Philip Callan

Philip Callan MP (born 1837, was the son of Owen Callan MP, of Cookstown House Ardee (where Philip Callan was born).[1] Philip Callan studied Law at Trinity College, Dublin, and also at Kings Inns as can be seen in his papers for Kings Inns Admittance. He was called to the Bar in Dublin in 1865 and shortly after was also called to the English Bar.

He was subsequently elected to Parliament for the Borough of Dundalk in 1868, and held the seat for County Louth at the same time.[2]

Walter Ernest Everard Callan, son of Philip Callan MP also studied Law and attended Kings Inns in Dublin, he was called to the Bar in 1903 and was third in his year as noted by his papers in the Kings Inns Library, Dublin. Walter was private secretary to the last Viceroy in Ireland and continued in the civil service, serving in Australia as Private Secretary to the Governor General. Papers to this effect can be obtained from the National Library of Australia and correspondence from and to Mr Walter Callan can be seen in Prime Minister Deakins Papers which are also available from the National Museum of Australia. Walter Callan went on to become Senior Counsel at the Irish Bar and resided at Baggot Street, in Dublin until his death.

Extracts from F. Hugh O'Donnell, A History of the Irish Parliamentary Party Vol 1. (1910), Longmans, Green & Co.:

"When in 1829 Catholics were admitted to parliament , his father, Owen Callan of Ardee, had been the first Catholic Representative of County Louth since the Battle of the Boyne. Mr. Philip Callan was devoted to Butt."[3]
"Callan knew the inside of Irish politics, as Charles Greville knew the inside of English politics, at their spiciest time. The Chronique Scandaleuse of Dublin can be spicy too; and what Mr. Philip Callan, barrister at law and parliamentarian, did not know, was hardly worth knowing. Always a bon vivant, he was still , at this time a remarkably handsome and manly man, ready to clear a ditch or cap a retort with any man on horseback or off. Though often accused of Whiggery, he was curiously deep in the confidence of the most extreme Nationalists in Dublin. There was not a move of the Ribbon Fenians which did not reach his acute hearing, and a good deal of his news travelled to me".[3]
"At that time the St Stephens Club on the embankment (London) was a favourite dining resort of the conservative members, scores of them usually preferring its hospitality to the care of the Kitchen Committee. An Irish Member, Mr Philip Callan, well known as an all round sportsman in his native county of Louth, had observed that a convenient extension connected the division bells of the House with the dining rooms of the club, and the diners could arrive in the lobbies in time for the vote. Providing himself with an efficient wire cutter, he snipped the connecting wire, and warned his amused colleagues without the support of the festive club men. We took the hint with alacrity- I followed. The government whips stared in expectation at the door from which the absent ones were wont to rush to the rescue of the Government measure, but on this occasion the wait was in vain. Before a messenger could be tardily sent on foot to warn the club of the inexplicable occurrence on the wire, the division had been taken, and the Government had been beaten by a majority of two votes while fifty belated and indignant arrivals stood on the wrong side of the portal of admission. Owing largely I believe to the sporting equity of Mr. James Lowther, who protested that the Irish had fairly won the trick, the Government did not insist upon a formal undoing of the victory, but they watered their concession down to very little".[4]

Sources

References

  1. ^ Father and his address mentioned in The Kings Inns Admittance Papers for Philip Callan 1865. Date and place of birth are from the Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Vol. I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976).
  2. ^ The 'County Louth Archaeological Journal, 1994 states that he was the only Member of Parliament with the exception of Charles Stewart Parnell to hold two seats at the one time. However this comment by the Journal is incorrect, as (since 1832) there were MPs returned for more than one constituency (mostly in Ireland) at the United Kingdom general elections of 1832, 1841, 1847, 1865, 1874 (Callan), and every subsequent general election up to and including 1918 (except for 1900). See British Electoral Facts 1832-1987, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1989).
  3. ^ a b pg 315 F Hugh O Donnell, A History of the Irish Parliamentary Party Vol 1.(1910) Longmans, Green & Co.
  4. ^ pg 99 F Hugh O Donnell, A History of the Irish Parliamentary Party Vol 1.(1910) Longmans, Green & Co.

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue
Matthew O'Reilly Dease		 Member of Parliament for County Louth
1868 – 1874
With: Alexander Martin Sullivan		 Succeeded by
George Kirk
Alexander Martin Sullivan
Preceded by
Sir George Bowyer, Bt		 Member of Parliament for Dundalk
1868 – 1880		 Succeeded by
Charles Russell
Preceded by
Alexander Martin Sullivan and
George Kirk		 Member of Parliament for County Louth
1880 – 1885
With: Alexander Martin Sullivan to May 1880
Arthur Henry Bellingham from May 1880		 Constituency abolished