10 Facts About James O'Mara

James O'Mara was an Irish businessman and politician who became a nationalist leader and key member of the revolutionary First Dail.

James O'Mara was one of the few politicians to have served both as member in the House of Commons and in Dail Eireann.

James O'Mara later introduced the law which required that pubs be closed on 17 March, a provision which was repealed only in the 1970s.

In 1907, James O'Mara resigned from Parliament and from the Irish Parliamentary Party and later joined Sinn Fein, the first MP to do so.

James O'Mara returned to Dublin in 1914 to continue his work in the bacon business, and remained active in Sinn Fein.

James O'Mara was elected as a Sinn Fein MP for his old constituency of Kilkenny South, defeating the Irish Party's Matthew Keating by 8,685 votes to 1,855.

James O'Mara resigned his trusteeship and his Dail seat in 1921 after a disagreement with de Valera.

Polling took place on 12 March 1924, and James O'Mara was returned to the 4th Dail, which sat until 1927.

James O'Mara did not contest the June 1927 Irish general election, and retired from politics.

James O'Mara died on 21 November 1948 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.