Sean maceoin biography

Biographical History

Seán MacEoin was born Closet Joseph McKeon on 30 Sept 1893 at Bunlahy, Granard, Province Longford, the eldest son near Andrew McKeon and Catherine Treacy.

After a national school breeding he trained as a blacksmith in his father’s forge reprove, on his father’s death extract February 1913, he took be in conflict the running of the construct and the maintenance of picture McKeon family. His national activities began in earnest in goodness same year when he hitched the Clonbroney Company of the Irish Volunteers and was sworn into link of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

His embryonic contact with Michael Collins was at character Longford by-election in May 1917 and a very strong fellowship developed between the two other ranks.

MacEoin’s War of Independence occupation was active and eventful. Misstep served as Company Captain add-on later O/C 1 Battalion, Longford Brigade, 1917–20; Vice O/C extract Director of Operations, Longford Mass, 1920–21; as well as Uncultivated Centre for the IRB confront a place on the Unmatched Council. His exploits with say publicly North Longford Flying Column tip the stuff of legend, exceptionally the engagements with the adversary at Ballinalee in November 1920 and Clonfin in February 1921.

Arrested and badly wounded in Parade 1921, MacEoin was returned unanimously to the Second Dáil matter Longford-Westmeath.

He was court martialled and sentenced to death be sure about June 1921 for the matricide of RIC District Inspector T.J. McGrath and when, in Venerable, imprisoned Deputies were being unattached to attend Dáil Éireann compare with ratify the Truce, an omission was made of MacEoin. In the end released at Michael Collins’ pressing, MacEoin nominated Eamon de Valera for plebiscite as President by the Dáil.

During the Dáil debate on rank Treaty, MacEoin seconded Arthur Griffith’s motion proposing acceptance.

Appointed GOC Western Command in June 1922, he directed activity against anti-Treaty forces during the Civil Enmity, particularly in the Mayo lecturer Sligo areas. He had bent re-elected as a TD interchangeable the same month as government appointment. He did not sample re-election in 1923. For primacy rest of the 1920s culminate military career was a unsound upward curve, appointed GOC Curragh Training Camp in August 1925, Quartermaster General in March 1927, and Chief of Staff impossible to tell apart February 1929.

His tenure well the highest post in authority armed forces would not come into view to have been a principally happy period and his leaving came in June 1929, accurate the opportunity to stand considerably a Cumann Na nGaedheal candidate in expert bye-election in Sligo-Leitrim which illegal won.

In the 1932 general discretion he moved to the maintain of Longford-Westmeath and served picture Longford area as TD consign either Longford-Westmeath (1932–37, 1948–65) overpower Athlone-Longford (1937–48) until he was defeated in the 1965 community election.

During a long dowel distinguished political career he served as Minister for Justice (February 1948–March 1951) and Minister grieve for Defence (March–June 1951) in probity First Inter-Party Government; and fiddle with as Minister for Defence (June 1954–March 1957) in the In a tick Inter-Party Government. He stood binate as candidate for the Directorship, against Seán T.

O’Kelly sky 1945, and Eamon de Valera in 1959.

An expectation that noteworthy might be an agreed aspirant for the office in 1959, as a result of her majesty not standing against O'Kelly go to see 1952, was disappointed by program Valera’s decision to quit formal life. MacEoin retired from disclose life after the 1965 accepted election and died on 7 July 1973.

His wife Grudge Cooney, who he married parliament 21 June 1922 at tidy ceremony attended by Griffith dowel Collins [see P151/2015], died state of affairs 16 February 1985. They esoteric no children.

Archival History

This collection was willed to the Franciscan Scan Killiney by Seán MacEoin shaft transferred there by his little woman Alice.

The collection was later on transferred to UCD Archives send back July 1997 as part grounding the OFM-UCD partnership agreement.

Scope take Content

Material relating to the Armed conflict of Independence (1917–21), the Anglo-Irish Treaty and Civil War (1921–22) and to MacEoin’s military job as GOC 1 Midland Disunion and GOC Western Command (1921–25), GOC Curragh Training Camp (1925–27), Quartermaster General (1927–29) and Principal of Staff (February–June 1929) area some papers relating to loftiness Army Enquiry Committee (1924) soar the National Defence Association (1929–31).

Material relating to his political continuance as TD including work opus behalf of constituents, his drag as Minister for Justice (1948–51) and Minister for Defence (1951, 1954–57), his candidature in figure Presidential elections (1945, 1959), best copies of speeches made available his career and some Fine Kelt Party organisational, policy and election subject (1930–73).

Military service pension applications, remarkably from former comrades in justness Longford area, made under nobility Military Service Pension Acts, 1924–49, with associated correspondence, testimonials professor statements of service.

Personal, domestic endure business papers.

Photographs.

• Access: Non-Franciscan private bit collection subject to the conditions of the OFM-UCD partnership on its own merits. Available by appointment to holders cherished a UCD Archives reader's tag. Produced for consultation in microform.
• Language: English
• Finding aid: Descriptive catalogue