Conor Cruise O'Brien
Politician
1917 – 2008
Who was Conor Cruise O'Brien?
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. His opinion on the role of Britain in Ireland and in Northern Ireland changed during the 1970s in response to the outbreak of 'the Troubles' after 1968. He saw opposing nationalist and unionist traditions as irreconcilable and switched from a nationalist to a unionist view of Irish politics and history. O'Brien's outlook was always radical and the positions he took were seldom orthodox. He summarised his position as, "I intend to administer an electric shock to the Irish psyche". Internationally, he opposed in person the African National Congress's academic boycott of the apartheid regime in South Africa and in later years also supported the state of Israel. These views contrasted with those espoused during the 1950s and 1960s.
During his career as a civil servant O'Brien worked on the government's anti-partition campaign. At the 1969 general election, he was elected to Ireland's parliament as a Labour Party TD for Dublin North–East becoming a Minister from 1973–77. He was also the Labour Party's Northern Ireland spokesman during those years.
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- Born
- Nov 3, 1917
Dublin - Also known as
- The Cruiser
- Parents
- Spouses
- Máire Mhac an tSaoi
- Christine Foster
(1939 - 1959)
- Children
- Nationality
- Republic of Ireland
- Profession
- Education
- Trinity College, Dublin
- Employment
- Pro-vice-chancellor, University of Dublin
(1994 - ) - Chancellor, University of Ghana
(1962 - 1965) - Irish Department of Foreign Affairs
- New York University
( - 1969) - Editor in Chief, Guardian Media Group
(1979 - 1981)
- Pro-vice-chancellor, University of Dublin
- Lived in
- County Dublin
- Howth
- Died
- Dec 18, 2008
Howth
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Conor Cruise O'Brien." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/conor_cruise_obrien>.
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