James Coburn (Irish politician)

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For other people named James Coburn, see James Coburn (disambiguation).

James Coburn (13 April 1889 – 5 December 1953), also known as "The Juker" Coburn,[1] was an Irish politician. A builders foreman, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a National League Party Teachta Dála (TD) for the Louth constituency at the June 1927 general election.[2] He was re-elected at the September 1927 general election but became an Independent TD in July 1931 following the disbandment of the National League Party. He was re-elected as an independent TD at the 1932 and 1933 general elections. At the 1937 general election he was re-elected as a Fine Gael TD for Louth. He was re-elected at each general election until the 1951 general election.[3] His background as a builder led to Fianna Fáil supporters disrupting Coburn's rallies at election time by singing "A mason once again" to the tune of the Fine Gael anthem A Nation Once Again.

Coburn had sympathetic attitudes to Mussolini stating in the Dail in 1937 that "If I had a choice between Mussolini as leader, as President of the Irish Free State—if I had to make my choice as between him and the man representing Labour, that representative of sloppy sentimentalism in the form of cheap sloppy democracy, I would vote a thousand times for Mussolini. I am a trade unionist and a working man, and I know that under a man like Mussolini you will have protection and law and order and nothing will be taken by the waster from the thrifty section of the community."[4]

He died during the 14th Dáil and the subsequent by-election on 3 March 1954 was won by his son George Coburn.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Death of TD who won only Louth by-election". Dundalk Democrat. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  2. ^ "James Coburn". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
  3. ^ "James Coburn". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
  4. ^ "Dáil Éireann debate - Spanish Civil War (Non-Intervention) Bill, 1937". Houses of the Oireachtas. 19 February 1937. Retrieved 17 October 2019.


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