Thomas Johnson (Irish politician)

Irish politician (1872–1963)

Thomas Johnson

Senator
In office
12 December 1928 – 29 May 1936
Leader of the Opposition
In office
6 December 1922 – 11 August 1927
Taoiseach| W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by| Éamon de Valera
Succeeded by| Éamon de Valera
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1922 – September 1927
Constituency| Dublin County
Leader of the Labour Party
In office
14 January 1917 – 11 August 1927
Preceded by| James Connolly
Succeeded by| Thomas J. O'Connell
Personal details
Born| 17 May 1872
Liverpool, England
Died| 17 January 1963(1963-01-17) (aged 90)
Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland
Nationality| Irish
Political party| Labour
Spouse|

Marie Tregay

(m. 1898)​

Children| 1

Thomas Ryder Johnson (17 May 1872 – 17 January 1963) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade unionist who served as Leader of the Opposition from 1922 to 1927 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1917 to 1927.[1] He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin County from 1922 to 1927. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 1928 to 1934.[2]

## Early life[edit]

Born in Liverpool, Johnson worked on the docks for an Irish fish merchant, spending much of his time in Dunmore East and Kinsale.[3] It was this way that he picked up ideas about socialism and Irish nationalism, joining in 1893 a Liverpool branch of the Independent Labour Party. In 1900 he started work as a commercial traveller, then moved in 1903 with his family to Belfast where he became involved in trade union and labour politics.[3]

## Labour activist[edit]

In 1907 Johnson helped James Larkin organise a strike in the port, but had to watch in dismay as the strike, which began with remarkable solidarity between labour, Orange, and nationalist supporters, collapsed in sectarian rioting.[3] At various times he was the president, treasurer and secretary of the Irish Trades Union Congress which was, at that time, also the Labour Party in Ireland,[4] until officially founded in 1912 by James Connolly and James Larkin. Johnson became Vice-president of TUC in 1913, and President in 1915.

Johnson sympathized with the Irish Volunteers, many of whom were sacked from their jobs, for illegal activities. During the Easter Rising, he noted in his diary that people in Ireland paid little heed to the fate of the defeated revolutionaries.[5] He succeeded as leader of the Labour Party from 1917, when the party did not contest the 1918 general election. When the British government tried to enforce conscription in Ireland in 1918, Johnson led a successful strike in conjunction with other members of the Irish anti-conscription movement.

## Politician[edit]

British Army intelligence file on Thomas Johnson (1922)

He was later elected a TD for Dublin County to the Third Dáil at the 1922 general election and remained leader of the Labour Party until 1927.[6] As such, he was Leader of the Opposition in the Dáil of the Irish Free State, as the anti-treaty faction of Sinn Féin refused to recognise the Dáil as constituted. He issued a statement of support for the Government of the 4th Dáil when the Army Mutiny threatened civilian control in March 1924.[7]

## Later life[edit]

Johnson is the only Leader of the Labour Party who served as Leader of the Opposition in the Dáil. He lost his Dáil seat at the September 1927 general election, and the following year he was elected to Seanad Éireann, where he served until the Seanad's abolition in 1936.

In 1896 he met Marie Tregay, then a teacher in St. Multose's National school, outside Kinsale. They married in 1898 in Liverpool. Their only son born in 1899, Frederick Johnson, became a well-known actor.[3] Thomas Johnson died on 17 January 1963 at 49 Mount Prospect Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin.[8]

Each summer, Labour Youth holds the "Tom Johnson Summer School" to host panel discussions, debates and workshops.

## Further reading[edit]

* Gaughan, John Anthony,Thomas Johnson, 1872–1963, (Mount Merrion 1980), ISBN 0-9506015-3-5
* Johnson's diary of Easter week, in J.A. Gaughan, Thomas Johnson, 1872–1963 (Mount Merrion 1980)

## References[edit]

1. ^ Gaughan, J. Anthony (October 2009). "Johnson, Thomas Ryder". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
2. ^ "Thomas Johnson". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
3. ^ a b c d Gaughan, J. Anthony in: McGuire, James and Quinn, James (eds): Dictionary of Irish Biography From the Earliest Times to the Year 2002;
Royal Irish Academy Vol. 3, Johnson, Thomas Ryder; Cambridge University Press (2009) ISBN 978-0-521-19976-6
4. ^ UCD Library Archives, Thomas Johnson
5. ^ Gaughan, J.A., p.50, as cited by Townshend, "Easter 1916", p.257.
6. ^ "Thomas Johnson". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
7. ^ "The Irish Mutiny. New Commander Of Free State Forces". The Times. 11 March 1924.
8. ^ "General Registrar's Office". IrishGenealogy.ie. Retrieved 17 January 2017.

Party political offices

New title |  Leader of the Opposition
1922–1927  | Succeeded by

Éamon de Valera

Preceded by

James Connolly

|  Leader of the Labour Party
1917–1927  | Succeeded by

Thomas J. O'Connell

Trade union offices
Preceded by

James Larkin

|  President of the Irish Trades Union Congress
1916  | Succeeded by

Thomas MacPartlin

Preceded by

David Robb Campbell

|  Treasurer of the Irish Trades Union Congress
1919–1920  | Succeeded by

William O'Brien

Preceded by

Cathal O'Shannon

|  General Secretary of the Irish Trades Union Congress
1945  | Succeeded by

Ruaidhri Roberts

* v
* t
* e

Leaders of the Opposition of Ireland

* Thomas Johnson
* Éamon de Valera
* W. T. Cosgrave
* Thomas F. O'Higgins
* Richard Mulcahy
* John A. Costello
* James Dillon
* Liam Cosgrave
* Jack Lynch
* Garret FitzGerald
* Charles Haughey
* Alan Dukes
* John Bruton
* Bertie Ahern
* Michael Noonan
* Enda Kenny
* Micheál Martin
* Mary Lou McDonald

* v
* t
* e

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Dublin County constituency

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

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2nd | 1921  |  | Michael Derham
(SF)  |  | George Gavan Duffy
(SF)  |  | Séamus Dwyer
(SF)  |  | Desmond FitzGerald
(SF)  |  | Frank Lawless
(SF)  |  | Margaret Pearse
(SF)  | 6 seats
1921-1923
3rd | 1922  |  | Michael Derham
(PT-SF)  |  | George Gavan Duffy
(PT-SF)  |  | Thomas Johnson
(Lab)  |  | Desmond FitzGerald
(PT-SF)  |  | Darrell Figgis
(Ind)  |  | John Rooney
(FP)
4th | 1923  |  | Michael Derham
(CnaG)  |  | Bryan Cooper
(Ind)  |  | Desmond FitzGerald
(CnaG)  |  | John Good
(Ind)  |  | Kathleen Lynn
(Rep)  |  | Kevin O'Higgins
(CnaG)
1924 by-election |  | Batt O'Connor
(CnaG)
1926 by-election |  | William Norton
(Lab)
5th | 1927 (Jun)  |  | Patrick Belton
(FF)  |  | Seán MacEntee
(FF)
1927 by-election |  | Gearóid O'Sullivan
(CnaG)
6th | 1927 (Sep)  |  | Bryan Cooper
(CnaG)  |  | Joseph Murphy
(Ind)  |  | Seán Brady
(FF)
1930 by-election |  | Thomas Finlay
(CnaG)
7th | 1932  |  | Patrick Curran
(Lab)  |  | Henry Dockrell
(CnaG)
8th | 1933  |  | John A. Costello
(CnaG)  |  | Margaret Mary Pearse
(FF)
1935 by-election |  | Cecil Lavery
(FG)
9th | 1937  |  | Henry Dockrell
(FG)  |  | Gerrard McGowan
(Lab)  |  | Patrick Fogarty
(FF)  | 5 seats
1937-1948
10th | 1938  |  | Patrick Belton
(FG)  |  | Thomas Mullen
(FF)
11th | 1943  |  | Liam Cosgrave
(FG)  |  | James Tunney
(Lab)
12th | 1944  |  | Patrick Burke
(FF)
1947 by-election |  | Seán MacBride
(CnaP)
13th | 1948  |  | Éamon Rooney
(FG)  |  | Seán Dunne
(Lab)  | 3 seats
1948-1961
14th | 1951
15th | 1954
16th | 1957  |  | Kevin Boland
(FF)
17th | 1961  |  | Mark Clinton
(FG)  |  | Seán Dunne
(Ind)  | 5 seats
1961-1969
18th | 1965  |  | Des Foley
(FF)  |  | Seán Dunne
(Lab)
19th | 1969  | Constituency abolished. See Dublin County North and Dublin County South

* v
* t
* e

« 1925 Seanad « Members of the 1928 Seanad (1928–1931) » 1931 Seanad »

* Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG)

Elected in 1928|

| 3 years|

* Michael Comyn (FF)
* Seán MacEllin (FF)
* Ross McGillycuddy (Ind)
* Sir Walter Nugent (Ind)

|

6 years|

* John Philip Bagwell (Ind)
* Alfie Byrne (Ind)
* Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG)
* Andrew Jameson (Ind)
* Thomas Johnson (Lab)
* Sir Bryan Mahon (Ind)
* Richard Wilson (CnaG)

9 years|

* Kathleen Clarke (FF)
* Joseph Connolly (FF)
* Seán Milroy (CnaG)
* Joseph O'Doherty (FF)
* Séumas Robinson (FF)
* William Sears (CnaG)

Elected in 1925|

| 6 years|

* John Counihan (CnaG)

|

9 years|

* Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG)
* Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind)
* Francis McGuinness (CnaG)

12 years|

* Henry Barniville (CnaG)
* Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind)
* William Cummins (Lab)
* James Dillon (CnaG)
* Michael Fanning (CnaG)
* Thomas Foran (Lab)
* Sir William Hickie (Ind)
* Cornelius Kennedy (CnaG)
* Thomas Linehan (Ind)
* Joseph O'Connor (CnaG)
* J. T. O'Farrell (Lab)
* Michael F. O'Hanlon (CnaG)
* James Parkinson (CnaG)
* Thomas Toal (CnaG)

Elected in 1922|

| 9 years|

* William Barrington (Ind)
* Eileen Costello (Ind)
* James G. Douglas (Ind)
* Michael Duffy (Lab)
* Thomas Farren (Lab)
* Alice Stopford Green (Ind)
* Sir John Griffith (Ind)
* Patrick W. Kenny (CnaG)
* James J. MacKean (CnaG)
* John MacLoughlin (Ind)
* William Molloy (Ind)
* Maurice George Moore (FF)
* Brian O'Rourke (CnaG)
* William O'Sullivan (CnaG)

|

Nominated by the President in 1922|

| 12 years|

* Countess of Desart (Ind)
* James Charles Dowdall  (FF)
* Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind)
* Earl of Granard (Ind)
* Henry Guinness (Ind)
* Sir John Keane (Ind)
* James Moran (Ind)
* Marquess of Lansdowne (Ind)
* Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

|

Elected at by-elections|

* Feb. 1926 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
* Mar. 1927 Patrick Hooper (Ind)
* Apr. 1929 Sir Nugent Everard (Ind)
* Jun. 1929 Kathleen Browne (CnaG)
* Laurence O'Neill (Ind)
* Oct. 1929 Richard A. Butler (Ind)
* Dec. 1930 Michael Staines (CnaG)
* May 1931 Arthur Vincent (Ind)
* Nov. 1931 George Crosbie (CnaG)

* CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
* FF: Fianna Fáil
* Lab: Labour Party
* Ind: Independent

* v
* t
* e

« 1928 Seanad « Members of the 1931 Seanad (1931–1934) » 1934 Seanad »

* Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (Ind)

Elected in 1931|

| 3 years|

* Kathleen Browne (CnaG)
* Eileen Costello (Ind)

|

6 years|

* William O'Sullivan (CnaG)

9 years|

* Michael Comyn (FF)
* John Counihan (CnaG)
* James G. Douglas (Ind)
* Michael Duffy (Lab)
* Thomas Farren (Lab)
* Hugh Garahan (CnaG)
* Sir John Griffith (Ind)
* Seán MacEllin (FF)
* Ross McGillycuddy (Ind)
* James J. MacKean (CnaG)
* John MacLoughlin (CnaG)
* Daniel MacParland (FF)
* Maurice George Moore (FF)
* Laurence O'Neill (Ind)
* Brian O'Rourke (CnaG)
* William Quirke (FF)
* David Robinson (FF)
* Séamus Ryan (FF)
* Michael Staines (CnaG)
* Arthur Vincent (Ind)

Elected in 1928|

| 6 years|

* John Philip Bagwell (Ind)
* Alfie Byrne (Ind)
* Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG)
* Andrew Jameson (Ind)
* Thomas Johnson (Lab)
* Richard Wilson (CnaG)

|

9 years|

* Kathleen Clarke (FF)
* Joseph Connolly (FF)
* Seán Milroy (CnaG)
* Joseph O'Doherty (FF)
* Séumas Robinson (FF)

Elected in 1925|

| 9 years|

* Thomas Westropp Bennett (Ind)
* Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind)
* Francis McGuinness (CnaG)

|

12 years|

* Henry Barniville (CnaG)
* Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind)
* William Cummins (Lab)
* James Dillon (CnaG)
* Michael Fanning (CnaG)
* Thomas Foran (Lab)
* Sir William Hickie (Ind)
* Cornelius Kennedy (CnaG)
* Thomas Linehan (Ind)
* Joseph O'Connor (CnaG)
* J. T. O'Farrell (Lab)
* Michael F. O'Hanlon (CnaG)
* James Parkinson (CnaG)
* Thomas Toal (CnaG)

Nominated by the President in 1922|

| 12 years|

* Countess of Desart (Ind)
* James Charles Dowdall  (FF)
* Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind)
* Earl of Granard (Ind)
* Henry Guinness (Ind)
* Sir John Keane (Ind)
* James Moran (Ind)
* Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

|

Elected at by-elections|

* Feb. 1926 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
* Jan. 1932 George Crosbie (CnaG)
* Apr. 1933 Eamonn Duggan (CnaG)
* Jan. 1934 Ernest Blythe (CnaG)
* Raphael Keyes (FF)
* Sep. 1934 Patrick Lynch (FF)

* CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
* FF: Fianna Fáil
* Lab: Labour Party
* Ind: Independent

* v
* t
* e

« 1931 Seanad « Members of the 1934 Seanad (1934-1936) » 2nd Seanad »

* Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (FG)

Elected in 1934|

| 3 years|

* Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind)

|

6 years|

* John Philip Bagwell (Ind)

9 years|

* Patrick Baxter (FG)
* Thomas Westropp Bennett (FG)
* Ernest Blythe (FG)
* James Boyle (FF)
* Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
* Kathleen Browne (FG)
* James Charles Dowdall  (FF)
* Eamonn Duggan (FG)
* Séamus Fitzgerald (FF)
* Oliver St. John Gogarty (FG)
* Denis Healy (FF)
* T. V. Honan (FF)
* Andrew Jameson (Ind)
* Thomas Johnson (Lab)
* Thomas Kennedy (Lab)
* Raphael Keyes (FF)
* Patrick Lynch (FF)
* Pádraic Ó Máille (FF)
* Thomas Ruane (FF)
* Richard Wilson (FG)
* Jennie Wyse Power (FF)

Elected in 1931|

| 6 years|

* William O'Sullivan (FG)

|

9 years|

* Michael Comyn (FF)
* John Counihan (FG)
* James G. Douglas (Ind)
* Michael Duffy (Lab)
* Thomas Farren (Lab)
* Hugh Garahan (FG)
* Sir John Griffith (Ind)
* Seán MacEllin (FF)
* Ross McGillycuddy (Ind)
* James J. MacKean (FG)
* John MacLoughlin (FG)
* Daniel MacParland (FF)
* Maurice George Moore (FF)
* Laurence O'Neill (Ind)
* Brian O'Rourke (FG)
* William Quirke (FF)
* David Robinson (FF)
* Michael Staines (FG)

Elected in 1928|

| 9 years|

* Kathleen Clarke (FF)
* Joseph Connolly (FF)
* Seán Milroy (FG)
* Séumas Robinson (FF)

|

Elected in 1925|

| 12 years|

* Henry Barniville (FG)
* Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind)
* William Cummins (Lab)
* James Dillon (FG)
* Michael Fanning (FG)
* Thomas Foran (Lab)
* Sir William Hickie (Ind)
* Cornelius Kennedy (FG)
* Thomas Linehan (Ind)
* Joseph O'Connor (FG)
* J. T. O'Farrell (Lab)
* Michael F. O'Hanlon (FG)
* James Parkinson (FG)
* Thomas Toal (FG)

|

* FF: Fianna Fáil
* FG: Fine Gael
* Lab: Labour
* Ind: Independent

* v
* t
* e

Labour Party

History|

| Founders|

* James Connolly
* James Larkin
* William O'Brien

|

Associated organisations|

* Democratic Left
* Democratic Socialist Party
* Irish Land and Labour Association
* Irish Worker League
* Militant Tendency
* National Labour Party
* Republican Labour Party
* Socialist Labour Party

Leadership|

| Leaders|

* Thomas Johnson
* Thomas J. O'Connell
* William Norton
* Brendan Corish
* Frank Cluskey
* Michael O'Leary
* Dick Spring
* Ruairi Quinn
* Pat Rabbitte
* Eamon Gilmore
* Joan Burton
* Brendan Howlin
* Alan Kelly
* Ivana Bacik

|

Deputy leaders|

* Barry Desmond
* Ruairi Quinn
* Brendan Howlin
* Liz McManus
* Joan Burton
* Alan Kelly

Seanad leaders|

* Michael Ferris
* Jack Harte
* Jan O'Sullivan
* Joe Costello
* Brendan Ryan
* Alex White
* Phil Prendergast
* Ivana Bacik
* Rebecca Moynihan

Presidents|

* Proinsias De Rossa
* Michael D. Higgins

Leadership elections|

* 2014 (Burton)
* 2016 (Howlin)
* 2020 (Kelly)
* 2022 (Bacik)

Party structures|

* Leader of the Labour Party
* Labour Party Front Bench
* Labour Youth
* Labour Women

Presidential candidates|

* Mary Robinson (1990)
* Adi Roche (1997)
* Michael D. Higgins (2011)

Elected representatives|

| Dáil Éireann|

* Ivana Bacik
* Brendan Howlin
* Alan Kelly
* Ged Nash
* Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
* Seán Sherlock
* Duncan Smith

|

Seanad Éireann|

* Annie Hoey
* Rebecca Moynihan
* Marie Sherlock
* Mark Wall

International affiliations|

| European|

* Party of European Socialists
* Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

|

International|

* Progressive Alliance
* Socialist International

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST
* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* France
* BnF data
* Israel
* United States

People|

* Ireland
* Trove

Other|

* IdRef

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