30 Facts About Paddy Glynn

Patrick McMahon Glynn KC was an Irish-Australian lawyer and politician.

Paddy Glynn served in the House of Representatives from 1901 to 1919, and was a government minister under three prime ministers, as Attorney-General, Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Home and Territories.

Paddy Glynn was born on 25 August 1855 in Gort, County Galway, Ireland.

Paddy Glynn was the third of eleven children born to Ellen and John McMahon Glynn; his father ran a large general store.

Paddy Glynn received his initial schooling in Gort from the Sisters of Mercy.

Paddy Glynn left school in 1872 and began reading law, serving his articles of clerkship with a local solicitor James Blaquiere.

Paddy Glynn enrolled at Trinity College Dublin, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1878 and attending the King's Inns in preparation for a career as a barrister.

In 1880, Paddy Glynn emigrated to Australia, initially settling in Melbourne.

Paddy Glynn struggled to find work as a barrister, but did find the time to publish a pamphlet on Irish nationalism.

Paddy Glynn eventually took up a position as a travelling salesman, selling life insurance and Singer sewing machines.

Paddy Glynn's aunt Grace Wallsh had migrated to South Australia in the 1860s and was a member of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.

Paddy Glynn was admitted to the rolls of the Supreme Court of Australia in 1883 and bought out his Adelaide partners in 1886.

Paddy Glynn moved to Adelaide himself in 1888 and established a practice on Pirie Street.

Paddy Glynn helped found the South Australian Land Nationalisation Society, and served as president of the South Australian branch of the Irish National League.

Paddy Glynn hosted the 1882 Australian tour of John Redmond, the leader of Irish Home Rulers.

Paddy Glynn was defeated at the 1890 election and stood unsuccessfully for Light again at the 1893 election but returned to South Australian colonial politics in 1895 as the member for North Adelaide.

Paddy Glynn briefly served as Attorney-General of South Australia in 1899 and remained in parliament until 1901.

Paddy Glynn saw no merit in federation itself, but evidently perceived an attractive affinity between the federalisation of the United Kingdom by Home Rule and the creation of a federation of the six Australian colonies.

Paddy Glynn was regarded as one of the ablest authorities in Australia on constitutional law.

Paddy Glynn made major contributions to Murray River water rights, and advocated standardisation of rail gauges and universal suffrage.

Paddy Glynn contributed a reference to God in the preamble to the Australian Constitution.

Paddy Glynn unsuccessfully sought to have the Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the states made ex officio members of the projected High Court.

Paddy Glynn protested the Constitution licensing the first Governor General to appoint a prime minister and cabinet prior to the first election as "opposed to all our notions of parliamentary government".

At the 1903 election, the statewide constituency was abolished and Paddy Glynn was returned unopposed in the Division of Angas.

Paddy Glynn was re-elected on five further occasions, and was unopposed at three consecutive elections.

Paddy Glynn joined the new Liberal Party after the 1909 "fusion" with the Protectionists, and subsequently served as Attorney-General under Alfred Deakin from 1909 to 1910.

Paddy Glynn returned to ministerial office in 1913 as Minister for External Affairs in the Cook government, holding the position until the government's defeat at the 1914 election.

Paddy Glynn retired from politics in 1919, and died at North Adelaide in 1931.

Paddy Glynn married Abigail Dynon, who predeceased him, and was survived by two sons and four daughters.

Paddy Glynn was a fine Shakespearian scholar; several of his literary papers were published, as were various legal and political pamphlets.