David Andrew Thornley (31 July 1935 – 18 June 1978) was an Irish Labour Party politician and university professor at

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

Life

Born in

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, England, the youngest child of Welshman Frederick Edward Thornley and Dublin-born Maud Helen Thornley (née Browne). His parents, both civil servants, met while working in Inland Revenue in Dublin in the 1910s. He received a BA and PhD at

. His PhD was entitled "

Isaac Butt Isaac Butt (6 September 1813 – 5 May 1879) was an Irish barrister, editor, politician, Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, economist and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist par ...

and the creation of an Irish parliamentary party (1868–1879)" and was written under the supervision of

Theodore William Moody Theodore William Moody (26 November 1907 – 11 February 1984) was a historian from Belfast, Ireland. Background Early life Moody was born in Belfast, to a poor family who made their living from dressmaking and iron turning and was educate ...

. He was appointed Associate professor of Trinity in 1968. by then he had been working as a presenter on 7 Days since 1963. In 1964 he published the book ''Isaac Butt and Home Rule''. After joining Labour in 1969 he was elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

as a Labour Party

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) for the Dublin North-West constituency at the 1969 general election. He confronted the party leader

Brendan Corish Brendan Corish (19 November 1918 – 17 February 1990) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste and Minister for Health from 1973 to 1977, Leader of the Labour Party, Minister for Social Welfare from 1954 to 1957 and from ...

, who at the time of the

Arms Crisis The Arms Crisis was an Irish political scandal in 1970 in which Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney were dismissed as cabinet ministers for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle arms to the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland. At t ...

reportedly rejected out of hand any suggestion of military aid or use of force after the outbreak of violence in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. Thornley considered himself to be "in the mould of

James Connolly James Connolly (; 5 June 1868 – 12 May 1916) was a Scottish people, Scottish-born Irish republicanism, Irish republican, socialist, and trade union leader, executed for his part in the Easter Rising, 1916 Easter Rising against British rule i ...

", being a practising catholic, Marxist and republican. In December 1972 he called for the immediate release of

Seán Mac Stíofáin Seán Mac Stíofáin (born John Edward Drayton Stephenson; 17 February 1928 – 18 May 2001) was an English-born chief of staff of the Provisional IRA, a position he held between 1969 and 1972. Childhood Although he used the Gaelicised vers ...

, then leader of the

Provisional IRA The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Provisional IRA), officially known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA; ) and informally known as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary force that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland ...

. He was re-elected at the 1973 general election. In April 1976, he lost the Labour party whip after appearing on

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...

platform during

Easter Rising The Easter Rising (), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the aim of establishing an ind ...

commemorations. In September 1976, he voted for the Criminal Justice (Jurisdiction) Bill despite misgivings. He told ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'': "When I get very depressed I drink too much. When I voted for the Criminal Justice (Jurisdiction Bill) I went on the batter for a forthnight ic" In February 1977, he was re-admitted to the Labour Parliamentary party. He lost his seat at the 1977 general election. In 1978 he joined the newly formed Socialist Labour Party stating that he had done so because: "There is no man in politics that I respect more than

Noël Browne Noël Christopher Browne (20 December 1915 – 21 May 1997) was an Irish politician who served as Minister for Health (Ireland), Minister for Health from 1948 to 1951 and Leader of the National Progressive Democrats from 1958 to 1963. He was a ...

, despite our occasional differences. If the SLP is good for him, it's good enough for me".

Death and legacy

Thornley died in 1978 in

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

, aged 42. He is buried in Bohernabreen Cememtery in Dublin. The Trinity College Labour Branch was formerly named the David Thornley Branch in his honour.

Bibliography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thornley, David 1935 births 1978 deaths Irish educators Labour Party (Ireland) TDs Members of the 19th Dáil Members of the 20th Dáil Academics of Trinity College Dublin Politicians from Surrey Politicians from County Dublin English emigrants to Ireland Irish socialists Irish Marxists Alumni of Trinity College Dublin