Patrick James Smyth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick James Smyth
Patrick James Smyth, c. 1880s
Member of Parliament
In office 1871–1880
Preceded by	William Pollard-Urquhart and Algernon Greville
Succeeded by	Timothy Daniel Sullivan and Henry Joseph Gill
Constituency	Westmeath
In office 1885 – January 1885
Preceded by	Stephen Moore and Edmund Dwyer Gray
Succeeded by	John O'Connor and Thomas Mayne
Constituency	Tipperary
Personal details
Born	1823/1826 Waterford, Ireland
Died	12 January 1885 15 Belgrave Square East, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland
Resting place	Glasnevin cemetery, Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Home Government Association Home Rule League Irish Parliamentary Party
Awards	Legion of Honour (Chevalier)

Patrick James Smyth (also known as Nicaragua Smyth) was an Irish politician and journalist. He was born around 1823 or 1826 and passed away on January 12, 1885. As a young man, he was part of the Young Ireland movement in 1848. Later, he worked as a journalist while living in another country. From 1871, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmeath and then for Tipperary. He was a strong supporter of Irish Home Rule, which meant Ireland would have more control over its own government.

Patrick James Smyth: An Irish Leader

Early Life and Education

Patrick James Smyth was born in Dublin, Ireland, either in 1823 or 1826. His father, James Smyth, was a tanner from County Cavan. Patrick went to Clongowes Wood College, a school where he became good friends with Thomas Francis Meagher. In 1844, they both joined Daniel O'Connell's Repeal Association. This group wanted to cancel the Act of Union, which had ended Ireland's own parliament and joined it with the United Kingdom.

Fighting for Ireland: Young Irelanders

In July 1846, Smyth left the Repeal Association. He joined a new group called the Young Irelanders, who wanted to achieve Irish independence in their own way. In January 1847, Smyth became a member of the council for the Irish Confederation, a group formed by the Young Irelanders.

During the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, Smyth was asked to help organize uprisings in counties Dublin, Meath, and Louth. However, the rebellion did not go well, and his efforts did not succeed.

Life in Exile and a Daring Rescue

After the rebellion, Smyth had to leave Ireland. He fled to New York City in the United States with his friend John Blake Dillon. In New York, Smyth became a journalist. By 1850, he was the political editor for a newspaper called Irish Advocate. He also worked with the New York Irish Directory.

The Escape of John Mitchel

When his father passed away, Smyth inherited a lot of money. He used this money for a very brave plan: to rescue another Young Irelander, John Mitchel. Mitchel had been sent by the British to Van Diemen's Land (which is now called Tasmania, an island south of Australia) as punishment for his part in the rebellion.

In June 1853, Smyth paid for a ship and sailed on it himself. He successfully helped Mitchel escape from Van Diemen's Land. While he was there, Smyth also met and married a local woman named Jeannie Regan. Smyth's role in Mitchel's escape made him famous and a hero among Irish-Americans. They held many celebrations in his honor.

Back Home in Ireland

In 1856, Smyth returned to Ireland and settled in Dublin. He began to study law and became a barrister (a type of lawyer) by 1858. However, he soon lost interest in working as a lawyer.

A Career in Law and Journalism

In 1860, Smyth became the owner of a newspaper called the Irishman. When the American Civil War began, Smyth's newspaper supported the northern states (the Union). He also criticized Britain for supporting the southern states (the Confederacy).

Supporting Irish Nationalists

In September 1865, British authorities in Ireland arrested people connected to the Irish People, another newspaper linked to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Smyth feared he might be arrested too, so he left Ireland for a short time.

By the late 1860s, after a failed uprising called the Fenian Rising of 1867, Smyth no longer believed that Ireland could gain independence through violence. However, he continued to support Irish nationalists. He tried to gather support for the Manchester martyrs. These were men who were arrested in 1867 after they helped two Irish Republican Brotherhood leaders escape from prison in England. Smyth even offered to defend them in court, but his offer was not accepted.

Entering Politics

In 1870, Smyth ran for election to the British Parliament as an independent candidate for Wexford. He lost by only 8 votes.

Helping France and Earning an Award

Later that same year, the Franco-Prussian War broke out in Europe. Smyth helped organize an Irish ambulance unit to assist the French army. He also suggested to the French government that they should form an Irish brigade, as many Irish veterans from the American Civil War were available. Because of his help during the war, France honored Smyth in 1871. He was made a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, which is a very special award.

From Home Rule to Full Independence

Smyth was one of the first members of Isaac Butt's Home Government Association, which was formed in May 1870. This group wanted "Home Rule" for Ireland, meaning Ireland would have its own parliament again but still be part of the United Kingdom.

Smyth was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmeath in June 1871 and was reelected in 1874. In the 1880 election, he ran for Tipperary instead and was elected without anyone running against him.

Over time, Smyth became less happy with Butt's approach to Home Rule. He started to believe that Ireland should completely break away from the United Kingdom and cancel the Act of Union. In early 1874, Smyth started the '82 clubs. This group broke away from the Home Rule League (which had replaced the Home Government Association). The '82 clubs wanted to push for Ireland to be fully independent. They had some support from the Irish Republican Brotherhood, but mostly only in the Dublin area. In June 1876, Smyth said that Home Rule was a "vile conspiracy against the life of the Irish nation."

A Voice in Parliament

In the 1880 general election, Smyth ran for Tipperary with the Irish Parliamentary Party and won. However, he became uncomfortable in the party when Charles Stewart Parnell became its leader in May 1880. Smyth did not like Parnell's strong leadership style. As the Land War (a time of conflict over land in Ireland) became more intense, Smyth spoke out against the Land League, a group supporting farmers, calling it the ‘League of Hell’.

By January 1881, he officially left the party. This led the party to try and force him to give up his seat in Parliament. In late 1881, Michael Davitt described Smyth as "Our Irish National Don Quixote." This meant he was seen as someone who was very idealistic and spoke well, but perhaps not always practical. Smyth left the House of Commons at the end of 1884. He was then appointed as Secretary to the Irish Loan Fund Board. This made him the last Irish MP who had been elected as a nationalist to accept a government job, which made him less popular.

Later Life and Legacy

Patrick James Smyth died just a few weeks after his new appointment, on January 12, 1885. He passed away at his home in Rathmines, Dublin, and was buried in Glasnevin cemetery.