John Crowley (politician)

John Crowley
Teachta Dála
In office August 1923 – June 1927
Constituency	Mayo North
In office May 1921 – August 1923
Constituency	Mayo North and West
In office December 1918 – May 1921
Constituency	Mayo North
Personal details
Born	1870 Cork, Ireland
Died	1934 (aged 63–64) Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland
Political party	Sinn Féin
Spouse	Julia Larkin
Children	5
Alma mater	University of Glasgow Royal University of Edinburgh
Military service
Branch/service	Irish Republican Army

John Crowley (1870–1934) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician and medical practitioner.

Education and medical career

Crowley received his early education in his home town of Cork. He attended the University of Glasgow and the Royal University of Edinburgh in Scotland where he obtained a medical degree. He practised medicine for 33 years, primarily in Ballycastle, County Mayo.

Political career

He was elected as a Sinn Féin MP for the Mayo North constituency at the 1918 general election, defeating incumbent Daniel Boyle of the Irish Party in a landslide of 7,429 to 1,861. In January 1919, Sinn Féin MPs refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled at the Mansion House in Dublin as a revolutionary parliament called Dáil Éireann.

During the Irish War of Independence he also held the rank of Battalion Commandant in the Irish Republican Army and as a consequence he was a high priority target for the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Black and Tans. On one occasion he was seized upon in the night at his home by crown forces who beat him and threw him into a lorry bound for Ballina. However, mid-journey he was able to jump out and escape into the night while being shot at. Subsequently, he went on the run as he could not return home. For a time he returned to County Cork.

He was elected unopposed as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo North and West constituency at the 1921 elections. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and voted against it, stating:

"I do so because I believe those who elected me as their representative in 1918 are, each and every one, in their hearts Republican, and I believe, also, that if they were given a free choice between the Republic and this treaty they would, without exception, vote for the Republic [...] For the reason as they now clamouring for the ratification of the treaty it would be said of those of us who would be voting against the Partition bill as is said of us now – that we were not carrying out the wishes of our constituents. I can go down to those who are responsible for my election and say to them that I have kept the pledges I made to them and, if they so desire it, they have back the trust placed in me, and I will give it to them without blemish".

He was re-elected unopposed for the same constituency at the 1922 general election, this time as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin TD, and he did not take his seat in the Dáil. Crowley joined fellow anti-Treaty volunteers in opposing the Free State Government and was held for a time in Ballina Workhouse – to be released with other IRA prisoners when the anti-Treaty IRA briefly seized the town on 12 September 1922. He was elected as a Republican TD for Mayo North constituency at the 1923 general election and once again he did not take his seat. He did not contest the June 1927 general election.

Personal life

Crowley was a practising Roman Catholic. He married Julia Catherine Larkin of Tralee in September 1902. They had five children, four daughters and one son, Finbar, who died at the age of 3.

Death

Crowley died in 1934 at the age of 64. His burial mass was at St. Brigid's Church in Ballycastle and presided over by the Most Rev. Dr. Naughton, Bishop of Killala. In attendance at his funeral were P. J. Ruttledge, the Minister for Justice, then President of Sinn Féin Father Michael O'Flanagan, John J. O'Kelly, and many other politicians in addition to over 1,000 IRA members. He was buried in Doonfeeny Cemetery with his son Finbar.