William Keogh

William Nicholas Keogh PC (1817– 30 September 1878) was an unpopular and controversial Irish politician and judge, whose name became a byword in Ireland for betraying one's political principles.

Hw was born in Galway, son of William Keogh, clerk of the Crown for Kilkenny, and his wife Mary ffrench. He went to Dr Huddard's school in Dublin, and graduated from the University of Dublin: he was called to the Bar in 1840, and became in Queen's Counsel 1849. No-one has ever questioned his intellectual abilities: he was a superb speaker both in public and private, he founded a well-known debating society, The Tail-end Club, and published several books on law, politics and literature. Despite his later reputation for eccentricity and bad temper, as a young man he was considered to be the best of company, being genial, good humoured and a superb conversationalist. He joined the Connaught circuit where he rapidly acquired a large practice, due it was said to his eloquence and impressive presence; these gifts soon turned him towards politics.

He married Kate Rooney in 1841; they had one son, and a daughter Mary, who married James Murphy, judge of the High Court.

In 1847 Keogh was elected MP for Athlone. In 1851 he was one of the founders of the Catholic Defence Association; he was re-elected for Athlone in 1852. In the latter year he helped found the Independent Irish Party, which was popularly known as "the Pope's Brass Band". The new party was pledged to repeal the Ecclesiastical Titles Act and to further the cause of tenant reform, and most crucially its members gave an explicit promise not to take office but instead to hold the balance of power at Westminster. In this they were at first successful, helping to vote out the administration of Lord Derby, who was replaced by Lord Aberdeen.

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