John de Courcy Ireland
Born(1911-10-19)October 19, 1911
Lucknow, British India
DiedApril 4, 2004(2004-04-04) (aged 92)
Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
OccupationNon-fiction writer
SpouseBeatrice Haigh
Children3
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
Trinity College Dublin
Academic work
DisciplineMaritime history

John Evan de Courcy Ireland (19 October 1911 – 4 April 2006)[1] was an Irish maritime historian and political activist.

Biography

de Courcy Ireland was born at Lucknow, India, son of British Army major de Courcy Ireland and Gabrielle (née Byron).[1] His father, a County Kildare native from an Irish landed gentry family, was stationed at Lucknow at the time of his son's birth.[1] de Courcy Ireland was educated at Marlborough College, Oxford University[2] and Trinity College Dublin, where he was awarded a PhD in 1951. The title of his thesis was "The Influence of the Sea on Civilisation".

In 1949 de Courcy Ireland taught at St Patrick's Cathedral School in Dublin. He moved in 1951 to Drogheda Grammar School and subsequently taught at Bandon Grammar School, Co Cork, and from 1968 at Kingstown Grammar School, Dún Laoghaire. This was amalgamated with Avoca School, Blackrock, to become Avoca Kingsown school, this later became Newpark Comprehensive School, south of Dublin, where he stayed until 1986, when he left teaching at the age of 75.[3]

He and his wife, Betty, who had been a nurse in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War,[4] were affiliated with The Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement and was president of the Ireland-China Friendship Society. A committed socialist, he was also affiliated or involved with the Northern Ireland Labour Party, the Irish Labour Party, the Communist Party of Ireland, the Democratic Socialist Party, the Workers' Party, Democratic Left and latterly the Socialist Workers Party.[2] He was James Larkin's election agent.[2] He was a founding member of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.[5][6]

Plaque to John de Courcy Ireland in Dalkey

In the 1980s, he twice stood for election as a Democratic Socialist Party candidate. He unsuccessfully contested the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the November 1982 general election, and was unsuccessful again at the 1984 European Parliament election when he stood in the Dublin constituency.[7]

Family

In 1933 he married Beatrice Haigh; they had one son and two daughters. After marrying the couple spent time in the Aran Islands and County Donegal to master the Irish language. Betty was also a noted political campaigner.

Death

John de Courcy Ireland died in 2006, aged 94.[8] A plaque in his memory was erected in Dalkey. It reads:

To the memory of Dr John DeCourcy Ireland 1911–2006

Maritime Historian, Radical Politician, Humanist,
Teacher and Linguist. Founder Member of C.N.D. in Ireland.
Honours received from Argentina, Britain, China,
France, Portugal, Spain, Yugoslavia, R.N.L.I.
A true friend of seafarers

Awards

John de Courcy Ireland had been a Council member of the Maritime Institute of Ireland, who operate the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, for 55 years and was its Honorary Research Officer. He was awarded the following:

The Award he valued most[9] was the plaque in the Peoples' Park, Dún Laoghaire, as it was the only award that coupled his name with that of his wife, Betty. The Maritime Institute of Ireland, posthumously awarded him its gold medal; it was accepted by his daughter on his behalf.

Publications

  • History of Dun Laoghaire Harbour, John De Courcy Ireland – 2001, ISBN 978-0-946130-27-6
  • Lifeboats in Dublin Bay, a review of the service from 1803–1997, John De Courcy Ireland – 1997, ISBN 978-0-9533540-0-9
  • The Sea and the Easter Rising. John De Courcy Ireland – 1996 (first version), ISBN 0000002585/ISBN 9780000002587
  • Ireland's maritime heritage, John De Courcy Ireland – 1992, ISBN 978-1-872228-09-9
  • Ireland and the Irish in Maritime History, John De Courcy Ireland – 1985, ISBN 978-0-907606-28-4
  • Wreck and Rescue on the East Coast of Ireland, John De Courcy Ireland – 1983, ISBN 978-0-907606-09-3
  • Ireland's Sea Fisheries: A History, John De Courcy Ireland – 1981, ISBN 978-0-907606-01-7

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ireland, John Evan de Courcy | Dictionary of Irish Biography".
  2. 1 2 3 "John de Courcy Ireland". Daily Telegraph. 2 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. ↑ O'Shaughnessy, Hugh (20 April 2006). "John de Courcy Ireland". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 April 2008.
  4. ↑ Siggins, Lorna (6 April 2006). "Tributes are paid to Dr John de Courcy Ireland". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Fagan, Kieran (9 April 2006). "John de Courcy Ireland". Obituary. Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  6. ↑ Harrison, Richard S., Irish Anti-War Movements. Dublin : Irish Peace 1986 (p.59-61) .
  7. ↑ "John De Courcy Ireland". ElectionsIreland. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Fagan, Kieran (9 April 2006). "John de Courcy Ireland". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "Nation Loses Founding Father Of Our Modern Maritime Achievements" (PDF). Iris Na Mara. 1 (4): 5. Spring 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  10. ↑ "Heimatverein Siebengebirge e.V. Königswinter". Archived from the original on 10 February 2006.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.