Eugene Crean (1854–1939) was an Irish

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

politician and MP in the House of Commons of the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Great B ...

and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party 1892–1910, for the All-for Ireland Party 1910–1918. He was born at No. 3 Douglas Street, Cork (the house is still standing), a son of Daniel Crean. He had two brothers (Patrick and Daniel) and three sisters (Honora, Margaret and Anne). Married to Hannah FitzGerald, they had six children: Daniel, Nell, Norah. May, Kay and Thomas. A carpenter by trade, he was involved in the trade union movement in Cork city and as a representative of the Carpenters’ Society, was elected president of the Cork United Trades Workers Association. He was elected in 1886 to the

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

City Council, and was President of the Cork Trade Council in 1886 until deposed in 1890 for his opposition to Parnell in the split. He was President of the Cork County Board 1890-91. In the 1892 general election he was chosen on the recommendation of Michael Davitt, who continued to advocate for a place for labour within the nationalist movement, as candidate for the anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation and was elected "Labour Nationalist" MP for Queen's County (Ossory Division). He retained his seat 1895–1900. Then at the suggestion of Davitt sat for south-east Cork from 1900 as a member of the re-united Irish Parliamentary Party, after defeating the

Healyite In Irish politics of the 1890s and 1900s, the Healyite Nationalists (sometimes also known as Independent Nationalists) were Irish nationalist politicians who supported Tim Healy MP. Healy was the most outspoken member of the Anti-Parnellite ma ...

candidate, and was again returned in 1906. He was the last bearer of the title "Mayor of Cork" when elected in 1899, which was changed to Lord Mayor of Cork in 1900. One of

William O'Brien William O'Brien (2 October 1852 – 25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of ...

's closest allies, he joined with him from 1910 and was elected as an All-for-Ireland Party (AFIL) MP in both elections that year, retaining his seat until the December 1918 election when he stood down together with the other members of the AFIL party. During the previous June, when

Arthur Griffith Arthur Joseph Griffith ( ga, Art Seosamh Ó Gríobhtha; 31 March 1871 – 12 August 1922) was an Irish writer, newspaper editor and politician who founded the political party Sinn Féin. He led the Irish delegation at the negotiations that prod ...

asked O’Brien to have the writ moved for his candidacy in the Cavan-east by-election, O'Brien sent two AFIL MPs to

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

where Crean moved the writ. Griffith was subsequently elected with a sizable majority.Maume, Patrick: ''The long Gestation, Irish Nationalist Life 1891–1918'' p. 207 (note 322), Gill & Macmillan (1999); Crean was a patron of the

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

in its early years and although a Member of Parliament for 26 years, he died in relative obscurity at his Douglas Street, Cork residence on 12 January 1939.

Notes

Sources

* Stenton, Michael and Lees, Stephen, ''Who's Who in British Members of Parliament 1886–1918'' * Maume, Patrick, ''The long Gestation, Irish Nationalist Life 1891–1918'', "Who's Who" p. 225, Gill & Macmillan (1999) * Cadogen, Tim & Falvey, Jeremiah, ''A Biographical Dictionary of Cork'' Four Courts Press (2006),

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Crean, Eugene 1854 births 1939 deaths UK MPs 1892–1895 UK MPs 1895–1900 UK MPs 1900–1906 UK MPs 1906–1910 UK MPs 1910 UK MPs 1910–1918 Anti-Parnellite MPs Irish Parliamentary Party MPs All-for-Ireland League MPs People from Cork (city) Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Queen's County constituencies (1801–1922) Politicians from County Cork Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for County Cork constituencies (1801–1922)