Ernest Blythe
| Ernest Blythe | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | |
|
In office 12 October 1927 – 9 March 1932 |
|
| Taoiseach | W.T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | James Walsh |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Connolly |
| Vice-President of the Executive Council | |
|
In office 14 July 1927 – 9 March 1932 |
|
| President | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | Kevin O'Higgins |
| Succeeded by | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Minister for Finance | |
|
In office 21 September 1923 – 9 March 1932 |
|
| Taoiseach | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Succeeded by | Seán MacEntee |
| Minister for Local Government | |
|
In office 30 August 1922 – 15 October 1923 |
|
| Taoiseach | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | W. T. Cosgrave |
| Succeeded by | Séamus Burke |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
13 April 1889 Lisburn, Antrim, Ireland, UK |
| Died | 23 February 1975 (aged 85) Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| Political party |
Sinn Féin Cumann na nGaedheal Fine Gael |
| Spouse(s) | Anne McHugh |
Ernest Blythe, also known as Ernest Blyth (Irish: Earnán de Blaghd; 13 April 1889 – 23 February 1975) was an Irish journalist, managing director of the Abbey Theatre, and politician.
Ernest Blythe was born to a Church of Ireland and unionist family in the townland of Magheraliskmisk, Maghaberry, County Antrim, in 1889, the son of James Blythe, a farmer, and Agnes Thompson. He was educated locally, at Maghaberry Cross Roads primary school. At the age of fifteen he started working as a clerk in the Department of Agriculture in Dublin.
Seán O'Casey invited Blythe to join the Irish Republican Brotherhood, which Blythe accepted. He also joined Conradh na Gaeilge, where his Irish teacher was Sinéad Flanagan, the future wife of Éamon de Valera.
In 1909 Blythe became a junior news reporter with the North Down Herald. To improve his knowledge of the Irish language, he went to the Kerry Gaeltacht where he worked as an agricultural labourer to earn his keep.
During this time, he was the organizer for the Irish Volunteers in Clare before 1916. His activity spread all over the south-west region to counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick and Clare. He became Captain of the Lipsole Company (of actors) and toured the region with a list of names of people to recruit. Blythe was one of the few organisers sent out into the country (others were Liam Mellows and Ernie O'Malley) and with little qualification was largely self-taught. Supplies were few and far between, as well as spasmodic. IRA GHQ were loth to commit scant resources. But Blythe was expected to drill, and train his men, as well avoid conscription.
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