Craigavon, James Craig, 1st Viscount
- Craigavon, James Craig, 1st Viscount
-
▪ prime minister of Northern Ireland
born Jan. 8, 1871, Sydenham, Belfast, County Antrim, Ire. [now in Northern Ireland]
died Nov. 24, 1940, Glencraig, County Down, N.Ire.
soldier and statesman, a leading advocate of maintaining the union between Ireland and Great Britain, and the first prime minister of Northern Ireland (from June 22, 1921, until his death).
Craig became a stockbroker, served with an Irish unit in the South African (
Boer) War, and in 1906 entered Parliament as a Unionist. In the acute Irish Home Rule controversy after 1910, he emerged as a leader of the Ulster Unionists and worked with Sir Edward Carson for the exclusion of Ulster from Home Rule. In addition to his part in the threats to establish a provisional government of Ulster, Craig was involved in gunrunning and in the organization of an Ulster volunteer force.
During World War I Craig recruited and organized the 36th (
Ulster) Division. He held various British government offices until 1920, when the Government of Ireland Act came into force and he became prime minister. For 19 years he led the Unionist Party to large majorities in every general election.
The civil war in the Irish Free State spread into Northern Ireland to some extent; bombings, political murders, and incendiary acts were common, and in 1922 more than 200 persons were killed. In 1925 the Craig government signed an agreement with the Free State and Britain to preserve the Irish frontier. His government also reformed the lower courts, nationalized road transport, and introduced new systems of education and agricultural marketing.
Craig was created a baronet in 1918 and a viscount in 1927.
Additional Reading
St. John G. Ervine,
Craigavon,
Ulsterman (1949); and Patrick Buckland,
James Craig: Lord Craigavon (1980), cover his life and work.
* * *
Universalium.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon — Infobox Prime Minister | honorific prefix =The Right Honourable name= The Viscount Craigavon honorific suffix = PC imagesize=150px order=1st Prime Minister of Northern Ireland term start =1921 term end =1940 predecessor = Office created successor … Wikipedia
James Craig, 2nd Viscount Craigavon — James Craig, 2nd Viscount Craigavon, Bt. (2 March 1906 18 May 1974) was a British hereditary peer who sat in the House of Lords. He was the son of James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon, first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, he succeeded to his… … Wikipedia
James Craig — may refer to:* James Craig (architect) (1739 ndash;1795), Scottish architect * James Henry Craig (1748 ndash;1812), British military officer and colonial administrator of The Canadas * James Craig (Irish politician), UK MP for the Irish… … Wikipedia
Viscount Craigavon — Viscount Craigavon, of Stormont in the County of Down, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1927 for James Craig, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. He had already been created a Baronet in 1918. As of 2007 the… … Wikipedia
Craigavon — /krayg ay veuhn, av euhn/, n. James Craig, 1st Viscount, 1871 1940, first prime minister of Northern Ireland 1921 40. * * * District (pop., 2001: 80,671), Northern Ireland. Established in 1973, it lies south of Lough Neagh. In the north it is… … Universalium
Craigavon — Coordinates: 54°26′50″N 6°23′18″W / 54.447222°N 6.388333°W / 54.447222; 6.388333 … Wikipedia
Craigavon — /krayg ay veuhn, av euhn/, n. James Craig, 1st Viscount, 1871 1940, first prime minister of Northern Ireland 1921 40 … Useful english dictionary
Craigavon — I. biographical name 1st Viscount 1871 1940 James Craig British statesman; 1st prime minister of Northern Ireland (1921 40) II. geographical name district central Northern Ireland, established 1974 area 147 square miles (381 square kilometers),… … New Collegiate Dictionary
Northern Ireland — a political division of the United Kingdom, in the NE part of the island of Ireland. 1,537,200; 5238 sq. mi. (13,565 sq. km). Cap.: Belfast. * * * Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupying the northeastern portion … Universalium
Ulster Unionist Party — (abbr UUP) a political party in Northern Ireland, formed in 1905 and led since 1995 by David Trimble. It is one of the main political parties that wants Northern Ireland to remain a part of the United Kingdom. In 2003 it had six Members of… … Universalium
