William O'Malley

Who was William O'Malley?

William O'Malley was an Irish Member of Parliament, representing Galway Connemara, and a sportsman.

He was born at Ballyconneely, near Clifden, Ireland. O'Malley was educated at the Model School, Galway and at St Mary's teacher training college, Hammersmith, London. He was a journalist and business manager of newspapers. He married Mary O'Connor in 1886, becoming brother-in-law to T. P. O'Connor. She was a Nationalist activist, who spoke at Land League meetings in the 1880s and was imprisoned for six months. One of their sons was killed in action in the First World War. In 1895, he succeeded Patrick James Foley unopposed as M.P. for the Galway Connemara seat in the British House of Commons, running for election with the Anti-Parnellite party. He continued to be elected unopposed to the seat as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party in 1900, 1906, and January and December 1910. He resided in England throughout his parliamentary career, returning to Ireland in 1921. In 1918, running again with the IPP, O'Malley lost to Pádraic Ó Máille of Sinn Féin with 23% of the vote.

His involvement in dubious speculative business ventures was widely criticised.