OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20198, 28 March 1931, Page 19

OBITUARY.

MR TIM HEALY, K.CJ. (wmZD FKESS ASSOCUTIOir—Bt BKECTBIO TELEaSAPH—COPYRIGHT ) . LONDON, March 26. The death has occurred of Mr Tim Healy, K.C., first Governor-General of the Irish Free State. There was a timo in British politics when the name of Tim Healy (who knew him as Mr Timothy Michael Healy P) was enough in itself to fill tho benches in tho House of Commons whenever it was announced that be was to speak on Irish questions. Ha was one of the most effective of the Nationalist orators His speeches were by turns witty and passionate, whimsical and malicious. Thus, after tho Liberal split when Mr Joseph Chamberlain, during Mr Gladstone's absence, remarked: "When the, cat's away, the mice will play," Mr Healy added bitterly: "And the rats." He was a stormy petrel r On one occasion he completely outwitted the Speaker. His colleagues had been dragging Ireland into a debate on Uganda, ana had been checked for irrelevance. Mr Healy, however, could not be checked, for he rose "as a native of Uganda" and dealt exhaustively with the Irish question while solemnly pretending that he was speaking of the African colony, the names of whose towns had u remarkably Irish flavour. Mr Healy was born at Bantry, Cdrk, in May, 1855, and educated at the Christian Brothers' School at Formoy. In 1884 he was called to the Irish Bar/ becoming a Q.C. in 1899. A clever lawyer, he was called to the English Bar in 1903, and in 1911 became a K.C He first entered th« House of Commons in 1880 a« member "for Wexford, and represented that constituency for three voars. Later in. turn he represented County Monnpihnn, 1883-85; South Londonderry 1885-86; North Longford, 1887-02; North Louth 1892-1910; anH_ North-east Cork 1910-18. His publications include "Stolon Waters; A Word for Ireland," "Loynlty Plus Murder," and "Leaders and Letters of My Day."