Desmond FitzGerald | |
|---|---|
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| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 23 June 1927 – 9 March 1932 | |
| President | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | Peter Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Frank Aiken |
| Minister for External Affairs | |
| In office 30 August 1922 – 23 June 1927 | |
| President | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | Michael Hayes |
| Succeeded by | Kevin O'Higgins |
| Minister for Publicity | |
| In office 26 August 1921 – 9 September 1922 | |
| President | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Director of Publicity | |
| In office 17 June 1919 – 11 February 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Laurence Ginnell |
| Succeeded by | Erskine Childers |
| Senator | |
| In office 7 September 1938 – 8 September 1943 | |
| Constituency | Administrative Panel |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 1932 – July 1937 | |
| Constituency | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| In office May 1921 – February 1932 | |
| Constituency | Dublin County |
| In office December 1918 – May 1921 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Pembroke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Joseph FitzGerald 13 February 1888 Forest Gate, Essex, England |
| Died | 9 April 1947 (aged 59) Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Garret |
| Relatives |
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| Education | St Bonaventure's |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Irish Volunteers |
| Battles/wars | Easter Rising |
Desmond FitzGerald (born Thomas Joseph FitzGerald;13 February 1888 – 9 April 1947) was an Irish revolutionary, politician, and poet, known for his role in the Irish independence movement and for his ministerial roles in Irish governments; he was Director of Publicity from 1919 to 1921, Minister for Publicity from 1921 to 1922, Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927 and finally Minister for Defence from 1927 to 1932. Born in London to an Irish family, FitzGerald moved to Paris in his early twenties, where he became involved in the Imagist group of poets. In 1913, FitzGerald returned to Ireland and the next year became active in the Irish Volunteers, a paramilitary organisation that sought Irish independence from Britain. FitzGerald partook in the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin and was subsequently imprisoned for two years by the British.
FitzGerald was elected as a Sinn Féin MP in 1918, leading to his release from custody. During the Irish War of Independence FitzGerald worked as the rebels' Minister for Publicity. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, he supported the pro-Treaty side, leading to his involvement in the Irish Civil War as a member of the Free State government. He served as Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927, during which he worked to establish the international presence of the newly formed Irish Free State on behalf of the Cumann na nGaedhael political party. His presence in Irish politics greatly lessened after his party's defeat in the 1932 Irish general election. By the end of the 1930s, he pivoted his career towards academics.
His son, Garret FitzGerald, would later become Taoiseach.