Sean Hales

Seán Hales (30 March 1880 – 7 December 1922) was an Irish political activist and member of Dáil Éireann in the early 20th century.[1] Hales was born in Ballinadee, County Cork as John Hales, son of farmer Robert Hales and the former Margaret Fitzgerald. He and his brothers Tom, Donal and Robert, were involved in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence.[2]

Seán Hales
Photograph of Hales (left, in uniform) taken on 7 December 1922, shortly before his assassination
Teachta Dála
In office
May 1921 – June 1922
In office
June 1922 – 7 December 1922
ConstituencyCork Mid, North, South, South East and West
Personal details
Born(1880-03-30)30 March 1880
Ballinadee, County Cork, Ireland
Died7 December 1922(1922-12-07) (aged 42)
Ormonde Quay, Dublin City, County Dublin, Ireland
RelationsTom Hales (Brother)
Military service
Branch/serviceIrish Republican Army
National Army
RankBrigadier General
Battles/warsIrish War of Independence
Irish Civil War

At the 1921 elections Hales was elected to the Second Dáil as a Sinn Féin member for the Cork Mid, North, South, South East and West constituency.[3]

At the 1922 general election, he was elected to the Third Dáil as a pro-Treaty Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the same constituency. He received 4374 first preference votes (7.98%).[4] Shortly afterwards, the Irish Civil War broke out between the pro-Treaty faction, who were in favour of setting up the Irish Free State and the anti-Treaty faction, who would not accept the abolition of the Irish Republic.

On 7 December 1922, Hales was killed by anti-Treaty IRA men as he left the Dáil. Another TD, Pádraic Ó Máille, was also shot and badly wounded in the incident. His killing was in reprisal for the Free State's execution of anti-treaty prisoners. In revenge for Hales' killing, four republican leaders who the Free State held in custody were executed on 8 December. See also Executions during the Irish Civil War.[5]

According to information passed on to playwright Ulick O'Connor, an anti-Treaty IRA volunteer named Owen Donnelly of Glasnevin was responsible for the killing of Hales. Seán Caffrey, an anti-treaty intelligence officer told O'Connor that Donnelly had not been ordered to shoot Hales specifically but was following the general order issued by Liam Lynch to shoot TDs or senators if they could.[6]

Notes
  1. "Seán Hales". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  2. The IRA & its Enemies, Hart, Oxford University Press, 1998, ISBN 0-19-820806-5
  3. "Sean Hales". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  4. "General Election: 16 June 1922 Cork Mid/North/South/South East and West". electionsireland.org.
  5. John Dorney (7 December 2010). "Today in Irish History – Assassination of Sean Hales, December 7 1922". IrishHistory.ie. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  6. "The truth behind the murder of Sean Hales". Sunday Independent. 17 February 2002.
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