Frank Lawless

Who was Frank Lawless?

Frank J. Lawless was an Irish politician who served as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála for Dublin North from 1919 to 1922. He was a farmer at Saucerstown, Swords, County Dublin, and a member of a widely connected North County Dublin family identified with the National movement. He was an early member of Sinn Féin and of the Gaelic League. At the 1918 general election, he was elected as part of the Sinn Féin landslide, defeating the Nationalist J. J. Clancy who had sat for the Dublin County North seat since 1885, by 9,138 to 4,428.

Frank Lawless took part in the 1916 Easter Rising, being second in command under Thomas Ashe in the fight at Ashbourne, County Meath. Two of his sons were also combatants on that occasion. As a result he was condemned to death, but the sentence was commuted to 10 years penal servitude. He was imprisoned at Lewes with Harry Boland. He was released in the general amnesty of 1917. He was again arrested in connection with the "German Plot" and was confined in Usk prison. He was paroled to permit him to take part in the 1918 election, was present at the declaration at Balbriggan but returned to Usk prison on the same day.