James Patrick Mahon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Patrick Mahon
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Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1885.
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| Member of Parliament for Clare |
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| In office 1830–1830 Serving with William Nugent Macnamara
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| Preceded by | |
| Succeeded by |
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| Member of Parliament for Ennis |
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| In office 1847–1852 |
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| Preceded by | Hewitt Bridgeman |
| Succeeded by | John David Fitzgerald |
| Member of Parliament for Clare |
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| In office 1879–1885 |
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| Preceded by | Bryan O'Loghlen |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of Parliament for County Carlow |
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| In office 1887–1891 |
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| Preceded by | John Aloysius Blake |
| Succeeded by | John Hammond |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Charles James Patrick Mahon
17 March 1800 Ennis, County Clare, Ireland |
| Died | 15 June 1891 (aged 91) South Kensington, London, England |
| Political party | Nationalist |
| Other political affiliations |
Whig |
Charles James Patrick Mahon (17 March 1800 – 15 June 1891) was an important Irish figure. He was known as the O'Gorman Mahon or James Patrick Mahon. He worked as a journalist, a lawyer (called a barrister), and a parliamentarian. He also traveled widely and sometimes worked as a soldier for different countries.
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Early Life and Family
Mahon was the oldest of four children. He was born into a well-known Roman Catholic family in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. His father, Patrick Mahon, took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. His mother, Barbara, was from a wealthy family.
Mahon went to Clongowes Wood College and then to Trinity College Dublin. He earned degrees in arts and law. When his father passed away in 1821, Mahon inherited half of the family's property. He also became a local official called a magistrate for Clare.
He soon started using the title "the O'Gorman Mahon." This title came from his mother's family name, O'Gorman. He used it to suggest he was the leader of the Mahon family.
In 1830, Mahon married Christina O'Brien. She was also from a wealthy family and had her own money. This wealth helped Mahon run for parliament. They did not spend much time together, and she passed away in Paris in 1877. They had one son, St John, who died in 1883.
Mahon was known for being brave and daring. He claimed to have taken part in many duels, which were common in Ireland at the time. These stories added to his reputation as a dashing and impressive person.
Political Career
In 1826, Mahon joined the Catholic Association. This group worked to gain more rights for Catholics in Ireland. He encouraged Daniel O'Connell, another member, to run for election in 1828. Mahon played a big part in O'Connell's election win. This victory helped convince the British Government to pass a law in 1829. This law allowed Catholics to become Members of Parliament.
First Time in Parliament
Because of the new law, Mahon was able to take his seat in Parliament when he was elected for Clare in 1830. However, he had an argument with Daniel O'Connell during the election. After he was elected, he lost his seat because of claims of bribery. He was later found not guilty.
He tried to get elected again in 1831 but lost. He then stopped focusing on politics for a while. He became a local leader in Clare and a captain in the local army group called the militia.
Return to Politics
Mahon was elected again in 1847 for Ennis. He said he was a Whig, which was a political group. He supported the idea of "Irish Repeal," which meant ending the union between Ireland and Great Britain. However, he did not agree with a group called the Young Irelanders. He lost his seat in the 1852 election.
After traveling a lot, Mahon came back to Ireland in 1871. He helped start the Home Rule League. This group wanted Ireland to have more control over its own laws. He faced money problems and even went to court, but he was found innocent.
He tried to win elections in 1874 and 1877 but lost both times. Finally, he won the election for Clare in 1879. He kept this seat after the 1880 election.
Later Years in Parliament
Mahon was a close friend of Charles Stewart Parnell, a very important Irish leader. Mahon helped Parnell become the leader of the Home Rule League in 1880. However, in 1885, Mahon was not chosen to run for election again because of his age. He also tended to vote with the Liberal Party in Parliament.
Parnell personally made sure Mahon was a candidate in the 1887 election for County Carlow. Mahon won this election when he was 87 years old. At this point, he was the oldest Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. He died at his home in London while still serving in Parliament.
Mahon had been friends with William O'Shea, another Member of Parliament. Mahon introduced O'Shea and his wife, Katharine, to Parnell. Later, when a problem arose involving Parnell and the O'Sheas, Mahon chose to side against Parnell. However, Parnell still attended Mahon's funeral a few months later at Glasnevin Cemetery.
World Travels and Adventures
Mahon became a lawyer in 1834. But the next year, he moved to Paris, France. There, he met important people and became popular at the court of King Louis-Philippe. He also worked as a journalist.
He traveled all over the world. He spent time in Africa, where he became friends with Ferdinand de Lesseps, who designed the Suez Canal. He also visited South America before returning to Ireland in 1846.
Adventures Abroad
After losing the 1852 election, Mahon went back to Paris. Then he traveled to St Petersburg, Russia. He served in the Imperial Bodyguard there. During this time, he journeyed through places like Finland and Siberia. He even hunted bears with the future Russian emperor.
He then traveled across China, India, and Arabia. His money was running low, so he worked as a soldier for hire (a mercenary) in the Ottoman and Austrian armies. He returned to England in 1858. Later that year, he went to South America. He tried to help fund the building of a canal through Central America.
Mahon also looked into the disappearance of Commander Lionel Lambert. Lambert was the captain of a ship called HMS Vixen, which Mahon had traveled on. Mahon pushed the Peruvian government to investigate, and it was found that Lambert had been murdered. He reported this news to Lord Palmerston, who was a former colleague in Parliament.
Mahon continued his military career. He served in several armies, often in special roles. In Uruguay, he was made a general in the government's forces during a civil war. He also claimed to have led a Chilean fleet during a war and to have been a colonel in the Brazilian army.
When the American Civil War began, Mahon went to fight for the Union side. In 1866, he returned to Paris. There, he was made a colonel in a French army group by Louis-Napoleon. In 1877, he moved to Berlin, Germany, and became close with Otto von Bismarck, a very important German leader. He faced money problems during this time, trying to make money from risky projects. In 1871, he returned to Ireland.
