Joseph McGrath (politician)

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For the Scottish film director, see Joseph McGrath (film director).

Joseph McGrath (1887 – 1st March 1966) was an Irish politician. He was a Sinn Féin and later a Cumann na nGaedhael Teachta Dála for various constituencies in Dublin and County Mayo.

McGrath was born in Dublin in 1887. He became involved in Irish nationalism and soon joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He fought in Marrowbone Lane in the Easter Rising of 1916. McGrath was arrested after the rising, and jailed in Wormwood Scrubs and Brixton prisons in England. In the 1918 general election he was elected Sinn Féin TD for the St James division of Dublin and later went on to become a member of the First Dáil. McGrath went on to serve as Minister for Labour in the Second Dáil and the Provisional Government of Ireland. He also served in the 1st and 2nd Executive Councils holding the Industry & Commerce portfolio.

McGrath resigned from office in April 1924 because of dissatisfaction with government attitude to certain army officers and as he said himself, "government by a clique and by officialdom of old regime." Not only did he resign from government but he resigned his Dáil seat. Following his political career he went on to become involved in the building trade. In 1925 he became labour adviser to Siemens-Schuckert, German contractors for the Ardnacrusha hydro-electric scheme. McGrath founded the Irish Hospitals' Trust in 1930, and the success of its sweepstakes made him an extremely wealthy man. He had other extensive and successful business interests and became Ireland's best-known racehorse owner and breeder, winning the Epsom Derby with Arctic Prince in 1951.

McGrath died at his house in Dublin in March 1966.

[edit] Ministerial Career

Preceded by: Countess Markievicz	Minister for Labour 1922	Succeeded by: Patrick Hogan
Preceded by: Ernest Blythe	Minister for Industry & Commerce 1922–1924	Succeeded by: Patrick McGilligan