Oscar Traynor

Oscar Traynor (21 March 1886 – 14 December 1963) was an Irish republican and Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Justice from 1957 to 1961, Minister for Defence from 1939 to 1948 and 1951 to 1954, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs from 1936 to 1939 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from June 1936 to November 1936. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1925 to 1927 and 1932 to 1961.

He was also involved with association football, being the president of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) from 1948 until 1963. He was educated by at St Mary's Place, Christian Brothers school. In 1899, he was apprenticed to John Long, a famous wood carver. Traynor later qualified as a compositor. Following this he was interned in Wales and released in late 1916. During the Irish War of Independence, he was brigadier of the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Republican Army and led the attack on The Custom House in 1921. Traynor led a 12-man squad in an ambush on the West Kent Regiment at Claude Road, Drumcondra on 16 June 1921 when the Thompson submachine gun was fired for the first time in action. Three British soldiers were injured in that attack, one seriously. Later Traynor was promoted to command the IRA's 1st Eastern Division.

When the Irish Civil War broke out in June 1922, Traynor took the Anti-Treaty IRA side. The Dublin Brigade was split, however, with many of its members following Michael Collins in taking the pro-Treaty side. During the Battle of Dublin he was in charge of the Barry's Hotel garrison, He was re-elected as one of eight members for Dublin North in the June 1927 general election but just one of six Sinn Féin TDs. Once again, he did not take his seat. Traynor did not contest the second general election called that year but declared his support for Fianna Fáil. He stood again in the 1932 general election and was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North.

In 1936, he was first appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. In September 1939, Traynor was appointed Minister for Defence and held the portfolio until February 1948. In 1948, he became president of the Football Association of Ireland, a position he held until his death. He served as Minister for Defence in several Fianna Fáil governments and as Minister for Justice, where he was undermined by his junior minister, and later Taoiseach, Charles Haughey,

He has a road named in his memory, running from the Malahide Road through Coolock to Santry in Dublin's northern suburbs.