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Childers, Erskine Hamilton

Erskine Hamilton Childers

b. 11 Dec 1905, London, England
d. 17 Nov 1974, Dublin, Ireland
Title: Uachtarán na hÉireann = President of Ireland
Term: 25 Jun 1973 - 17 Nov 1974
Chronology: 30 May 1973, elected President by direct vote
25 Jun 1973, sworn in, St Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle, Dublin
17 Nov 1974, died
Biography:

The son of Robert Erskine Childers, Irish nationalist agitator and writer executed by the Irish Free State forces on 24 Nov 1922, Erskine Childers was educated at Gresham School, Norfolk, and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1928 he became a manager in Paris for an American travel organization. In 1932 he returned to Ireland and became advertising manager of the "Irish Press". In 1936 he was appointed secretary of the Federation of Irish Manufacturers. Elected to Dáil Éireann, Childers represented Fianna Fáil (1938-1944, 1948-1957, 1961-1973) and was parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health (1944-1947). He served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (1951-1954, 1966-1969), Minister for Lands (1957-1959), Minister for Transport and Power (1959-1969), Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) and Minister for Health (1969-1973). Elected President of Ireland on 30 May 1973, defeating Thomas F. O'Higgins, the Fine Gael candidate, Childers died suddenly in Dublin, on 17 Nov 1974, from coronary thrombosis. Biography source: [1]
Elections:
Candidate First count (See note)
Erskine Childers 635,867
Thomas F. O'Higgins 587,771
total valid poll 1,223,638
spoiled votes 6,946
quota 611,820
Information source: [2]

[1] "A Dictionary of Irish Biography", ed. by Henry Boylan (Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1998).
[2] Toghcháin Uachtaráin 1938-1997 Presidential Elections. Dublin: Stationery Office, September 2000.
Last update: 29 Nov 2023
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