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Ross McGillycuddy

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Ross McGillycuddy
Senator
In office
27 April 1938 – 8 September 1943
ConstituencyAgricultural Panel
Senator
In office
9 December 1931 – 29 May 1936
Personal details
Born(1882-10-26)26 October 1882
County Kerry, Ireland
Died26 April 1950(1950-04-26) (aged 67)
County Kerry, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
Spouse
Helen Courage
(m. 1908)
Children4
Education
Awards
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1902–1919
RankLieutenant Colonel
Unit
Battles/warsWorld War I

Ross Kinlough McGillycuddy (styled The McGillycuddy of the Reeks; 26 October 1882 – 26 April 1950) was an Irish politician.

He was educated at Fettes College and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, joined the Royal Field Artillery, and was posted to India in 1903.[1] He married Helen Courage of Shenfield Place, Essex in 1908; they had four children. He was a lieutenant colonel in the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, and witnessed the first action in World War I in August 1914 at Casteau. He was mentioned in dispatches four times; and awarded a Distinguished Service Order[2] and Legion of Honour[3] for improving the mobility of the Vickers machine gun. Brigadier Beauvoir De Lisle ordered him to form the first 36 companies of the Machine Gun Corps.

He retired to Ireland on his father's death in 1921 and became a Kerry County Councillor in 1926.[1] He was an independent member of Seanad Éireann from 1928 to 1936, and 1938 to 1943.[4] He was elected at the 1928 Seanad election for three years, and re-elected at the 1931 Seanad election for nine years.[4] He served until the Free State Seanad was abolished in 1936. He was elected to the 2nd Seanad in 1938 on the Agricultural Panel and was re-elected to the 3rd Seanad.[4]

During World War II he was at the same time a senator, an officer in the British Army and Chief of the Name. After McGillycuddy complained to the BBC, its 1949 Green Book of standards entered the stricture 'Do not mention the McGillycuddy of the Reeks or make jokes about his name'.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The McGillycuddy of the Reeks". owenoshea.ie. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Page 575 | Supplement 29438, 11 January 1916 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  3. ^ "Page 7093 | Supplement 30184, 13 July 1917 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  4. ^ a b c "McGillycuddy of the Reeks". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  5. ^ "The McGillycuddy of the Reeks". Andrew Cusack. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
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