Timothy Smiddy
Timothy Aloysius Smiddy (1875–1962) was an
Personal life
Timothy Aloysius "Audo" Smiddy was born on 30 April 1875 in Kilbarry, County Cork, the son of William Smiddy, a wealthy merchant originally from Ballymacoda, East Cork, and Honora Mahony, of the Blarney Mahony family. He was educated at St. Finbarr's College Cork, before attending University College Cork, graduating with a B.A. (1905) and an M.A. (1907). Later he attended universities in Paris, France and Cologne, Germany. At one point, he considered the priesthood. However in 1900, he married Lillian "Muddie" O'Connell, also from Cork city. They had six children including five daughters Pearl (Binnie), Muriel, Cecil, Ita and Ethna, and a son Sarsfield.[citation needed]
Role in independence
A contemporary and friend of Michael Collins, the Irish revolutionary, Smiddy was appointed by Collins to be his Economic Adviser to Plenipotentiaries for the Treaty Negotiations from October to December 1921 following the War of Independence. This was at a time when Michael Collins was the Minister for Finance in the putative Republic.[citation needed]
Professor of Economics, UCC
Smiddy was first and foremost an academic and an economist. In the College at Cork in the newly constituted National University of Ireland, which replaced the Royal University of Ireland, Smiddy was holder of the Professorship of Economics and Commerce. He served in this post from 1903 to 1924, one of only six to have held the post since the formation of the Department of Mental and Moral Science at the College in 1849. In 1952, he was awarded the Honorary Degree of DEconSc by University College, Cork.
Minister Plenipotentiary
Smiddy was initially appointed as the Irish Free State's Representative in Washington in 1922. Following representations by the Free State's government to London and Washington, and in particular to tackle the problem of anti-Treaty propaganda, this role was officially recognised in 1924. From then until 1929, Smiddy served as Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to the
Smiddy's appointment represented not only the establishment of the Irish Free State's first formal diplomatic relations with another country since secession from the UK, but also the first attempt by any
Later life
Smiddy also served as the
Throughout the late 1930s and the 1940s, Smiddy advised the de Valera government on economic matters. In particular, he was instrumental in bringing about a universal child allowance. He died in 1962.
References
- ^ Troy D. Davis, "Diplomacy as Propaganda: The Appointment of T. A. Smiddy as Irish Free State Minister to the United States," Éire-Ireland XXXI, nos. 3&4 (1996): 126.
External links
- Alexander Thom and Son Ltd. 1923. p. – via Wikisource. . . Dublin: