Thomas Harris

Thomas Harris (1895 – 18 February 1974) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and revolutionary.

Revolutionary period As a young man he joined Conradh na Gaeilge in Prosperous, and subsequently joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Harris fought with the Maynooth contingent in 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. He was wounded by gunshot wound to right foot, arrested and interned until August 1916. He was captain of the Prosperous Company in 1917 and during the Irish War of Independence served as Battalion Commandant of 2 Battalion (North Kildare), Irish Republican Army (IRA). He took part in destruction of vacated RIC barracks and ambushes up until his arrest in November 1920.

Politics A farmer, Harris was first elected to the Kildare constituency in a by-election in June 1931 caused by the death of Labour Party TD, Hugh Colohan. With just over 40% of the vote Harris defeated Cumann na nGaedheal candidate John Curton and future Labour Party leader, William Norton. He served as a member of Dáil Éireann for the next 26 years representing the constituencies of Kildare from 1931 to 1937, Carlow–Kildare from 1937 to 1948, and Kildare again from 1948 to 1957. He lost his seat at the 1957 general election and retired from politics.

Personal life A native of Cloncurry, he was raised in Prosperous, County Kildare by his aunt Elizabeth Tierney. Harris was related to Matthew Harris, MP for Galway East from 1885 to 1890.