James Dolan (Irish politician)

James Nicholas Dolan (16 October 1884 – 14 July 1955) was an Irish politician and TD for County Leitrim constituencies from 1918 to 1937.[1]

Dolan was born in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, the son of John Dolan, merchant, and Bridget Fitzpatrick.[2]

He was first elected as a Sinn Féin Member of Parliament (MP) at the 1918 general election for Leitrim. He was elected again in 1921 for the constituency of Leitrim–Roscommon North and subsequently went on to support the Anglo-Irish Treaty. In 1923, he was returned for Leitrim–Sligo.

Dolan joined the government of W. T. Cosgrave as Parliamentary Secretary to the President in 1924. He served in that post until 1927. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce from 1927 to 1932. Dolan lost his Dáil seat at the 1932 general election.[3] He regained his seat in 1933 but lost it again in 1937 when he fought the election as an independent candidate. He subsequently retired from politics.

He was a brother of Charles Dolan, Irish Parliamentary Party MP for North Leitrim from 1906 to 1908, who resigned his seat to run as the first ever Sinn Féin parliamentary candidate.[4]