Oscar Traynor | |
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Minister for Justice | |
In office 20 March 1957 – 11 October 1961 |
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Preceded by | James Everett |
Succeeded by | Charles Haughey |
Minister for Defence | |
In office 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954 |
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Preceded by | Seán Mac Eoin |
Succeeded by | Seán Mac Eoin |
In office 8 September 1939 – 18 February 1948 |
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Preceded by | Frank Aiken |
Succeeded by | Thomas F. O'Higgins |
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | |
In office 11 November 1936 – 8 September 1939 |
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Preceded by | Gerald Boland |
Succeeded by | Thomas Derrig |
Personal details | |
Born | 21 March 1886 Dublin, Ireland |
Died | 15 December 1963 Dublin, Ireland |
(aged 77)
Nationality | Irish |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Oscar Traynor (21 March 1886 – 15 December 1963) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and revolutionary. He served in a number of Cabinet positions, most notably as the country's longest-serving Minister for Defence.
Oscar Traynor was born into a strongly nationalist family in Dublin. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Dublin. In 1899 he was apprenticed to John Long, a famous wood-carver. As a young man he was a noted footballer and toured Europe with Belfast Celtic.
Traynor joined the Irish Volunteers and took part in the Easter Rising in 1916. Following this he was interned in Wales. During the Irish War of Independence he was brigadier of the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Republican Army and led the attack on The Custom House in 1921 and an ambush on the West Kent Regiment at Claude Road, Drumcondra on 16 June 1921 when the Thompson sub-machine gun was fired for the first time in action. When the Irish Civil War broke out in June 1922, Traynor took the republican side. The Dublin Brigade was split however, with many of its members following Michael Collins in taking the pro-Treaty side. Traynor and his supporters tried to help the republicans who had occupied the Four Courts when they were attacked by Free State forces, by occupying O'Connell street. Traynor and his men held out for a week of street fighting before making their escape. He organised guerilla activity in south Dublin and county Wicklow, before being captured by Free State troops in September. He was then imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
On 11 March 1925 he was elected to Dáil Éireann in a by-election as a Sinn Féin TD for the Dublin North constituency, though he did not take his seat due to the abstentionist policy of Sinn Féin. He was re-elected in the June 1927 general election, once again not taking his seat. He did not contest the September 1927 general election. He stood again in the 1932 general election and was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North.
In 1936 he was first appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Posts & Telegraphs. In September 1939 Traynor was appointed Minister for Defence and held the portfolio to February 1948. In 1948 he became President of the Football Association of Ireland, a position he held until his death. He served as Minister for Defence in several Fianna Fáil governments and as Minister for Justice before he retired in 1961.
Oscar Traynor died on 15 December 1963, in Dublin at the age of 77.[1]
Political offices | ||
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New office | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence 1936 |
Succeeded by Seán O'Grady |
Preceded by Gerald Boland |
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs 1936–1939 |
Succeeded by Thomas Derrig |
Preceded by Frank Aiken |
Minister for Defence 1939–1948 |
Succeeded by Thomas F. O'Higgins |
Preceded by Seán Mac Eoin |
Minister for Defence 1951–1954 |
Succeeded by Seán Mac Eoin |
Preceded by James Everett |
Minister for Justice 1957–1961 |
Succeeded by Charles Haughey |
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