John A. Costello

John A. Costello
Costello in 1948
3rdTaoiseach
In office 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957
President	Seán T. O'Kelly
Tánaiste	William Norton
Preceded by	Éamon de Valera
Succeeded by	Éamon de Valera
In office 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951
President	Seán T. O'Kelly
Tánaiste	William Norton
Preceded by	Éamon de Valera
Succeeded by	Éamon de Valera
Leader of the Opposition
In office 20 March 1957 – 21 October 1959
President	Seán T. O'Kelly
Taoiseach	Éamon de Valera
Preceded by	Éamon de Valera
Succeeded by	James Dillon
In office 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954
President	Seán T. O'Kelly
Taoiseach	Éamon de Valera
Preceded by	Éamon de Valera
Succeeded by	Éamon de Valera
3rdAttorney General of Ireland
In office 9 January 1926 – 9 March 1932
President	W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by	John O'Byrne
Succeeded by	Conor Maguire
Teachta Dála
In office February 1948–June 1969
Constituency	Dublin South-East
In office May 1944–February 1948
In office July 1937–June 1943
Constituency	Dublin Townships
In office January 1933–July 1937
Constituency	Dublin County
Personal details
Born	(1891-06-20)20 June 1891 Fairview, Dublin,Ireland
Died	5 January 1976(1976-01-05)(aged 84) Ranelagh,Dublin, Ireland
Resting place	Deans Grange Cemetery,Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Spouse	Ida Mary O'Malley ​ ​ (m.1919; died 1956)​
Relations	Caroline Costello(granddaughter)
Children	4; includingDeclan
Education	St Joseph's, Fairview O'Connell School
Alma mater	University College Dublin King's Inns

John Aloysius Costello(20 June 1891 – 5 January 1976) was an IrishFine Gaelpolitician who served asTaoiseachfrom 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957,Leader of the Oppositionfrom 1951 to 1954 and from 1957 to 1959, andAttorney General of Irelandfrom 1926 to 1932. He served as aTeachta Dála(TD) from 1933 to 1943 and from 1944 to 1969.

Early life

Costello was born on 20 June 1891, inFairview, Dublin.He was the younger son of John Costello senior, a civil servant, and Rose Callaghan.He was educated atSt Joseph's, Fairview,and then moved toO'Connell School,for senior classes, and later attendedUniversity College Dublin,where he graduated with a degree in modern languages and law. He studied atKing's Innsto become a barrister, winning the Victoria Prize there in 1913 and 1914.

Costello was called to theIrish Barin 1914, and practised as a barrister until 1922.

Irish Free State

In 1922, Costello joined the staff at the office of the Attorney General in the newly establishedIrish Free State.Three years later he was called to the inner bar, and the following year, 1926, he becameAttorney General of Ireland,upon the formation of theCumann na nGaedhealgovernment, led byW. T. Cosgrave.While serving in this position he represented the Free State atImperial ConferencesandLeague of Nationsmeetings.

He was also elected a Bencher of the Honourable Society of King's Inns. Costello lost his position as Attorney General of Ireland whenFianna Fáilcame to power in 1932. The following year, however, he was elected toDáil Éireannas a Cumann na nGaedhealTD.Cumann na nGaedheal soon merged with other parties to formFine Gael.

Blueshirts speech

On 28 February 1934, during a Dáil debate on a bill to outlaw the wearing of uniforms (a bill specifically designed to curtail theBlueshirts,a uniformed movement then associated with Fine Gael and formed to defend their candidates, meeting and rallies from IRA attack), Costello made a speech opposing the bill that has generated controversy ever since. In response to an assertion byMinister for JusticeP. J. Ruttledge,that the Blueshirts had fascist leanings like the ItalianBlackshirtsand GermanBrownshirts,and that other European nations had taken similar actions against similar organisations, Costello stated:

The Minister gave extracts from various laws on the continent, but he carefully refrained from drawing attention to the fact that the Blackshirts were victorious in Italy and that the Hitler Shirts were victorious in Germany, as, assuredly, in spite of this Bill...the Blueshirts will be victorious in the Irish Free State.

The remark was a small part of a much longer speech whose main point was that the bill was an unconstitutional over-reaction by the Fianna Fáil government and an unfair scapegoating of the Blueshirts movement.However, the quote has since been the subject of much historical debate regarding the extent to which the Blueshirts, and by extension Fine Gael – and Costello himself – had ties to European fascist movements.

Other Dáil activity

During the Dáil debate on theEmergency Powers Act 1939,Costello was highly critical of the Act's arrogation of powers, stating that

We are asked not merely to give a blank cheque, but, to give an uncrossed cheque to the Government.

He lost his seat at thegeneral election of 1943,but regained it when de Valera called asnap election in 1944.From 1944 to 1948, he was the Fine Gael front-bench Spokesman on External Affairs.

1948 general election

Main article:1948 Irish general election

In 1948, Fianna Fáil had been in power for sixteen consecutive years and had been blamed for a downturn in the economy followingWorld War II.Thegeneral electionresults showed Fianna Fáil short of a majority, but still by far the largest party, with twice as many seats as the nearest rival, Fine Gael. It appeared that Fianna Fáil was headed for a seventh term in government.

However, the other parties in the Dáil realised that between them, they had only one seat fewer than Fianna Fáil, and if they banded together, they would be able to form a government with the support of seven Independent deputies. Fine Gael, theLabour Party,theNational Labour Party,Clann na PoblachtaandClann na Talmhanjoined to form the firstinter-partygovernmentin the history of the Irish state.

While it looked as if cooperation between these parties would not be feasible a shared opposition to Fianna Fáil andÉamon de Valeraovercame all other difficulties and thecoalition governmentwas formed.

Taoiseach (1948–1951)

British Movietonenewsreel reporting upon Costello's ascension to the office of Taoiseach

SinceFine Gaelwas the largest party in the government, it had the task of providing a suitable candidate forTaoiseach.Naturally, it was assumed that its leader,Richard Mulcahy,would be offered the post. However, he was an unacceptable choice toClann na Poblachtaand its deeply republican leader,Seán MacBride.This was due to Mulcahy's record during theIrish Civil War.Instead, Fine Gael and Clann na Poblachta agreed on Costello as a compromise candidate. Costello had never held a ministerial position nor was he involved in the Civil War. When told by Mulcahy of his nomination Costello was appalled, content with his life as a barrister and as a part-time politician. He was persuaded to accept the nomination as Taoiseach by close non-political friends.

Declaration of the republic

During the campaign Clann na Poblachta had promised to repeal theExternal Relations Actof 1936, but did not make an issue of this when the government was being formed. However, Costello and hisTánaiste,William Nortonof the Labour Party, also disliked the act. During the summer of 1948, the cabinet discussed repealing the act; however, no firm decision was made.

In September 1948, Costello was on an official visit toCanadawhen a reporter asked him about the possibility of Ireland leaving theBritish Commonwealth.Costello, for the first time, declared publicly that the Irish government was indeed going to repeal the External Relations Act and declare Ireland a republic.It has been suggested that this was a reaction to offence caused by theGovernor General of Canadaat the time,the Earl Alexander of Tunis,who was of Northern Irish descent and who allegedly arranged to have placed symbols of Northern Ireland—notably a replica of the famousRoaring Megcannon used in theSiege of Derry—in front of Costello at an official dinner.Costello made no mention of these aspects on the second reading of the Republic of Ireland Bill on 24 November and,in his memoirs, claimed that Alexander's behaviour had in fact been perfectly civil and could have had no bearing on a decision which had already been made.

The news took theGovernment of the United Kingdomand even some of Costello's ministers by surprise. The former had not been consulted and, following the declaration of the Republic in 1949, the UK passed theIreland Actthat year. This recognised the Republic of Ireland and guaranteed the position ofNorthern Irelandwithin the United Kingdom for so long as a majority there wanted to remain in the United Kingdom. It also granted full rights to any citizens of the republic living in the United Kingdom. Ireland left the Commonwealth on 18 April 1949, when theRepublic of Ireland Act 1948came into force.Frederick Henry Boland,Secretary of the Department of External Affairs, said caustically that the affair demonstrated that "the Taoiseach has as much notion of diplomacy as I have of astrology."The British envoyLord Rugbywas equally critical of what he called a "slipshod and amateur" move.

Manynationalistsnow sawpartitionas the last obstacle on the road to total national independence. Costello tabled a motion of protest against partition on 10 May 1949, without result.

Mother and Child Scheme

In 1950, the independent-mindedMinister for Health,Noel Browne,introduced theMother and Child Scheme.The scheme would provide mothers with free maternity treatment and their children with free medical care up to the age of sixteen, which was the normal provision in other parts of Europe at that time. The bill was opposed by doctors, who feared a loss of income, andRoman Catholicbishops, who opposed the lack of means testing envisaged and feared the scheme could lead to birth control and abortion. The cabinet was divided over the issue, many feeling that the state could not afford such a scheme priced at IR£2,000,000 annually. Costello and others in the cabinet made it clear that in the face of such opposition, they would not support the Minister. Browne resigned from the government on 11 April 1951, and the scheme was dropped. He immediately published his correspondence with Costello and the bishops, something which had hitherto not been done. Derivatives of the Mother and Child Scheme would be introduced in Public Health Acts of 1954, 1957 and 1970.

Costello took the opportunity to reconfirm his beliefs in Catholicism on 12 April 1951, in his speech on Dr. Browne's resignation:

I have no hesitation in saying that we, as a Government, representing a people, the overwhelming majority of whom are of the one faith, who have a special position in the Constitution, when we are given advice or warnings by the authoritative people in the Catholic Church, on matters strictly confined to faith and morals, so long as I am here—and I am sure I speak for my colleagues—will give to their directions, given within that scope—and I have no doubt that they do not desire in the slightest to go one fraction of an inch outside the sphere of faith and morals—our complete obedience and allegiance. "..." I am an Irishman second, I am a Catholic first, and I accept without qualification in all respects the teaching of the hierarchy and the church to which I belong.

Coalition achievements

The Costello government had a number of noteworthy achievements. A new record was set in housebuilding, theIndustrial Development Authorityand Córas Tráchtála were established, and the Minister for Health, Noel Browne, with the then newStreptomycin,brought about an advance in the treatment of tuberculosis.Ireland also joined a number of organisations such as theOrganization for European Economic Co-operationand theCouncil of Europe.However, the government refused to joinNATO,allegedly because the British remained inNorthern Ireland.The scheme to supply electricity to even the remotest parts of Ireland was also accelerated.

Election defeat

An Taoiseach John A. Costello inspects ranks of An Gárda Síochána in Glenties during the 1951 election campaign

While the "Mother and Child" incident did destabilise the government to some extent, it did not lead to its collapse as is generally thought. The government continued; however, prices were rising, a balance of payments crisis was looming, and two TDs withdrew their support for the government. These incidents added to the pressure on Costello and so he decided to call ageneral electionfor June 1951. The result was inconclusive but Fianna Fáil returned to power. Costello resigned as Taoiseach. It was at this election that Costello's sonDeclanwas elected to the Dáil.

Over the next three years while Fianna Fáil was in power a dual-leadership role of Fine Gael was taking place. While Richard Mulcahy was the leader of the party, Costello, who had proved his skill as Taoiseach, remained as parliamentary leader of the party. He resumed his practice at the Bar; what is arguably his most celebrated case, the successful defence ofThe Leaderagainst a libel action brought by the poetPatrick Kavanagh,dates from this period.Kavanagh generously praised Costello's forensic skill, and the two men became friends.

Taoiseach (1954–1957)

At the1954 general electionFianna Fáil lost power. A campaign dominated by economic issues resulted in a Fine Gael-Labour Party-Clann na Talmhangovernment coming to power. Costello was elected Taoiseach for the second time.

The government could do little to change the ailing nature of Ireland's economy, with emigration and unemployment remaining high, and external problems such as theSuez Crisiscompounding the difficulty. Measures to expand the Irish economy such as export profits tax relief introduced in 1956 would take years to have a sizable impact.Costello's government did have some success with Ireland becoming a member of theUnited Nationsin 1955, and a highly successful visit to theUnited Statesin 1956, which began the custom by which the Taoiseach visits theWhite HouseeachSaint Patrick's Dayto present theUS Presidentwith a bowl ofshamrock.Although the government had a comfortable majority and seemed set for a full term in office, a resumption ofIRAactivity in Northern Ireland andGreat Britaincaused internal strains (seeBorder Campaign). Thegovernmenttook strong action against therepublicans.

In spite of supporting the government from the backbenches, Seán MacBride, the leader ofClann na Poblachta,tabled amotion of no confidence,based on the weakening state of the economy and in opposition to the government's stance on the IRA. Fianna Fáil also tabled its own motion of no confidence, and, rather than face almost certain defeat, Costello again askedPresidentSeán T. O'Kellyto dissolve theOireachtas.Thegeneral electionwhich followed in 1957 gave Fianna Fáil an overall majority and started another sixteen years of unbroken rule for the party. Some of his colleagues questioned the wisdom of Costello's decision to call an election; the view was expressed that he was tired of politics, and depressed by his wife's sudden death the previous year.

Retirement

Following the defeat of his government, Costello returned to the bar. In 1959, when Richard Mulcahy resigned the leadership of Fine Gael toJames Dillon,Costello retired to the backbenches. Costello could have become party leader had he been willing to act in a full-time capacity.He remained as a TD until 1969, when he retired from politics, being succeeded as Fine Gael TD forDublin South-EastbyGarret FitzGerald,who himself went on to becomeTaoiseachin a Fine Gael-led government.

During his career, he was presented with a number of awards from many universities in the United States. He was also a member of theRoyal Irish Academyfrom 1948. In March 1975, he was made a freeman of the city of Dublin, along with his old political opponent Éamon de Valera. He practised at the bar until a short time before his death, in Dublin, on 5 January 1976, at the age of 84.

Governments

The following governments were led by Costello:

• 5th government of Ireland(February 1948 – June 1951)
• 7th government of Ireland(June 1954 – March 1957)

See also

• List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland

Further reading

• John A. Costello 1891-1976 Compromise Taoiseach,Anthony J. Jordan,Westport Books 2007.
• The Reluctant Taoiseach,2010 book,David McCullagh.

External links

• Newspaper clippings about John A. Costelloin the20th Century Press Archivesof theZBW