper for Irish nationalists. He became the editor from 1880 to 1885.

During this time, he was very active in several groups. These included the Land League and the Home Rule League. These groups worked to help Irish farmers and get Home Rule for Ireland. In 1882, he joined the Irish National League's organizing team.

Clancy worked hard to get more people to register to vote in County Dublin. This helped the nationalist cause. In the 1885 election, he was elected as an MP for North Dublin. This was a big win for the nationalists.

In 1886, the Irish Party asked Clancy to lead the Irish Press Agency in London. His job was to convince people in Britain to support Home Rule for Ireland. He wrote many articles and pamphlets. Many of these criticized the harsh laws put in place by Arthur Balfour in Ireland.

The Parnell Split

J. J. Clancy was a loyal supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell. Parnell was the leader of the Irish Party. In 1890, most of the party turned against Parnell. This happened after the British Liberal Party leader, Gladstone, demanded Parnell step down.

Clancy quickly became one of Parnell's main defenders. He tried to find a way for the party to compromise. But his efforts were not successful. On December 6, 1890, the party split. Clancy stayed with Parnell and the smaller group known as the Irish National League (INL). He also worked for a newspaper called the Irish Daily Independent. This paper supported Parnell.

After Parnell died in 1891, his supporters faced a tough time. In the 1892 election, only nine Parnellites, including Clancy, were elected. Clancy then worked closely with John Redmond. Redmond led the small Parnellite group. Later, he led the re-united Irish Parliamentary Party.

Clancy became one of Redmond's closest and most trusted advisors. He helped Redmond with legal and constitutional matters. He was also seen as the Irish Party's expert on money matters.

Laws for a Better Ireland

After 1893, the idea of Home Rule seemed far away for a while. So, Clancy focused on making other important changes. He helped create laws that allowed tenant farmers to buy their land. He even wrote a guide to the Land Act of 1896.

He also supported new democratic local governments in Ireland. He wrote a guide to the Local Government (Ireland) Act of 1898. He also edited a newspaper for county councils. Clancy also helped workers by supporting laws that protected their right to strike.

When the Liberal Party returned to power in 1906, Clancy helped pass more important laws. He played a big part in the Town Tenants (Ireland) Act of 1906. This law gave city renters rights similar to those given to farmers.

Housing in Ireland was very bad at the time. So, Clancy's 1908 Housing Act, the Clancy Act, was very important. It made changes to help speed up the building of council homes. This law led to a lot of new social housing being built in Irish cities. Clancy also helped solve the issue of Catholic university education. The 1908 Act created the National University of Ireland. This made it easier for Catholic students to go to college.

The Third Home Rule Bill

Getting Home Rule for Ireland meant overcoming the House of Lords. This chance came in 1909. The House of Lords tried to stop a new budget plan. This led to an election in 1910, where the Liberals promised to limit the Lords' power.

However, the 1909 budget was not popular in Ireland. It changed taxes on alcohol and inheritances. These changes affected the very farmers the Irish Party had helped. Clancy, as the party's finance expert, had to deal with this tricky situation.

The Government of Ireland Act of 1914 finally passed. This law would have given Ireland a government similar to what Scotland has today. But there was strong opposition from Unionists in Ulster. Events like the Larne gun-running and the Curragh mutiny showed this opposition. The start of the First World War in August 1914 meant the law was put on hold.

The Rise of Sinn Féin

After the Easter Rising in 1916, the British government made some mistakes. These mistakes made more people support Sinn Féin. This was a movement that wanted a fully independent Irish Republic. The Irish Parliamentary Party leaders started to lose control. Many young people now wanted complete independence.

Clancy was one of five Irish Party members at the Irish Convention in 1917–18. They tried to find a way to settle the Ulster question. He supported the majority nationalist view. He was willing to compromise on some issues to reach an agreement with Southern Unionists.

The Convention produced a report, but it did not include Northern Protestants. So, Lloyd George went ahead with a plan to divide Ireland. This was under the Fourth Home Rule Act of 1920.

After John Redmond died in March 1918, Clancy was seen as a leader of the remaining party members. He helped write the Irish Parliamentary Party's plan for the 1918 election. However, in that election, Clancy lost his seat to the Sinn Féin candidate, Frank Lawless. The Irish Parliamentary Party was largely defeated.

J. J. Clancy passed away in Dublin on November 25, 1928.

Images for kids

• 

  J. J. Clancy around 1918