William Fearon

Irish politician and academic (1892–1959)

William Fearon

Senator
In office 8 September 1943 – 27 December 1959
Constituency	Dublin University

Personal details
Born	(1892-10-14)14 October 1892 Dublin, Ireland
Died	27 December 1959(1959-12-27) (aged 67) Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Independent
Education	St Andrew's College, Dublin
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin Emmanuel College, Cambridge

William Robert Fearon (14 October 1892 – 27 December 1959) was an Irish politician and academic. He was an independent member of Seanad Éireann from 1943 to 1959.^[1]

He was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. He received a BA in natural science in 1915, and then entered medical school, although it was several years before he took his medical degree.^[1] He was a Mackinnon research student of the Royal Society from 1919 to 1921, studying biochemistry at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.^[1]

He was first elected to the Seanad in 1943 for the Dublin University constituency.^[2] He was re-elected at the 1944, 1948, 1951, 1954 and 1957 elections.^[2] He died while still in office, and William J. E. Jessop won the subsequent by-election.

He was Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin.^[3] In 1937, he wrote a play called Parnell of Avondale.^[1]

He died on 27 December 1959, aged 67, at Monkstown Hospital, Dublin; he never married.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Byrne, Patricia M. "Fearon, William Robert". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^ ^a ^b "William Fearon". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
^ "Obituary". British Medical Journal. 1 (5167): 205. 16 January 1960. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5167.205. PMC 1966336.

External links

"Fearon, William Robert" . Thom's Irish Who's Who . Dublin: Alexander Thom and Son Ltd. 1923. p. 77-78 – via Wikisource.

« 3rd Seanad « Members of the 4th Seanad (1943–1944)» 5th Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Seán Goulding (FF)
Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)

Administrative Panel

Joseph Hannigan (Ind)
Michael Hayes (FG)
Denis Healy (FF)
Michael Hearne (FF)
James McGee (Ind)
Edward Monahan (FG)
Richard Walsh (FF)

Agricultural Panel

Patrick Baxter (CnaT)
Michael Colbert (FF)
John Counihan (Ind)
Seán Gibbons (FF)
Daniel Hogan (FF)
Patrick Kehoe (FF)
Peter Lynch (Ind)
Dominick MacCabe (Ind)
William Quirke (FF)
Gerard Sweetman (FG)
Thomas Walsh (FF)

Cultural and Educational Panel

Patrick Doyle (FG)
Thomas J. O'Connell (Lab)
Seán O'Donovan (FF)
Donal O'Sullivan (Ind)
James Parkinson (FG)

Industrial and Commercial Panel

Joseph Brennan (Ind)
Daniel Corkery (FF)
James Crosbie (FG)
Seán Goulding (FF)
Peter Trainor Kelly (Ind)
David Madden (FG)
John Maguire (Ind)
Frank O'Beirne (FF)
Frank J. Hugh O'Donnell (Ind)

Labour Panel

John Butler (FG)
Michael Colgan (Ind)
Thomas Foran (Lab)
Frederick Hawkins (Ind)
Thomas Hayden (Lab)
James Johnston (Ind)
Thomas Kennedy (Lab)
Sam Kyle (Lab)
Richard Mulcahy (FG)
Seán Ruane (Ind)
Michael Smyth (Ind)

Dublin University

William Fearon (Ind)
T. C. Kingsmill Moore (Ind)
Robert Rowlette (Ind)

National University

Henry Barniville (FG)
Helena Concannon (FF)
Michael Tierney (FG)

Nominated by the Taoiseach

Seán Campbell (Lab)
Robert Farnan (FF)
T. V. Honan (FF)
Sir John Keane (Ind)
Margaret L. Kennedy (FF)
William Magennis (Ind)
Liam Ó Buachalla (FF)
Pádraic Ó Máille (FF)
Peter O'Loghlen (FF)
Margaret Mary Pearse (FF)
Matthew Stafford (FF)

FF: Fianna Fáil
FG: Fine Gael
CnaT: Clann na Talmhan
Lab: Labour Party
Ind: Independent

v t e « 4th Seanad « Members of the 5th Seanad (1944–1948) » 6th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Seán Goulding (FF) Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)
Administrative Panel	Andrew Clarkin (FF) Seán Goulding (FF) Michael Hayes (FG) Denis Healy (FF) Michael Hearne (FF) James McGee (Ind) Thomas Ruane (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) John Counihan (Ind) Daniel Hogan (FF) Edmund Horan (CnaT) Patrick Kehoe (FF) Dominick MacCabe (Ind) William O'Callaghan (FG) Timothy O'Donovan (FG) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) William Quirke (FF) Gerard Sweetman (FG)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Patrick Doyle (FG) Louis O'Dea (FF) Seán O'Donovan (FF) Patrick J. O'Reilly (Ind) James Parkinson (FG)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Thomas Condon (Ind) Daniel Corkery (FF) James Crosbie (FG) Tadhg Crowley (FF) James G. Douglas (Ind) Luke Duffy (Lab) Peter Trainor Kelly (Ind) Seán MacEllin (FF) David Madden (FG)
Labour Panel	John Butler (FG) Thomas Hayden (Lab) James Johnston (Ind) John Thomas Keane (Ind) Thomas Kennedy (Lab) Sam Kyle (Lab) Peter Lynch (Ind) John Meighan (CnaT) Seán Ruane (Ind) Michael Smyth (Ind) James Tunney (Lab)
Dublin University	William Fearon (Ind) Joseph Johnston (Ind) T. C. Kingsmill Moore (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) Michael J. Ryan (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Seán Campbell (Lab) Robert Farnan (FF) Thomas Foran (Lab) T. V. Honan (FF) Sir John Keane (Ind) Margaret L. Kennedy (FF) William Magennis (Ind) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Pádraic Ó Máille (FF) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Matthew Stafford (FF)
Elected or nominated later	1945 Frederick Summerfield (Ind) 1946 Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha (Ind) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Edward Pakenham (Ind) 1947 Joseph Warwick Bigger (Ind)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 5th Seanad « Members of the 6th Seanad (1948–1951) » 7th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Timothy O'Donovan (FG) Leader of the Seanad Michael Hayes (FG)
Administrative Panel	John Finan (CnaT) Patrick Fitzsimons (Ind) Seán Goulding (FF) Michael Hearne (FF) James McGee (Ind) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Jeremiah Ryan (FG)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Robert Malachy Burke (Lab) John Counihan (Ind) Seán Gibbons (FF) William O'Callaghan (FG) Timothy O'Donovan (FG) Martin O'Dwyer (Ind) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) Martin Quinn (Ind) William Quirke (FF) James Tunney (Lab)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Michael Hayes (FG) Cecil Lavery (FG) Frank Loughman (FF) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Thomas J. O'Connell (Lab)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Joseph Brennan (Ind) Denis Burke (FG) Andrew Clarkin (FF) James Crosbie (FG) Henry Morgan Dockrell (FG) Luke Duffy (Lab) T. V. Honan (FF) Peter Lynch (Ind) Frederick Summerfield (Ind)
Labour Panel	Richard Anthony (Ind) John Butler (FG) Seán Campbell (Lab) Michael Colgan (Ind) Andrew Fogarty (FF) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Seán Hayes (FF) John Meighan (CnaT) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) Seán Ruane (Ind) Michael Smyth (Ind)
Dublin University	Joseph Warwick Bigger (Ind) William Fearon (Ind) William Bedell Stanford (Ind)
National University of Ireland	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) George O'Brien (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	George C. Bennett (FG) Eleanor Butler (Lab) James G. Douglas (Ind) Denis Ireland (CnaP) Patrick McCartan (CnaP) James J. McCrea (Lab) Edward McGuire (Ind) Séamus O'Farrell (Ind) Edward Richards-Orpen (Ind) Edmund Sweetman (FG) Patrick Woulfe (Ind)
Elected or nominated later	1950 Mary Davidson (Lab)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaP: Clann na Poblachta CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 6th Seanad « Members of the 7th Seanad (1951–1954) » 8th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)
Administrative Panel	Patrick Fitzsimons (Ind) Michael Hearne (FF) James J. McCrea (Lab) James McGee (Ind) Michael J. O'Higgins (FG) Thomas Ruane (FF) Patrick Teehan (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Bernard Commons (CnaT) Patrick Gorry (FF) James Kilroy (FF) Michael Óg McFadden (FG) William O'Callaghan (FG) Timothy O'Donovan (FG) Martin O'Dwyer (Ind) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) William Quirke (FF) James Tunney (Lab)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Michael Hayes (FG) Frank Loughman (FF) James B. Lynch (FF) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Patrick F. O'Reilly (Ind)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Denis Burke (FG) Andrew Clarkin (FF) James G. Douglas (Ind) Jane Dowdall (FF) Seán Hartney (FF) Peter Lynch (Ind) Edward McGuire (Ind) Frank J. Hugh O'Donnell (Ind) Frederick Summerfield (Ind)
Labour Panel	Pádraig Ághas (Ind) John Butler (FG) Michael Colgan (Ind) Noel Hartnett (CnaP) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Seán Hayes (FF) Vincent McHugh (FG) William McMullen (Lab) John Meighan (CnaT) Daniel O'Rourke (FF) Seán Ruane (Ind)
Dublin University	Gardner Budd (Ind) William Fearon (Ind) William Bedell Stanford (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) George O'Brien (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Daniel Corkery (FF) Robert Farnan (FF) Seán Goulding (FF) T. V. Honan (FF) Joseph Johnston (Ind) Eamon Kissane (FF) Seán O'Donovan (FF) Seán O'Grady (FF) Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha (Ind) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Michael Yeats (FF)
Elected or nominated later	1952 William J. E. Jessop (Ind) 1953 John F. Cunningham (Ind)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaP: Clann na Poblachta CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 7th Seanad « Members of the 8th Seanad (1954–1957) » 9th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Leader of the Seanad Michael Hayes (FG)
Administrative Panel	Gerry L'Estrange (FG) James McGee (Ind) John L. O'Sullivan (FG) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Thomas Ruane (FF) Patrick Teehan (FF) Louis Walsh (Ind)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Patrick Cogan (FF) Bernard Commons (CnaT) John Mannion Snr (FG) James J. McCrea (Lab) William O'Callaghan (FG) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) Timothy O'Sullivan (FF) Micheál Prendergast (FG) William Quirke (FF) John Donnelly Sheridan (Ind)
Cultural and Educational Panel	James Crosbie (FG) Michael ffrench-O'Carroll (Ind) Eamon Kissane (FF) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Thomas J. O'Connell (Lab)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Denis Burke (FG) Andrew Clarkin (FF) Mary Davidson (Lab) Jane Dowdall (FF) Seán Hartney (FF) John Lynch (FG) Peter Lynch (Ind) Edward McGuire (Ind) Matthew Smith (FF)
Labour Panel	Richard Anthony (Ind) John Butler (FG) Victor Carton (FG) Patrick Crowley (Lab) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Seán Hayes (FF) Liam Kelly (Ind) Dominick Murphy (Lab) Frank Purcell (Ind) Seán Ruane (Ind) Patrick Tierney (Lab)
Dublin University	William Fearon (Ind) Owen Sheehy-Skeffington (Ind) William Bedell Stanford (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Roger McHugh (Ind) George O'Brien (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Patrick Bergin (Lab) Arthur Cox (Ind) James G. Douglas (Ind) Henry Eustace Guinness (Ind) Michael Hayes (FG) James Hickey (Lab) John Meighan (CnaT) Frank J. Hugh O'Donnell (Ind) Patrick O'Gorman (FG) James Reidy (FG) James Tunney (Lab)
Elected or nominated later	1954 John Douglas (Ind) 1956 Seamus Bohan (Ind) James O'Keeffe (FG) Joe Sheridan (Ind) William Woods (Ind)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 8th Seanad « Members of the 9th Seanad (1957–1961) » 10th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Leader of the Seanad Thomas Mullins (FF)
Administrative Panel	Patrick Connor (FG) Patrick Fitzsimons (Ind) Gerry L'Estrange (FG) John O'Leary (Lab) John L. O'Sullivan (FG) Thomas Ruane (FF) Patrick Teehan (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Patrick Crowe (FG) Paddy Donegan (FG) Daniel Hogan (FF) Robert Lahiffe (FF) William O'Callaghan (FG) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) Timothy O'Sullivan (FF) Micheál Prendergast (FG) John Donnelly Sheridan (Ind) James Tunney (Lab)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Anthony Barry (FG) Michael Hayes (FG) Eamon Kissane (FF) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) John O'Donovan (FG)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Denis Burke (FG) Tadhg Crowley (FF) Mary Davidson (Lab) Jane Dowdall (FF) Brian Lenihan (FF) Peter Lynch (Ind) Edward McGuire (Ind) James O'Keeffe (FG) Joseph Roddy (FG)
Labour Panel	Liam Ahern (FF) Frank Carter (FF) Victor Carton (FG) Harry Colley (FF) Patrick Crowley (Lab) Seán Hayes (FF) Dominick Murphy (Lab) Ben O'Quigley (FG) Frank Purcell (Ind) Eoin Ryan Snr (FF) Joe Sheridan (Ind)
Dublin University	William Fearon (Ind) Owen Sheehy-Skeffington (Ind) William Bedell Stanford (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) George O'Brien (Ind) Patrick Quinlan (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Seán Brady (FF) John Copeland Cole (Ind) Robert Farnan (FF) Seán Moylan (FF) Thomas Mullins (FF) Nora Connolly O'Brien (Ind) Seán O'Donovan (FF) Seán O'Grady (FF) Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha (Ind) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Laurence Walsh (FF)
Elected or nominated later	1958 Louis Walsh (Ind) 1960 John J. Brennan (FF) Martin O'Dwyer (Ind) William J. E. Jessop (Ind) Edward Browne (Ind) Gerard B. Dillon (FF)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent