Samuel Holt

Samuel Edward Holt (3 September 1880 – 18 April 1929) was an Irish politician.

Early life

Holt was born in Coole, County Westmeath, in 1880, the son of David Holt, a constable in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and Agnes McColl.^[1] The family, which was Church of Ireland, later moved to Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim.^[2] In 1910, Holt married Honoria Devaney and by 1911, he had converted to Catholicism.^[3]

He was assistant clerk and later clerk of Carrick-on-Shannon Poor Law Union and Rural District Council.

Political life

Holt became involved in Sinn Féin and was interned in Ballykinlar camp during the Irish War of Independence. He was Sinn Féin director of elections in the 1923 Irish general election.^[4]

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Leitrim–Sligo constituency at the 1925 by-election caused by the resignation of Thomas Carter of Cumann na nGaedheal.^[5] He was re-elected at the June 1927 and September 1927 general elections as a Fianna Fáil TD.^[6] He died during the 6th Dáil in 1929. The by-election caused by his death was held on 7 June 1929 and was won by Seán Mac Eoin of Cumann na nGaedhael.

Death

Holt died in Dublin on 18 April 1929 of a fever,^[7] less than a fortnight after the death of a daughter, Doreen, who was aged seven, also of a fever. He is buried in Jamestown cemetery.

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