James Everett

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James Everett (1st May 1894 – 18th December 1967) was a senior Irish politician. On leaving school Everett became an organiser with County Wicklow Agricultural Union, which later merged with the ITGWU. He served as a Sinn Féin justice in Republican courts from 1919 for Kildare and Wicklow. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1923 as a Labour Party TD for Wicklow. Everett was one of the 6 TDs who left the Labour Party in 1944 because of its alleged infiltration by communists and formed the National Labour Party. Everett became the leader of the new party.

In 1948 the National Labour Party joined the Cabinet of John A. Costello in the First Inter-Party Government and Everett was appointed Minister for Posts & Telegraphs. In 1950 Everett, as Minister for Posts & Telegraphs became involved in a bizarre incident known as the "Battle of Baltinglass." Everett appointed Michael Farrell as sub-postmaster in the local post office. The office had been run by Helen Cooke for her invalid aunt, whose family had held the position since 1870. Local feeling ran high in support of Cooke, with telegraph poles being cut to prove their point. Farrell resigned in December 1950 and Everett bowed to the pressure and appointed Cooke.

Also in 1950, during the First Inter-Party Governement's tenure, the Labour Party and the National Labour Party reunited. Everett served in government again between 1954 and 1957. Everett died aged 78, during the 1967 Dáil Christmas Recess, when, with 44 years service as a TD, he was joint Father of the Dáil with Frank Aiken and Paddy Smith.

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