Denis Kilbride

Who was Denis Kilbride?

Denis Kilbride was an Irish nationalist politician, who as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented South Kerry, and North Galway and South Kildare as an Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

He was educated at Clongowes Wood.

Kilbride was evicted, along with other subtenants of the 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, was evicted from his 500-acre holding during the Luggacurran evictions, Stradbally, County Laois, in March 1887.

Kilbride's rent was 760 pounds a year, although the holding was valued at only 450. Although he was a large tenant, he and other tenants adopted the Plan of Campaign.

To raise awareness of the evictions, Kilbride travelled with William O'Brien to Canada, where the Marquess of Lansdowne was governor general, and the USA.

In August 1902, he was charged under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 with incitement to murder - during the course of a speech against an eviction - of Major-General Devinish Meares. That December, he was found guilty and sentenced to eight months' imprisonment.

After the passing of the Evicted Tenants Act, 1908, some of this holding, but not his house, was returned to him.