Denis Kilbride (September 1848 – 24 October 1924) was an Irish nationalist politician, who as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented South Kerry (1887–1895), and North Galway (1895–1900) and South Kildare (1903–1918) as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
He was educated at Clongowes Wood.[1] He was evicted, along with other subtenants of the 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, was evicted from his 500-acre (2.0 km2) holding during the Luggacurran evictions, Stradbally, County Laois, in March 1887.[2]
Kilbride's rent was 760 pounds a year, although the holding was valued at only 450. Although he was a large tenant, he and other tenants adopted the Plan of Campaign.[3]
To raise awareness of the evictions, Kilbride travelled with William O'Brien to Canada, where the Marquess of Lansdowne was governor general, and the USA.[4]
In August 1902, he was charged under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 with incitement to murder - during the course of a speech against an eviction - of Major-General Devinish Meares.[5] That December, he was found guilty and sentenced to eight months' imprisonment.[6] After the passing of the Evicted Tenants Act, 1908, some of this holding, but not his house, was returned to him.[7]
He died at his residence in Luggacurran in 1924 aged 76 and was buried in Clopook cemetery.
- ^ "Many times in gaol", Freeman's Journal, 27 October 1924.
- ^ "1918 headlines dominated by end of war and a bitter election" Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Kildare Nationalist, 13 May 2004.
- ^ "Many times in gaol", Freeman's Journal, 27 October 1924.
- ^ "Many times in gaol", Freeman's Journal, 27 October 1924.
- ^ The Times, 21 August 1902, Ireland
- ^ "Trial of Mr Denis Kilbride", Irish Times, 11 December 1902.
- ^ "Many times in gaol", Freeman's Journal, 27 October 1924.