He was Galway

Mairtin Mor McDonogh, 1860-1934

Chionna Jackie Ui

• Publisher: Open Air
• Year: 2022
• eBook ISBN: 9781801510677
• Edition: 0
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Irish History
• Index: History

Martin ' Má irtí n Mó r' McDonogh was, in every sense of the word, Galway' s ' big man'. A natural entrepreneur, and a man of drive, ambition and no small intellect, he took his father' s company, Thomas McDonogh & Sons, and expanded it to the extent that he became the largest employer in Connacht and one of Galway' s richest men. In turn a merchant, farmer, industrialist and politician, McDonogh entered the national political stage when he was elected to Dá il Eireann, where he represented Galway as a Cumann na nGaedheal T.D. from 1927 until his death in 1934. McDonogh came to dominate every aspect of Galway life, from the world of business to its sporting and civic life. A colourful character, who never married and lived a frugal – and somewhat reclusive – life, he was acknowledged as ' impatient' and ' brusque' by his friends, and ' terrifying' by his enemies, but following his death it was widely recognised, by friend and enemy alike, that ' For half a century he was Galway'.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Dedication
• Epigraphs
• Table of contents
• List of illustrations
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. Beginnings, early years and education, 1860‒79
• 2. Learning the ropes: the making of a merchant, 1879‒1902
• 3. Taking the reins: the emergence of ‘Mr Galway’, 1902‒13
• 4. Labour, war and civic leadership, 1913‒22
• 5. Business and politics in the Free State, 1923‒34
• 6. Departing the scene, and legacy
• Appendix A: ‘Amhrán na Jumpers (na Wóthers)’ and ‘Amhrán Máirtín Mór’
• Appendix B: Hernon and McDonogh family trees
• Index