Frank Kerlin
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Frank Kerlin ( – 19 November 1934) was an Irish
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...
politician and revolutionary.


Early years

Frank Kerlin grew up at 15 Wexford Street, Dublin and attended secondary school at
Synge Street CBS Synge Street CBS (colloquially Synger) is a boys' non-fee-paying state school, under the auspices of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, located in the Dublin 8 area of Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1864 by Canon ...
, Dublin. He later studied in the National University of Ireland (
University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...
). He joined the Fianna Éireann in 1915.


Revolutionary period

During the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...
, he transferred to C Company, 3 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA in summer 1920. Frank Kerlin was captured on 21 June 1921 after an ambush of British forces on Dartmouth Road. He was held in Kilmainham Jail until release in early 1922 in the Truce period. Re-joining his unit, Kerlin took the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War and in Autumn 1922 joined the General Headquarters (GHQ) staff.= According to ''Dublin Made Me'', Todd Andrews' memoir, Kerlin was deputy Director of Intelligence during the
Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War (; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Emp ...
to Michael Carolan. "His signature 'K' became famous. The Free State forces never caught up with him," wrote Andrews, who added: "Had he lived, I think he would have been a major force in Irish politics". Kerlin was captured in January 1923 by National forces but escaped shortly afterwards. Going on the run, he claims that he was allowed to return home in April 1924 owing to the death of his mother. He replaced Michael Carolan as IRA Director of Intelligence and served in that capacity from July 1925 to March 1927.


Politics

Kerlin 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 Fianna Fáil
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 South constituency at the September 1927 general election. He did not contest the 1932 general election.


Death

Kerlin died from TB aged 32 on 13 November 1934 at his residence "Ardnashee" in Dundrum, County Dublin.Death Certificate, available at civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie He was single and had no children.


References

1934 deaths Fianna Fáil TDs Members of the 6th Dáil Politicians from County Dublin 1902 births 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Ireland {{TeachtaDála-stub