Frank Carty

Irish politician (1897–1942)

Frank Carty

Carty in 1927

Teachta Dála
In office
July 1937 – 10 September 1942
Constituency| Sligo
In office
August 1923 – July 1937
Constituency| Leitrim–Sligo
In office
May 1921 – August 1923
Constituency| Sligo–Mayo East
Personal details
Born|

Francis Joseph Carty

(1897-04-03)3 April 1897
Died| 10 September 1942(1942-09-10) (aged 45)
Political party|

* Sinn Féin
* Fianna Fáil

Spouse|

Kathleen McGowan

(m. 1938)​

Francis Joseph Carty (3 April 1897 – 10 September 1942) was a leader of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the Irish War of Independence, and a long-serving Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD).[1] Carty was the Commandant of the IRA's South Sligo Brigade and its Flying column.[2]

## Early life

[edit]

He was born on 3 April 1897 in Clooncunny, County Sligo, the only son of John Carty and Ellen Carty (née Rice).[3]

## Revolutionary period and prison

[edit]

Frank Carty claimed membership of the Irish Volunteers from 1914 and of the Irish Republican Brotherhood from 1915. Carty was arrested in February 1920 and his first escape from confinement came on 26 June 1920, when he was rescued from Sligo Gaol.[4]

On 15 February 1921, Carty next escaped from Derry Gaol. The rescue party was led by Charles McGuinness. Carty was taken from the city in a coal boat, the Carricklee by the first mate Oskar Norrby, a Swede.[5]

Following recapture, Frank Carty was later involved in an incident in Glasgow, Scotland when on 4 May 1921, members of the IRA attempted to free him from a prison van in a failed escape attempt. One Inspector was killed by gunfire, and another was wounded. Following the incident, thirteen people were brought to trial, but were acquitted by the jury, which accepted their alibi.[6]

Carty became a member of the anti-Treaty IRA Army Executive in spring 1922. Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War, Carty took part in several attacks and operations against National forces. He claims that in March 1923, he was appointed Officer Commanding of the Active Service Units of the newly constituted IRA Western Command. Carty evaded arrest/capture and remained 'on the run' until the end of 1924.[7] Carty later applied to the Irish government for a service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 and was awarded 8 and 5/12 years service in 1936 at Grade B for his service with the Irish Volunteers and the IRA between 1 April 1917 and 30 September 1923.[8]

## Political career

[edit]

Carty was first elected in the 1921 general election to the 2nd Dáil for the Sligo–Mayo East constituency, and was re-elected in eight successive general elections.[9] In common with other TDs opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, he did not take his seat in the 3rd Dáil or in the 4th Dáil, returning to Leinster House only as a founder member of Fianna Fáil, when he followed Éamon de Valera into the 5th Dáil, taking his seat on 12 August 1927.[9]

He remained active in local politics, being a member of the Sligo County Council from 1928 to 1934 representing the Tubbercurry area.[10] He was re-elected in August 1942, only a month before his death, after which his Dáil seat remained vacant until the 1943 general election.[9]

Self-educated, he was called to the bar in 1936. He married Kathleen McGowan in 1938; they had no children.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Francis Carty". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
2. ^ O'Farrell, Padraic. Who's Who in the Irish War of Independence and Civil War 1916-1923. Dublin: Lilliput Press. pp. 13–14\. ISBN 1-874675-85-6.
3. ^ a b Boylan, Shaun. "Carty, Francis Joseph". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
4. ^ Escape From Confinement Archived 5 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ Escape from Prison in Derry Archived 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "IRA Incident, 1921". The Glasgow Story. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
7. ^ See Carty's successful application for a military service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. Available online at Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection - http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/search.aspx?formtype=advanced. Reference number MSP34REF5687
8. ^ Irish Military Archives, Military Service (1916-1923) Pension Collection, Neil Blaney, MSP34REF32265. Available online at http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/search.aspx?formtype=advanced.
9. ^ a b c "Frank Carty". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
10. ^ Crowley, John (2018), Atlas of the Irish Revolution, New York University Press, New York, pg 609, ISBN 978-4798-3428-0

## Sources

[edit]

* Younger, Carlton (1968). "Ireland's Civil War", 354.
* Coyle, Stephen (2008). "High Noon on High Street: The Story of a Daring Ambush by the IRA in Glasgow in 1921". ISBN 978-1-873586-44-0.
* James, Lawrence. "Warrior Race: A History of the British at War", Macmillan (2003), 354, ISBN 0-312-30737-3, ISBN 978-0-312-30737-0.

* v
* t
* e

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Sligo–Mayo East constituency

This table is transcluded from Sligo–Mayo East (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)

| Dáil | Election | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party)

|
|
|
|
|
|

2nd | 1921  |  | Frank Carty
(SF)  |  | James Devins
(SF)  |  | Francis Ferran
(SF)  |  | Alexander McCabe
(SF)  |  | Thomas O'Donnell
(SF)
3rd | 1922  |  | Frank Carty
(AT-SF)  |  | James Devins
(AT-SF)  |  | Francis Ferran
(AT-SF)  |  | Alexander McCabe
(PT-SF)  |  | Thomas O'Donnell
(PT-SF)
4th | 1923  | Constituency abolished. See Mayo North, Mayo South and Leitrim–Sligo

* v
* t
* e

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Leitrim–Sligo constituency

This table is transcluded from Leitrim–Sligo (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)

| Dáil | Election | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

4th | 1923  |  | Martin McGowan
(Rep)  |  | Frank Carty
(Rep)  |  | Thomas Carter
(CnaG)  |  | Seán Farrell
(Rep)  |  | James Dolan
(CnaG)  |  | John Hennigan
(CnaG)  |  | Alexander McCabe
(CnaG)
1925 by-election |  | Samuel Holt
(Rep)  |  | Martin Roddy
(CnaG)
5th | 1927 (Jun)  |  | John Jinks
(NL)  |  | Frank Carty
(FF)  |  | Samuel Holt
(FF)  |  | Michael Carter
(FP)
6th | 1927 (Sep)  |  | Bernard Maguire
(FF)  |  | Patrick Reynolds
(CnaG)
1929 by-election |  | Seán Mac Eoin
(CnaG)
7th | 1932  |  | Stephen Flynn
(FF)  |  | Mary Reynolds
(CnaG)  |  | William Browne
(FF)
8th | 1933  |  | Patrick Rogers
(NCP)  |  | James Dolan
(CnaG)
9th | 1937  | Constituency abolished. See Sligo and Leitrim

* v
* t
* e

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Sligo constituency

This table is transcluded from Sligo (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)

| Dáil | Election | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party) | Deputy
(Party)

|
|
|
|

9th | 1937  |  | Frank Carty
(FF)  |  | Martin Roddy
(FG)  |  | Patrick Rogers
(FG)
10th | 1938  |  | Martin Brennan
(FF)
11th | 1943  |  | Martin Roddy
(FG)
12th | 1944
13th | 1948  | Constituency abolished. See Sligo–Leitrim

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

People|

* Ireland

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