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T.P. O'Connor
Thomas Power O'Connor was born in Castle Street, Athlone in 1848.
His father was a 'billiard saloon keeper'. As a child T.P. attended
the Model School in Galway. He was brought home to attend the new
diocesan College at Summerhill, Athlone. His mother later put him
through college in Galway from where he graduated with a degree in
History and Modern Languages in 1866. In 1867 he was given a trial
(without pay) as a journalist with Saunder's Newsletter. He proved
himself so useful that he was quickly employed. In 1870 he moved to
London and worked for the Daily Telegraph and later in the Fleet Street
offices of the New York Herald. Having applied for a job as a publisher's
reader he was interviewed by the publisher S.O. Beeton who proposed
that T.P. should write a book himself.
His first book was on Disraeli
and he went on to produce another fifteen books on various topics.He
stood as an Irish Nationalist candidate in the General Election
of 1880 and was returned as the Irish Nationalist M.P. for Galway.
By 1885 he was the president of the Irish National League of
Great Britain. The Irish in Liverpool invited him to contest
a seat there and he became the MP for the "Scotland division
of Liverpool".In 1887 he founded his first newspaper "The
Star". He employed George Bernard Shaw; as an assistant
leader-writer and music critic.
When he found himself in financial difficulties he sold "The
Star" but with the help of the money received he founded
"The Sunday Sun". He later founded two more journals
before he started "T.P.'s Weekly" in 1902. It ceased
publication during the War but was revived in 1923 and lasted
for a further six years until T.P. resigned because of ill health.
T. P. served as first British film censor, a position he held
until his death. At the time of his death in 1929 he was 'Father
of the House of Commons' and a member of the Privy Council.
In 2005 Athlone Town Council named a street in his honour.
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Tormey
Solicitors offices at High Street (opposite Athlone Castle)
marks the birthplace of TP O'Connor.
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Copyright © 2008 Athlone Architectural Heritage Group
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