JJO’Kelly- aremarkableman who drove nationalist cause

HE passed away 60 years ago this year and John Joseph (JJ) O’Kelly (Sceilg) was a remarable man and a Valentia Islander who was born on July 4, 1872 to parents Patrick and Ellen Kelly (nee O’Sullivan) of Coromore and who operated a small farm. His nephews Johnny and Pádraig and niece Mary, all now deceased, resided in Coromore.

He attended the National Schools of Corobeg and Portmagee but did not attend secondary school.

O’Kelly learned Irish from his father and also participated in gaelic games. He was a writer, journalist, politician, republican, Irish language enthusiast and activist and a member of the first and second Dails.

He sympathised with the Fenian heritage of his godfather, James O’Sullivan and was proud of the achievements of Daniel O’Connell.

By 1897 when O’Kelly left Valentia for Dublin, he was a faithful Catholic, a convinced separatist and a fervent adherer to the Irish Language Movement.He was also determined to advance his own learning.

From 1900 to 1927, ‘Sceilg’ was involved with and often at the forefront of every nationalist and gaelic organisation (with the notable exception of the Volunteers and the IRB, though he did support their actions). Having arrived to Dublin in 1897 he became the Irish Editor of the Freeman’s Journal, Editor of the Catholic Bulletin (1911-22) as well as An Caman and Banba. He was a member of the Keating Branch of the GAA and a prime contributor to Dineen’s famous Irish Dictionary.

He was President of the Gaelic League (191923) following several terms as Vice-President and Secretary. He was elected as a Sinn Fein MP in 1918 and Ceann Conhairle of the First Dail of January 1919.

O’Kelly became our first Minister for Education, the first Minister for the National Language and also opposed the Treaty. He was sent on a fund-raising tour of the US and Australia (1922-24) along with Fr O’Flanagan and who were probably the first two Irishmen to be deported from Australia. He remained loyal to the Second Dail following the formation of Fianna Fail and published over a score of books in Irish and English and a further score of pamphlets on politics, polemics, education and architecture.

JJ O’Kelly (Sceilg), passed away in March 1957, a full three decades after he stepped down from the centre stage of Irish public life.

Footnote: O’Kelly was commemorated at Summer Schools held in Valentia in 1988-89 and much information on him is available in the Valentia Island Heritage Centre.