Sir John Esmonde, 14th Baronet


Sir John Lymbrick Esmonde, 14th Baronet was an Irish nationalist politician who served as Member of Parliament in the Parliament of the United Kingdom and later as a Teachta Dála in Dáil Éireann.

Early life

Esmonde was the son of Dr John Joseph Esmonde MP, of Drominagh, Borrisokane, County Tipperary. On the death of his father in 1915 during service with the Royal Army Medical Corps in World War I, he was elected in his place as Irish Parliamentary Party MP for North Tipperary while also serving in the war with the Leinster Regiment, then as Captain with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers with the Intelligence Corps. He was an engineer.

World War I service

He was one of five Irish MPs who served with Irish regiments in World War I, the others Stephen Gwynn, Willie Redmond, William Redmond and D. D. Sheehan as well as former MP Tom Kettle. John Lymbrick Esmonde served with the forces that put down the Easter Rising.

Political career

He did not defend his seat at the 1918 general election. He inherited the Esmonde Baronetcy when the senior male line died out in 1943. He subsequently served as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for the Wexford constituency, where he won a seat at the 1937 general election. He was re-elected at the 1938 and 1943 elections, but lost his Dáil seat at the 1944 general election. He became a barrister at the King's Inns, Dublin, called to the inner bar as Senior Counsel in 1942, and Bencher in 1948. He was re-elected as a TD for Wexford at the 1948 general election serving until the 1951 general election, when he retired from politics. In 1948 he was suggested as possible Taoiseach by Seán MacBride, on the grounds that he had no link to either side in the Civil War.
He was one of the few people who served as a Members of Parliament in the House of Commons as well as a Teachta Dála of Dáil Éireann, the lower House of the Irish parliament.

Notable family

His younger brother Lt. Geoffrey Esmonde aged 19 was killed in action in World War I serving with the 4th Tyneside Irish Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. His second younger brother was Sir Anthony Esmonde, 15th Baronet. His half-brother Eugene Esmonde was awarded a Victoria Cross posthumously in 1942 during World War II.