Erskine Childers (1870-1922)

Death: 24th November 1922
Location: Republican plot, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland
Cause of death: Executed
Photo taken by: Jtdirl
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English born author. He was born in London to an English father and Irish mother. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and in 1895 he started work as a clerk at the House of Commons. In 1899, at the outbreak of the Second Boer War, he joined the British Army.
He was wounded in South Africa and returned to Britain where he wrote his novel The Riddle of the Sands, which is an early example of the invasion novel, and was very popular before World War One. In 1910 he resigned from the House of Commons so that he could concentrate on campaigning for Home Rule, as he had become very interested in Irish Nationalism.
During World War One he served with the Royal Navy and reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander. At the end of the war he moved to Dublin and became an Irish citizen and was involved in the fight against British rule.
He became involved with the Republicans was arrested at his home by forces of the Free State and as they found a gun on him he was sentenced to death under emergency legislation. He was executed by firing squad in Dublin. His son, Erskine Hamilton Childers, went on to become the forth President of Ireland.

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