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James Fitzgerald-Kenney Clongowes in 1894-1896 James Fitzgerald-Kenney (1878-1956), minister for justice, was a native of Ballyglass, County Mayo, who attended Clongowes in 18946. He studied at UCD, where he excelled in debate, and graduated in 1898 with a degree in arts. He was called to the bar in 1899, taking silk in 1926. A supporter of Home Rule, he joined the Irish Volunteers in County Mayo in 1914, remaining with the Redmondite wing after the movement split. Elected to the Dáil as a Cumann na nGaedheal deputy in 1927, he was appointed minister for justice within a few months and held the office until 1932. His inexperience made him an opposition target in the Dáil. After the foundation of Fine Gael in 1933, he was an active member of the Blueshirts and for a time the leader of its youth section. He lost his Dáil seat in 1944 and retired from politics to pursue a successful legal practice. He was a lifelong supporter of the Irish language, pioneering the Gaelic League in Mayo and establishing a local branch, which he chaired. He combined legal practice with farming the Mayo estate inherited through his mother. His other interests included shooting and fishing.
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Clongownians of Distinction
