# Richard Corish

Richard Corish (17 September 1886 – 19 July 1945) was an Irish politician and trade unionist. His involvement in the Labour Party for over 25 years and his contribution to the development of Wexford Town has made Corish one of the key figures in Wexford's long history.

## Early and personal life

Born in Wexford on 17 September 1886, at 35 William Street, Corish was the eldest child of carpenter Peter Corish and Mary Murphy. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in the town on George's Street and left school at fourteen years old, which was not unusual at this time.
On 29 September 1913, at 27 years of age, he married Catherine Bergin; daughter of labourer Daniel Bergin. They had six children, including Brendan.

## Career and politics

He worked as a fitter in the Wexford Engineering foundry the Star Iron Works. It was in this job that he witnessed the poor working conditions that industrial workers had to face all over the country. Many people of Ireland felt that this needed to change and so, in 1909, James Larkin formed the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU). Many important figures joined the union including P. T. Daly, James Connolly and eventually Richard Corish himself who became a voice for the Wexford workers.
The Wexford lockout from 1911 to 1912 that ensued because of this union was the event that first brought public attention to Corish in his hometown. Wexford employers countered the ITGWU by locking out their employees. On a conciliation committee, Corish represented the workers of the town and became a leader of this local union. During the lockout, he was arrested, spending a night in jail, for expressing his anger to a recently employed non-union foundry worker.
When visiting Wexford to support the workers, ITGWU leader James Larkin and trusted members James Connolly and P. T. Daly were put up in the Corish household on William Street.
In February 1912, the dispute was resolved with the introduction of the Irish Foundry Workers' Union of which Corish was secretary until 1915. His career as a tradesman however was over as he was blacklisted by all employers. This new union was absorbed by the ITGWU two years later. Corish remained a respected figure in the town, especially by the foundry workers, and continued as secretary in the ITGWU until 1921.
He first took his seat in the Wexford Borough Council in January 1913, where he was given the title of 'Alderman'.
In May 1916, Corish was arrested after being suspected of having involvement in the Easter Rising and was imprisoned in Stafford, England until June later that year. He was often targeted because of his republican activism, receiving a life-threatening letter in 1920 regarding the killing of Royal Irish Constabulary officers.
Corish was first elected to Wexford County Council in 1920 and later that year was appointed mayor of the town.
He was an Irish Labour Party representative. However, as the Labour Party in the southern 26 counties, later the Irish Free State, chose not to contest the 1921 elections, Corish ran as a Sinn Féin candidate and was elected to Dáil Éireann for the Wexford constituency.
He supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and voted in favour of it. He also ran as a member of the Labour Party at the 1922 general election. His involvement in the trade union movement and his clear speechgiving skills displayed during a visit from Michael Collins to Wexford Town that same year were what gave him a fighting chance in this election. He was elected and served in Dáil Éireann until his death in 1945.
He was a public supporter of the Garda Síochána, expressing his disagreement with the reductions in Garda pay and allowances in 1924 and 1929.
Corish was a member of the governing body of University College Dublin as well as the Irish National Foresters, and was its High Chief Ranger in 1942.

## Death and legacy

He was a recipient of the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Wexford in early 1945 and died later that year, after serving as mayor and council member for 25 years. During investigatory surgery for stomach pain, the doctors of Wexford County Hospital realised that his condition was much worse than imagined and he died shortly after. He was 58 years old. After appearing in the Dáil only a few days prior, Corish's death was unexpected.
His death caused a by-election to the Dáil which was won by his son, Brendan Corish, who was later a leader of the Labour Party and Tánaiste. He served as mayor up until his retirement in 1982. Another son, Des Corish, later also became mayor of the town. Corish's granddaughter, Helen Corish, was mayor in 1990.
Corish Park was built in his honour in the early 1950s.