Researching Frank Carney

He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, but due to continuous bouts of ill health, he was discharged from the British Army in December 1915. Carney joined the Irish Volunteers and rose rapidly to become Officer Commanding for County Fermanagh in 1918. He was also a prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and was close to his commanding officer, Michael Collins.

In 1920, in the middle of the Irish War of Independence, Carney was appointed Officer Commanding of the 1st Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with the rank of Brigadier. However, just a few weeks later, the British Army were informed that Frank Carney was meeting his IRA Captains in Sweeney's Hotel in Dungloe, County Donegal. They arrested Carney and his Captains, and they were taken to Derry prison. Carney was then sent to Ballykinler Internment camp in County Down where he remained until the signing of the Truce.

A former chief supplies officer of the National Army, he won his seat in the Dáil on his first attempt, when he was elected for the Donegal constituency at the June 1927 general election. He was re-elected at the September 1927 and 1932 general elections, but died following ill-health later that year, aged 36. No by-election was held for his seat, which remained vacant until the next general election in January 1933.

Born in Westport, Co. Mayo educated at schools in Tuam and later at Galway University. A civil servant for a number of years in the Old Age Pensions Department, which gave him an opportunity of observing Irish rural life at close quarters. He had a career with the Abbey Theatre, Dublin from 1936 - 1938. A number of his plays were staged at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin including 'The Righteous are Bold' and 'They Went By Bus' (1946) and Peeping Tom (1940). He was also cast in many productions at the Abbey Theatre and for a time in 1936 he was stage manager with the Peacock Theatre. One of his performances was in a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy called The Wild Goose where he played the part of Father Ryan, there were six performances in this production.