Ernest Alton

Ernest Henry Alton (21 September 1873 – 18 February 1952) He was commissioned into Trinity College's Dublin University Officers' Training Corps in 1911, and led the cadets to defend the college during the 1916 Easter Rising from the Irish Volunteers, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. He was elected to the Royal Irish Academy in 1912, and served as its vice-president from 1942 to 1944, and from 1946 to 1947. He was re-elected for the same constituency at the 1922 general election and became a member of the 3rd Dáil. He was re-elected at the next five general elections until the Dublin University Dáil Éireann constituency was abolished in 1937. He served as a member of the 2nd Seanad and the 3rd Seanad representing the Seanad Éireann Dublin University constituency until 1943 when he retired from politics.

He was a professor of Latin at Trinity College Dublin from 1921 to 1942 and was Provost from 1942 until he died in 1952. During his time as provost, the college made the first successful application for state funding. He married Ethel Hughes-Hunter in 1915, and they had 2 sons and a daughter.

His nephew Bryan Alton was a member of Seanad Éireann from 1965 to 1973.