Lorcan Sherlock Explained

Office:Lord Mayor of Dublin
Term Start:1912
Term End:1915
Predecessor:John J. Farrell
Successor:Sir James Gallagher
Birth Date:5 June 1874
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Death Place:Dublin, Ireland
Nationality:Irish
Children:3

Lorcan George Sherlock (5 June 1874 – 26 December 1945) was an Irish businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1912 to 1915.[1] He as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

Lorcan Sherlock was born as one of four sons and two daughters of Thomas Sherlock and his wife Theresa (née Donnelly), Thomas Sherlock was a journalist and member of Dublin City Council. Two of his Lorcan's brothers, Thomas and John, also later worked as journalists, like their father. The third, Gerald, became Dublin's first city manager.[1]

He was educated at the O'Connell School on North Richmond Street, Dublin. In 1897, he married Elizabeth Doyle, and they had two children. After her death, he married Catherine McEneaney in 1910, with whom he had a daughter.[1]

In 1905, he was elected to Dublin Corporation, representing his local district, the Mountjoy ward.[1] In 1912, he was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin and served three successive terms.[1] [2]

He was outspoken on workers' rights and made statements in support of trade unionism.[1] The 1913 Dublin lock-out defined Sherlock's second term in the Mansion House. On 31 August a city-centre meeting called by Jim Larkin to address the workers was savagely baton-charged by the police, resulting in hundreds of injuries and the deaths of two civilians. In response, Sherlock called for a public enquiry into the behaviour of the police.[1]

He was the last Irish Parliamentary Party politician to serve as Lord Mayor. After the formation of the Irish Free State, Sherlock retired from politics, and instead performed the role of chief returning officer for the city of Dublin in the 1924, 1927, 1933 and 1937 general elections.[1]

In his youth, Sherlock was a keen cricketer. In later years he turned to golf. The Lorcan Sherlock Cup, which has been awarded since 1934, is named after him.[1] He died on 26 December 1945 at his residence in Sydney Parade, Dublin.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sherlock, Lorcan George. Dictionary of Irish Biography. 14 July 2021. Cullen. Frank. December 2017. 14 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210714154523/https://www.dib.ie/biography/sherlock-lorcan-george-a9956. live.
  2. Web site: Lord Mayors of Dublin 1665–2020 . Dublin City Council. June 2020. 18 November 2023.