Dublin Tramways
by
John Kelleher
by
John Kelleher
(c) 2016 Mount Merrion Historical Society
8.00pm, Thursday 6th March, 2025
Fitzwilliam Rooms
Mount Merrion Community Centre
Fitzwilliam Rooms
Mount Merrion Community Centre
Ireland's Revolutionary Diplomat:
Leopold Kerney
Leopold Kerney
Presented by
Declan Kerney
Declan Kerney
This is the story of my grandfather, Leopold Harding Kerney, one of Ireland's first diplomats, who's career ran from 1919 to 1947. He is not particularly well know, but lived through pivotal times in Irish history. He started his diplomatic career in Paris in 1919, served as Irish Minister to Spain during the outbreak and course of the Spanish Civil War and the early years of Franco's reign, and finished his career with an economic and diplomatic mission to Argentina and Chile in 1947. Highlights of his time in Spain were his activities to save IRA and International Brigade fighter Frank Ryan from execution as a prisoner of Franco's, and later his meeting with Nazi functionary Edmund Veesenmayer, who was trying to pull Ireland away from neutrality and in to Germany's orbit.
The idea for this talk came about from the publication a few years ago of a book on Leopold's life and career, and the wonderful collection of photographs and letters that have come down to us through his family archive.
The idea for this talk came about from the publication a few years ago of a book on Leopold's life and career, and the wonderful collection of photographs and letters that have come down to us through his family archive.
photo: Leopold Kerney Private Archive
Declan Kerney: Born 1956, educated at Belvedere College Dublin, and University College Dublin, BA in Politics, History, and Economics. Career in The ESB and Aer Lingus, then qualifying as an Airline Pilot, working mainly in the UK and later with Ryanair, retiring in 2017. A keen amateur interest in history, Declan has been a regular attendee of UCD's Lifelong Learning lectures in history every year since retirement.