Robert Briscoe (politician)

Robert "Bob" Briscoe (25 September 1894 – 11 March 1969) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) in the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) from 1927 to 1965.

Briscoe was a son of Abraham William Briscoe and Ida Yoedicke, both of whom were Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants. The original family name in Lithuania is believed to have been Cherrick. His brother Wolfe Tone Briscoe was named after Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the 1798 Rising.

Briscoe's father was the proprietor of Lawlor Briscoe, a furniture factory on Ormond Quay which made, refurbished, imported, exported and sold furniture, trading all over Ireland and abroad. Abraham Briscoe – known universally as Pappa – had arrived in Ireland penniless, and made his fortune through hard work and his charm as a salesman, first as a brush salesman, then of imported tea. He married Ida Yoedicke, daughter of a successful family in Frankfurt, who had left Lithuania and the racist Russian laws limiting Jews from success and a decent life, to live in the more liberal Germany. Robert and Ida had seven children; only two of their sons, Ben and Joe, remained in Dublin. Ben followed his father into politics, while Joe went into the army.

Joe Briscoe joined the army at age of 15 (claiming to be 18) in 1945. He retired in 1993 with the rank of Commandant.

Briscoe was active in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Sinn Féin during the Irish War of Independence and accompanied Éamon de Valera to America. He spoke for the Sinn Féin cause at public meetings there and was adamant that being a "Hebrew" did not lessen his Irishness. Briscoe was sent by Michael Collins to Germany in 1919 to be the chief agent for procuring arms for the IRA. Eamon Martin, former Chief of Staff of Fianna Éireann, was best man at Briscoe's wedding. They had been close friends during the Irish War of Independence.

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