Seán McCurtin

Seán Patrick McCurtin (24 June 1896 – 12 November 1982) was an Irish Cumann na nGaedheal politician and National Army officer from County Tipperary.^[1]

Active in the Irish War of Independence, McCurtin participated in many ambushes including the one at Modreeny on 3 June 1921.^[2] Shortly after the Truce he went north of the border to assist against the B-Specials. He was arrested and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment at Enniskillen assizes on 13 March 1922 for possession of firearms and ammunition, and transferred to Aberdeen prison in 1923.^[3][4] His brother Austin was a commandant in the National Army, killed during the Civil War in County Laois.^[5]

McCurtin was first elected to Dáil Éireann while in prison, as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary constituency at the 1923 general election.^[1] The Free State government regarded him as one of a number of political prisoners and demanded their release.^[4][6] The British government undertook to review their cases, and the Northern Ireland prime minister, Sir James Craig, agreed to accept the review's conclusions.^[5] McCurtin was released with 32 others on 25 January 1926,^[5] and took his seat in the Dáil on 23 March 1926.^[7]

McCurtin did not contest the June 1927 general election.^[8] He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1932 and 1933 general elections.^[8] His later career was as a solicitor in Nenagh.^[9] An attempt was made in 1934 to kill his clerk Michael Flynn.^[10] McCurtin became state solicitor for the Division of Tipperary in September 1948.^[11]

References