Philip Callan


Philip Callan was an Irish Member of Parliament.

Early life

Callan was born in Cookstown House Ardee in 1837 and was the son of Owen Callan MP. He studied Law at Trinity College, Dublin, and also at Kings Inns as can be seen in his papers for Kings Inns Admittance. He was called to the Bar in Dublin in 1865 and shortly after was also called to the English Bar.

Member of Parliament

Callan was elected to Parliament as a Liberal, for the Borough of Dundalk, in 1868. Re-elected as a Home Ruler in the 1874 general election, he was elected also for County Louth. He chose to continue sitting for the Dundalk seat. In 1880, however, he ran for the Louth constituency instead and was elected, remaining as MP until the 1885 general election. He tried, unsuccessfully, to be re-elected in 1892 and 1896.
Callan died, from heart disease, at his residence in Dublin on 13 June 1902.

Walter Ernest Everard Callan

Walter Ernest Everard Callan, son of Philip Callan MP also studied Law and attended Kings Inns in Dublin. He was called to the Bar in 1903. Walter was private secretary to the last Viceroy in Ireland and continued in the civil service, serving in Australia as Private Secretary to the Governor General. Papers to this effect can be obtained from the National Library of Australia and correspondence from and to Mr Walter Callan can be seen in Prime Minister Deakins' Papers which are also available from the National Museum of Australia. Walter Callan went on to become Senior Counsel at the Irish Bar and resided at Baggot Street, Dublin until his death.

Owen McDonnell Callan

Owen McDonnell Callan, son of Philip Callan MP, was sentenced to ten years in prison by the consular court in Gibraltar in 1898, for attempted murder. He was a member of a gang who tried to kill a wealthy young man, Hubert Birkin, after taking out a large life insurance policy. Callan, who was working as Birkin's secretary, accompanied him to Tangiers, where he tried to throw Birkin off a balcony before shooting him and beating him over the head.