Michael Joyce (4 September 1851 – 9 January, 1941) was an Irish politician who twice served as Mayor of Limerick and was the Member of Parliament for the Limerick constituency from 1900 until 1918.[1]
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Joyce was born at Merchant's Quay in Limerick in 1851. His father was a river pilot on the Shannon Estuary approach to the port of Limerick.[2] He was educated by the Christian Brothers, attending three of their schools, including CBS Sexton Street. At the age of fourteen, Joyce left Limerick to serve as a seaman. During his time at sea, he survived four separate shipwrecks. Following his return to Limerick in the early 1870s, he became a pilot for Limerick Harbour Commissioners.[1]
A supporter of Home Rule for Ireland, Joyce, along with a local priest Robert Ambrose, established the local Limerick branch, the Sarsfield branch, of the Irish National League in 1882.[2][3]
In 1899, Joyce was elected to Limerick Corporation and stood for election to Parliament at the 1900 general election as a candidate for the Irish Parliamentary Party, defeating the Unionist candidate Francis Kearney by 2521 votes to 474.[1] Joyce served as an MP until 1918. Although intending to run in the 1918 general election, he eventually decided not to seek re-election and was succeeded by the Sinn Féin candidate Michael Colivet, who was elected unopposed.[1]
Joyce was elected Mayor of Limerick in January 1905, serving two successive terms until January 1907.[3]
While travelling to London aboard the RMS Leinster in October 1918, Joyce survived his fifth maritime disaster, when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-Boat in the Irish Sea.[1][4]
Joyce became President of the U.K. Pilots' Association in 1910. He was also a founder member of the rugby club Garryowen in 1884, and played in the first fifteen for both that club and Limerick County.[1]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Francis Arthur O'Keefe |
Member of Parliament for Limerick City 1900 – 1918 |
Succeeded by Michael Colivet |