William O'Doherty

William O'Doherty
Member of Parliament for North Donegal
In office
1900 – 18 May 1905
Preceded byThomas Bartholomew Curran
Succeeded byJohn Muldoon
Member of Londonderry Corporation
In office
1896 – 18 May 1905
ConstituencyWest Ward
Personal details
Born1868 (1868)
Died18 May 1905(1905-05-18) (aged 36–37)
London, England
PartyIrish Parliamentary Party
Spouse
Margaret Mitchell
(m. 1894)
OccupationPolitician, solicitor, coroner

William O'Doherty (1868 – 18 May 1905)[1] was an Irish nationalist politician and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Biography

O'Doherty was born in 1868 in Carndonagh, County Donegal.[2] He attended St Columb's College in Derry. In 1893 he became a solicitor, and a year later became the coroner for Inishowen (North Donegal).[1][2] In 1896 he was elected to the West Ward constituency on Londonderry Corporation.[2] He was elected as the Irish Parliamentary Party MP for North Donegal constituency at the 1900 general election.[1] In 1902 O'Doherty was criticised by the United Irish League for attending the coronation of King Edward VII and called on him to resign. He responded to the criticism but stating the separation policy of the party was impractical.[3][4]

On 18 May 1905, while in the House of Commons, O'Doherty suffered a paralytic stroke and later succumbed to a haemorrhage.[1][5] The subsequent by-election for his vacant seat was won by John Muldoon.

Personal life

In 1894 he married Margaret Mitchell.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Death of Mr. William O'Doherty, M.P.". Londonderry Standard. 19 May 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 9 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d "Death of an Irish member". Gloucester Citizen. 19 May 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "The Executive Committee of the United Irish League for North Donegal has called on Mr William O'Doherty, member of Parliament for the division, to resign his seat". Dundee Courier. 2 October 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 9 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Mr. William O'Doherty and the Irish Parliamentary Party called on to resign - letter of refusal". Londonderry Sentinel. 2 October 1902. p. 8. Retrieved 9 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Irish M.P. dies suddenly.; William O'Doherty Stricken While Writing in the Commons". The New York Times. 19 May 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 9 January 2026.