Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T21:24:17.946Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The political career of Michael Tierney, 1920–44

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2015

Peter Martin
Peter Martin*
Affiliation:
School of History and Anthropology, Queen's University Belfast
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Although Michael Tierney became famous as a controversial, reforming president of U.C.D., he had been a ubiquitous figure in Irish national politics for over twenty years before. A radical member of Cumann na nGaedheal and a key intellectual influence on the early Fine Gael party, he reinvented himself as a political independent, and campaigned for a vocational model of government in Ireland in line with papal teaching. He was that rarity in Irish politics – a political conservative who was also a public intellectual, and who tried to build a political career based on the quality of his ideas rather than tribal loyalties.

Type
Research Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 37 , Issue 147 , May 2011 , pp. 412 - 426
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 See Fanning, Bryan, The quest for modern Ireland: the battle of ideas, 1912–1986 (Dublin, 2008)Google Scholar; McGarry, Fearghal, Eoin O’Duffy: a self-made hero (Oxford, 2005)Google Scholar; Cronin, Mike, The Blueshirts and Irish politics (Dublin, 1997)Google Scholar; Manning, Maurice, The Blueshirts (Dublin, 1970)Google Scholar; Dillon, James: a biography (Dublin, 1999).Google Scholar

2 Tierney, Martin, ‘Michael Tierney K.S.G., M.A., D.Litt.: a biographical note’Google Scholar in Tierney, Martin (ed.), A classicist’s outlook, Michael Tierney K.S.G., M.A., D.Litt. 1894–1975 (Dublin, 2002), pp 1–36Google Scholar; Tierney, Michaelpersonal fle, extract from Who’s Who 1940Google Scholar (N.A.I., Department of the President, Pres/P1527).

3 Tierney, Michael, Education in a free Ireland (Dublin, c. 1920), p. IV.Google Scholar

4 Ibid., p. vi.

5 Ibid., p. 33.

6 Ibid., p. 65.

7 Ibid., p. 98.

8 Fanning, Quest for modern Ireland, pp 67–114.

9 Tierney, Michael, ‘The rediscovery of Europe’ in Studies, XXI (1932), pp 423–32.Google Scholar

10 Idem, ‘The Greeks and ourselves’ in Studies, xii (1923), p. 272.

11 Tierney, Michaelpersonal fle (N.A.I., Department of the President, Pres/P1527).Google Scholar

12 Kirwin, M. M. to Tierney, Michael, 10 Apr. 1922; Kirwin, M. M., Minute of ‘Pro- Treaty Convention held in Ballinasloe’ on Sunday 23 Apr. 1922 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/305).Google Scholar

13 O’Rahilly, Alfredto Tierney, 20 Mar. 1922 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/320).Google Scholar

14 Regan, John, The Irish counter revolution,1921–36 (Dublin, 1999), p. 208Google Scholar.

15 Irish Times, 11 Nov. 1924.

16 Ibid., 12 Nov. 1924.

17 Ibid., 19, 28 Nov. 1924; Regan, , Irish counter revolution, pp 222, 226.Google Scholar

18 Irish Times, 31 Dec. 1924.

19 Election literature, North Mayo by-election 1925 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/306).Google Scholar

20 Walker, Brian M. (ed.), Parliamentary election results in Ireland, 1918–1992 (Dublin, 1992), p. 117Google Scholar.

21 Éireann, Seanaddeb., XXII, col. 358 (13 Dec. 1938).Google Scholar

22 File of correspondence on North Mayo constituency matters, Mar.–Apr. 1925 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/308).

23 Éireann, Seanaddeb., XXII, col. 359 (13 Dec. 1938).Google Scholar

24 Irish Times, 25 Nov. 1925.

25 Éireann, Dáildeb., XV, cols 375–6 (22 Apr. 1926).Google Scholar

26 Ibid., x, col. 1909 (3 Apr. 1925).

27 Ibid., xiv, cols 737–8 (11 Feb. 1926).

28 Daly, Mary E., The slow failure: population decline and independent Ireland, 1920– 1973 (Madison Wis., 2006), pp 23–30Google Scholar.

29 Fanning, Quest for modern Ireland, p. 84.

30 Tierney, Michael, ‘Politics and culture: Daniel O’Connell and the Gaelic past’ in Studies, XXVII (1938), pp 356–8.Google Scholar

31 Cahill was Professor of sociology at Milltown and founder of the conservative society, An Ríoghacht: see Cahill, Edward J.S., The framework of a Christian state: an introduction to social science (Dublin, 1932) for a summary of his thought.Google Scholar

32 Éireann, Dáildeb., X, col. 1905 (3 Apr. 1925).Google Scholar

33 Binchy, Daniel, Minutes of the National University constituency, 23 Apr. 1927 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/319).Google Scholar

34 Walker, Parliamentary election results in Ireland, p. 130.

35 Tierney, , ‘Comments on the foregoing article’ in Studies, XXII (1933), p. 559;Google ScholarÉireann, Seanaddeb., XXI, cols 129–32 (11 May 1938).Google Scholar

36 Tierney, , ‘Fruits of compulsion’ in The Star, 9 Nov. 1929; idem, letter to the Irish Times, 4 Nov. 1929.Google Scholar

37 Gaeltacht Commission, memo to minister for education, 2 Jan. 1925 (N.A.I. Department of the Taoiseach, 3717).Google Scholar

38 Tierney, Michael, ‘The revival of the Irish language’ in Studies, XVI (1927), p. 1.Google Scholar

39 Ibid., p. 5.

40 Éireann, Dáildeb., XXII, col. 2043 (29 Mar. 1928).Google Scholar

41 Tierney, , ‘Revival of the Irish language’, p. 8.Google Scholar

42 Tierney, Michael, letter to the editor, The Star, 19 June 1929.Google Scholar

43 Mulcahy, Richard and Professor Liam O Briain, ‘Comments on the forgoing article’ in Studies, XVI (1927), p. 11;Google Scholar Art Meacair, Ua, ‘Two legislators on Irish’ in Catholic Bulletin, XVII (1927), pp 374–81.Google Scholar

44 Tierney, , ‘Culture & politics’, p. 358.Google Scholar

45 Martin, Peter, Censorship in the two Irelands, 1922–39 (Dublin, 2006), p. 58Google Scholar.

46 Devane, Richard J.S., ‘Suggested tariff on imported newspapers and magazines’ in Studies, XVI (1927), pp 545–4.Google Scholar

47 Tierney, Michael, ‘Comments on the foregoing article’ in Studies, XVI (1927), pp 556–8.Google Scholar

48 Éireann, Seanaddeb., XXIII, cols 244–5 (11 July 1939).Google Scholar

49 Tierney, Michael, ‘Catholic University’ in idem (ed.), A tribute to Newman: essays on aspects of his life and thought (Dublin, 1945), p. 201Google Scholar.

50 Ibid., p. 203,

51 Martin, , Censorship in the Two Irelands, pp 60–7.Google Scholar

52 Catholic Truth Society of Ireland, Annotations to the problem of undesirable printed matter suggested remedies evidence of the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland presented to Departmental Committee of Enquiry 1926 (Dublin, 1926) (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/333).

53 Éireann, Dáildeb., XXVI, col. 625 (18 Oct. 1928).Google Scholar

54 Derry Journal, 5 Dec. 1928 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/333).

55 Irish Times, 4 Dec. 1928.

56 The Catholic Times, 7 Dec. 1928; The Universe, 7 Dec. 1928.

57 C.T.S.I. to Tierney, Michael, 21 Dec. 1928 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/334 (13).Google Scholar

58 Martin, , Censorship in the two Irelands, p. 88.Google Scholar

59 Tierney, , Education in a free Ireland, p. 40.Google Scholar

60 Éireann, Dáildeb., XXI, cols 1945–51 (24 Nov. 1927).Google Scholar

61 Tierney, Michael, ‘Fianna Fáil and economics: a critical analysis’ in The Star, Dec. 1931.Google Scholar

62 Ibid.

63 Tierney, Michael, ‘Politicians & economics’ in The Star, Nov. 1931.Google Scholar

64 Regan, , Irish counter revolution, p. 309.Google Scholar

65 Irish Times, 22 Aug. 1932.

66 Ibid., 10 Jan. 1933.

67 Fanning, Quest for modern Ireland, p. 103.

68 Manning, James Dillon, pp 74, 79.

69 Ibid., p. 83.

70 Belton, to ‘Gen[era]l’ [O’Duffy], 5 Sept. 1933 (U.C.D.A, Tierney papers, LA30/347).Google Scholar

71 McGarry, , Eoin O’Duffy, pp 205, 224.Google Scholar

72 Cronin, , The Blueshirts, p. 91.Google Scholar

73 Quadragesimo Anno p. 37, quoted in Tierney’s notes [Mar. 1934] (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/349).

74 Misner, Paul, ‘Catholic Labor and Catholic Action: the Italian context of Quadragesimo Anno ’ in Cath. Hist. Rev., XC (2004), p. 666.Google Scholar

75 Ritschel, Daniel, ‘A corporatist economy in Britain? Capitalist planning for industrial self-government in the 1930s’ in E.H.R., cvi (1991), pp 41–65;CrossRefGoogle Scholar Tierney’s notes [Mar. 1934] (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA340/349).

76 Whitman, James Q., ‘Of corporatism, fascism, and the First New Deal’ in American Jn. Comparative Law, xxxix (1991), pp 747–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

77 Tierney, Michael, ‘Ireland and the corporate state’ in United Ireland, 16 Dec. 1933.Google Scholar

78 Ibid.

79 Tierney notes, n.d. (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/349); Coker, Francis W., review of Pitigliani, Fausto, The Italian corporative state (New York, 1933)Google Scholar in The Yale Law Journal, iv (1934), pp 384–5.

80 See Corrin, Jay P., Catholic intellectuals and the challenge of democracy (Notre Dame, 2002).Google Scholar

81 Tierney, Michael, ‘Ancient tyranny and modern dictatorship’ in Studies, XV (1926), pp 193–203.Google Scholar

82 Idem, ‘Ireland & the corporate state’.

83 Broderick, Eugene, ‘The corporate labour policy of Fine Gael, 1934’ in I.H.S., XXIX (1994), p. 91.Google Scholar

84 Tierney, Michael, ‘The need for economic corporations’ in United Ireland, 6 Jan. 1934.Google Scholar

85 Tierney, Michael, typescript address to Young Ireland branch, Fine Gael, 13 Mar. 1934 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers LA30/349).Google Scholar

86 Irish Times, 11 May 1934.

87 Michael Tierney to Frank MacDermot, 29 Aug. 1934 (N.A.I., MacDermot papers, 1065/4/1).

88 Tierney to MacDermot, 4 Sept. 1934 (ibid.).

89 Tierney to O’Duffy, 31 Aug. 1934 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/372).

90 Tierney to MacDermot, 27 Sept. 1934 (N.A.I., MacDermot papers, 1065/4/1).

91 Tierney to MacDermot, 4 Oct. 1934 (ibid., 1065/4/5).

92 Memorandum by Professor Tierney, n.d. [Mar. 1936] (N.A.I., Second house of the Oireachtas Commission, DT S8642/4).

93 Minority report submitted by D. A. Binchy , J. Keane, E. Lynch, F. MacDermot, J. Moynihan, A. O’Rahilly, M. Tierney and R. Wilson, [30 Sept.] 1936 (ibid., S8642/8).

94 John D’Alton to Tierney, 8 Feb. 1938 (U.C.D.A., Tierney papers, LA30/374).

95 Seanad Éireann notice of motion, 1 June 1938 (N.A.I., DT S10677A).

96 Seanad Éireann deb., xx, col. 306 (13 Jul. 1938).

97 Ibid., col. 314.

98 Ibid., col. 321.

99 Ibid., col. 326.

100 Tierney, ‘Politics & culture’.

101 Ibid., p. 359.

102 Ibid., p. 368.

103 Tierney, Education in a free Ireland, p. 98.

104 Tierney to Moynihan, 28 July 1938 (N.A.I., DT S10677A).

105 Report of the Commission on Vocational Organisation (Dublin, 1943); O’Leary, Don, Vocationalism and social Catholicism in twentieth century Ireland (Dublin, 2000).Google Scholar

106 McCartney, Donal, U.C.D.: a national idea: the history of University College Dublin (Dublin, 1999), pp 127-32Google Scholar.

107 Girvin, Brian, From Union to Union: nationalism, democracy and religion in Ireland – Act of Union to EU (Dublin, 2002), p. 116Google Scholar.

108 This article was written using research conducted during a post-doctoral fellowship at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, and was funded by the Humanities Institute of Ireland, U.C.D.