Matthew Minch

Matthew Joseph Minch (1857 – 5 June 1921) was an brewer and Irish nationalist politician from County Kildare who sat in the United Kingdom House of Commons as member of parliament (MP) for South Kildare from 1892 to 1903.^[1][2]

Minch was first elected at the 1892 general election as an Anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation candidate, unseating the sitting Parnellite MP James Leahy.^[3] He was re-elected unopposed in 1895^[4] and also in 1900, on the latter occasion as an Irish Parliamentary Party candidate,^[5] since the split in the party had been resolved earlier that year. He resigned his seat on 12 May 1903, by the procedural device of taking the post of Steward of the Manor of Northstead.^[6]

Minch was also one of the first councillors elected to Kildare County Council, when it was created in 1899.^[7][8][9]

Minch was married twice.^[1] With his first wife Agnes he had five sons, including:^[1]

• John Minch (1890–1942) – an Irish rugby international killed in Second World War serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps.^[10]
• Sydney Minch (1893–1970) – a Teachta Dála for Fine Gael in the 1930s.^[1]
• William J. Minch (1894/95–1927) – health broken while serving in the Connaught Rangers in the First World War.^[11]

With his second wife Elizabeth O'Kelly he had two sons and one daughter.^[1]

He died at his residence, Rockfield House, Athy, County Kildare, in 1921.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Coleman, Marie. "Minch, Sydney Basil". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
2. "Historical list of MPs: constituencies beginning with "K", part 1". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
3. Brian M. Walker, ed. (1978). Parliamentary election results in Ireland 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 147. ISBN 0-901714-12-7.
4. Walker, op. cit., page 154
5. Walker, op. cit, page 161
6. Department of Information Services (9 June 2009). "Appointments to the Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead Stewardships since 1850" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
7. "Minutes Of Centenary Meeting Of The Council Held On 22nd April, 1999 At St. Mary's, Naas". Kildare County Council. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
8. "Centenary meeting of Kildare County Council held yesterday". Kildare Net News. 23 April 1999. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
9. "Centenary of Kildare County Council". Kildare Nationalist. 30 April 1999. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
10. McCrery, Nigel; Rowe, Michael (28 February 2018). "John Berchmans Minch, 08-11-42". Final Scrum: Rugby Internationals Killed in the Second World War. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-9452-5.
11. "Obituary: Captain W.J. Minch". The Nationalist and Leinster Times. 9 April 1927. Retrieved 9 September 2020 – via kildare.ie.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Matthew Minch

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by James Leahy	Member of Parliament for South Kildare 1892–1903	Succeeded by Denis Kilbride