Martin Roddy (9 December 1883 – 8 January 1948) was an Irish politician, newspaper editor and company director.

Early and personal life

Roddy was born on 9 December 1883 at Kilmacowen,

County Sligo County Sligo ( , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region and is part of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in ...

, the eldest son among at least four sons and two daughters of Patrick Roddy, a farmer, and Jane Roddy (née O'Hara). He was educated at the local national school and at

Summerhill College Summerhill College (aka The College of the Immaculate Conception) is a Roman Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys located in the town of Sligo in north-west Ireland. History The school was founded in 1857 by then-bishop of Elphin, Laur ...

, Sligo town. He entered the British civil service and was assigned to duty in London. He was active in Irish nationalist organisations, and was honorary secretary of the London branch of the Gaelic League, and became a fluent Irish-speaker. During the

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he resigned his post and returned to Ireland, eventually becoming involved with

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 ...

. He never married.

Business career

Roddy was joint managing director of Champion Publications, which in 1933 acquired two provincial newspapers, ''

The Sligo Champion ''The Sligo Champion'' is a weekly regional newspaper published every Tuesday in Sligo, Ireland. It was purchased by Independent News & Media (INM) in 2008. In a 2011 article in the ''Irish Independent'', also owned by INM, it was described as ...

'' and the ''People's Press'' (Lifford, County Donegal). Becoming sole managing director and secretary in 1935, he edited both journals till his death. He enlarged the Champion in size and scope, and substantially increased circulation.

Political career

He was elected in 1920 to Sligo Rural District Council – serving as chairman from 1922 to 1925. He was also a member of

Sligo County Council Sligo County Council () is the local authority of County Sligo, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and de ...

from 1921 to 1948; and its chairman from 1921 to 1928. A staunch supporter of the 1921

Anglo-Irish Treaty The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain an ...

, he was defeated as a Farmers' Party candidate at the 1923 general election in the Leitrim–Sligo constituency, receiving 3.2% of the first preference vote. He was first elected as a

Cumann na nGaedheal Cumann na nGaedheal (; ) was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. It was named after the original Cumann na nGaedheal organisation which merged with the Dungannon Clubs and the National Co ...

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) at the

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

held on 11 March 1925 for the Leitrim–Sligo constituency following the resignation of

Alexander McCabe Alexander McCabe ( 5 June 1886 – 31 May 1972) was an Irish Sinn Féin (later Cumann na nGaedheal) politician. Early life He was born in Keash, County Sligo in 1886. He was educated at Summerhill College, Sligo. He won a scholarship to St Patr ...

. He was re-elected at the June 1927, September 1927,

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

and

1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...

general elections. He was elected as a

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

TD for the new

Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...

constituency at the 1937 general election. He lost his seat at the 1938 general election, but re-gained it at 1943 general election. He was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Lands and Fisheries in June 1927. He was appointed again in October 1927 after a general election. The position was renamed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Land and Fisheries in 1928, and he served till 1932. He died on 8 January 1948 during the course of the

12th Dáil The 12th Dáil was elected at the 1944 general election on 30 May 1944 and first met on 9 June 1944. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature), of Ireland are known as TDs. It sat with the 5th ...

, which was dissolved on 12 January 1948, and no

was held for his seat. His brother

Joseph Roddy Joseph Roddy (1897 – 3 October 1965) was an Irish Fine Gael politician. Early and personal life Roddy was born in 1897 at Kilmacowen, County Sligo, one of at least four sons and two daughters of Patrick Roddy, a farmer, and Jane Roddy (née O ...

served as a Fine Gael TD for Sligo–Leitrim from 1948 to 1957.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roddy, Martin 1883 births 1948 deaths Cumann na nGaedheal TDs Fine Gael TDs Members of the 4th Dáil Members of the 5th Dáil Members of the 6th Dáil Members of the 7th Dáil Members of the 8th Dáil Members of the 9th Dáil Members of the 11th Dáil Members of the 12th Dáil Politicians from County Sligo Parliamentary secretaries of the 6th Dáil Parliamentary secretaries of the 5th Dáil People educated at Summerhill College