County Roscommon - People

People

John Fitzgibbon (1845-1919) Michael Wheatley wrote of Fitzgibbon: 'He himself sold land to the Congested Districts Board (CDB), oblivious to what a later age would call 'conflict of interest'.' Nationalism and the Irish party: provincial Ireland 1910 - 1916 (New York, 2005), p. 36> Wheatley was referring to the fact that Fitzgibbon was a member of the CDB in Castlerea when the transaction took place. Fitzgibbon started his working life in his father's drapery business in Castlerea <'These were the county's first prime ministers', (Roscommon Herald centenary supplement 1859 - 1959)> Seen as a spokesman for the tenant, Fitzgibbon exercised his powers of persuasion and oratory at meetings across Roscommon. His political life spanned 30 years, from the land war to the ranch war. He was also involved in the Gaelic League, the temperance movement and the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction (DATI). In 1910, he became MP for South Mayo. He served on the Castlerea board of guardians and was a member (later chairman, 1901), of Roscommon County Council.

  • Baron de Freyne
  • Douglas Hyde (1860–1949) - an Irish scholar of the Irish language who served as the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945. He founded the Gaelic League, one of the most influential cultural organisations in Ireland. Hyde is buried in the Hyde Museum, Frenchpark, Roscommon.
  • Percy French (1854–1920) - one of Ireland's foremost songwriters and entertainers. He has also become recognised for his watercolour paintings.
  • Chris O'Dowd (born 1980) - an Irish actor born in Boyle, County Roscommon. Best known for starring in Channel 4's comedy The IT Crowd.
  • Maureen O'Sullivan, Ireland's first international movie star, was born in Boyle, County Roscommon.

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