Patrick Belton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Belton
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Belton in 1933
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| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1938 – June 1943 |
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| In office January 1933 – June 1937 |
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| Constituency | Dublin North |
| In office June 1927 – September 1927 |
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| Constituency | Dublin County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 November 1884 Rathcline, Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland |
| Died | 30 January 1945 (aged 61) Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party |
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| Spouse |
Mary Fitzgibbon
(m. 1912) |
| Children | 4, including Richard, Jack and Paddy. |
| Relatives | Avril Doyle (granddaughter) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Irish Republican Brotherhood |
| Battles/wars | Easter Rising |
Patrick Belton (born November 7, 1884 – died January 30, 1945) was an important figure in Irish history. He was a nationalist, a politician, a farmer, and a businessman. Belton was a close friend of Michael Collins, a key leader in Ireland's fight for independence.
He played a part in the 1916 Easter Rising and was active in the Irish Republican movement. Throughout his career, Belton was a strong voice for Catholic beliefs in Irish politics. He was very much against communism. He also helped start and lead a group called the Irish Christian Front. Belton supported Francisco Franco in Spain. However, he did not want Eoin O'Duffy to send an Irish Brigade to Spain. Belton felt these fighters were needed in Ireland to deal with problems at home.
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Patrick Belton's Early Life
Patrick Belton was born in 1884 in Rathcline, near Lanesborough. This area is in County Longford, Ireland. He was the youngest of seven children. His father, Richard Belton, was a farmer. His mother was Mary Belton (née Rhatigan).
Patrick went to the local school. Later, he won a scholarship to King's College, London in England. After finishing his studies, he stayed in London and worked for the government. During this time, he became good friends with Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins. In 1905, he was at the meeting where Sinn Féin was founded in London. Some sources say that in November 1909, he introduced Michael Collins to the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). This was a secret group working for Irish independence.
Belton was also a well-known member of the Geraldines GAA Club in London. He was its president for many years. In 1909, he became the Secretary of the London County Board of the GAA. In 1910, he moved to Dublin to work for the Irish Land Commission.
Role in the 1916 Easter Rising
Patrick Belton took part in the 1916 Easter Rising. This was a major event where Irish rebels tried to gain independence from British rule. A newspaper called the Longford Leader wrote about him after he died. It said he was with Michael Collins and other friends from London when they came to Ireland for the Rising.
After the Rising, Belton was suspended from his job at the Land Commission. This was because people suspected he was involved. But he was later given his job back. In 1937, Belton wrote a letter to Máire English. In this letter, he described what he did during the Rising. He was supporting her claim for a Military Service Pension. His letter suggests he was either at the GPO during the Rising or closely linked to the rebels there.
In 1918, police heard that "large groups of Sinn Féiners" were meeting and training on his land. On July 30, the police raided his house. Some people managed to get away. But the police found two revolvers and over fifty bullets. They also found papers that showed Belton was involved with groups like the Irish National Aid Association and Sinn Féin. He even had a pass to attend the funeral of Thomas Ashe, a famous Irish republican. On August 31, 1918, Belton was sentenced to six months in prison for having weapons. He served his time in Mountjoy and Belfast jails.
In the 1923 general election, he tried to become a Teachta Dála (TD). A TD is a member of the Irish parliament. He ran for the National Democratic Party in Leix–Offaly, but he did not win.
Political Career and Changes
In June 1927, Patrick Belton was elected as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD). He represented Dublin County in the general election. He was the third person elected in his area. The first was Kevin O'Higgins, who was sadly killed a month later.
Fianna Fáil was a political party started in 1926 by Éamon de Valera. At that time, Fianna Fáil's policy was not to take their seats in the Dáil (the Irish parliament). This was because of the Oath of Allegiance. This oath required TDs to promise loyalty to the British King.
The 5th Dáil first met on June 23, 1927. On July 26, Belton decided to go against his party's policy. He took the Oath of Allegiance and entered the Dáil. The next day, newspapers quoted him saying he took his seat to save the nation. He believed new laws being proposed would cause "degradation and destruction." These laws included one that made all Dáil candidates take the Oath of Allegiance. There was also a Public Safety Bill with tough new rules. This bill was partly a reaction to the killing of Kevin O'Higgins by members of the IRA.
Fianna Fáil's leaders then removed him from the party. They asked him to resign his seat. Éamon de Valera said that Belton had been planning to take the oath all along. Belton had only been a TD for six weeks when he was removed from Fianna Fáil. However, on August 11, de Valera and the other 42 Fianna Fáil TDs changed their minds. They decided to take the Oath too, saying it was "just an empty political formula."
Belton lost his seat in the general election of September 1927. He ran as an independent candidate. From this time on, Belton and de Valera clearly disliked each other.
In 1933, Belton joined Cumann na nGaedheal. He was elected as a TD for Dublin North in the 1933 general election. Later in 1933, Cumann na nGaedheal joined with other groups to form Fine Gael. Eoin O'Duffy, who led a group called the Blueshirts, became the first leader of Fine Gael. The next year, O'Duffy was forced out as party leader. Belton supported O'Duffy, which led to Belton being removed from Fine Gael.
Irish Christian Front
On August 22, 1936, a newspaper called the Irish Independent asked for a group to be formed. This group would help the people in Spain who supported Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War. These calls led to the creation of the Irish Christian Front (ICF). The ICF held its first meeting in Dublin on August 31, 1936. Patrick Belton became the president of this group. The ICF had a lot of support from the public and from the Catholic Church.
The ICF said it was not sectarian (meaning it didn't favor one religion over another). It also claimed to be non-political. It said its only goal was to help the church in Spain. But soon, the group's true beliefs became clear. Patrick Belton was quoted in the Irish Independent on October 12, 1936, saying:
When our organisation's work is complete we will make Ireland a very hot spot for any communist to live in … if it is necessary to be a fascist to defend Christianity then I am a fascist and so are my colleagues.
The ICF held large rallies that were pro-Catholic and anti-communist. One rally had about 40,000 people. The group also tried to tell people about killings done by the Spanish Republicans. In November 1936, Belton went to Spain. He arranged for medical supplies to be bought with money collected from churches.
Belton supported nationalist Spain. However, he believed the most important fight was at home in Ireland, not abroad. He was against Eoin O'Duffy sending the Irish Brigade to the Spanish Civil War. Belton thought the fight against communism should happen in Ireland. During this time, Belton also made public statements that were critical of Jewish people. For example, in a Dáil Éireann debate on March 4, 1937, he said:
It is time for us to pull the wool off our eyes and tell this House and tell the country what industrialisation in this country really means. It means that we are handing this country over to a gang of international Jews.
And on March 10, 1937, he stated:
I suggest that Jews have been the propagandists of Communism the world over, and we should not let them into sheltered trades and positions in this country to carry on their propaganda.
The ICF became less popular after Belton lost in the 1937 general election. Also, the group could not change the government's policy on Spain. And O'Duffy's volunteers suffered many losses, which also reduced support.
Later Life and Family
Patrick Belton was involved in farming and market gardening for a long time. In 1917, he bought a large piece of land in Drumcondra called Belfield Park. In 1938, he moved to a farm in Bellevue Park, Killiney, in south Dublin. In 1937, he built hundreds of houses at Belton Park. He renamed a road there to Collins Avenue. He also opened a pub on Collins Avenue. Around this time, his health started to get worse.
In October 1937, the Irish Christian Front's secretary reported that Belton had a "severe breakdown in health." This was caused by overwork, especially his efforts for the ICF and his trip to Spain. His illness meant he had to slow down his activities. Even with his health problems, he was elected as a Fine Gael TD for Dublin County in the 1938 general election. In 1939, he tried to buy Glencairn House, but the sale did not happen. He lost his Dáil seat in the 1943 general election.
Patrick Belton died on January 30, 1945, at his home in Killiney, County Dublin.
On October 2, 1912, he married Mary (Molly) Fitzgibbon. She was a civil servant from Limerick who had worked in London. They had four sons. Three of their sons – Richard, Jack, and Paddy – became members of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament). His granddaughter, Avril Doyle, also became a politician.
Quotes
- "I did not agree with the wisdom of Irishmen going out to Spain." — Irish Press (November 26, 1936)
- "I have never been a party politician in the sense that I would obey the orders of any political junta who would tell me to do a thing, whether I considered it right or wrong." — Irish Press (January 30, 1937)
See also
- Families in the Oireachtas
