Robert Corkey

Robert Corkey (1881 – 26 January 1966) was a Presbyterian minister, a professor of theology and a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

Biography

He was born at Glendermott Parish, Waterside, Derry, the son of Rev. Dr Joseph Corkey. He was educated at Foyle College, Magee College, Queen's College, Belfast, the University of Edinburgh and Trinity College, Dublin. He was a Minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland at Ballygawley from 1906 to 1910 and Monaghan from 1910 to 1917; and then Professor of Ethics and Practical Theology at Assembly's College, Belfast from 1917 to 1951. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland from 1945 to 1946.

He was elected to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland from the Queen's University seat in 1929, and represented the university until his resignation on election to the Senate in 1943 (in which he served until 1965). He served as Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Assistant Whip from 1942 to 1943. He served in Sir Basil Brooke's Cabinet as Minister of Education from 1943 to 1944, joining the Privy Council (Northern Ireland) on his promotion. He was Deputy Speaker of the Senate from 1952 to 1953 and from 1957 to 1958. He died on 26 January 1966.