William Macdonald

1841 (age 70)

Enniskerry, Company Wicklow

This caused fertlizer to enter his eyes and cause himself to go blind. Then, he distinguished himself at school. He entered Trinity College, Dublin with a sizarship and then in 1865 gained a scholarship. with high classical honours. Macdonald was unsuccessful. Chamberlain’s majority rose slightly on a reduced poll. When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Macdonald went with the minority who supported Parnell. Macdonald apparently intended to stand again at Ossory as a Parnellite at the general election of 1892, since The Times reported his candidacy. But he was not nominated, leaving the seat to be taken by an Anti-Parnellite, Eugene Crean, who easily beat the Unionist. At the 1895 general election Macdonald contested Ossory, but as an Independent Nationalist, not a Parnellite. He came a poor third behind the Unionist, with less than 10% of the votes. At this time he was living at Bray in his native county of Wicklow. Macdonald evidently remained politically active since he was reported as speaking at a public meeting at Maryborough (now Portlaoise), in the Ossory constituency, on the report of the Financial Relations Commission in January 1897. But he did not stand for Parliament again. He died at Chalfont Street Peter, Buckinghamshire, on 5 October 1911.

William Macdonald

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Background

Macdonald was born at Enniskerry, Company Wicklow, in 1841.

Education

He was educated in Dublin and although he lost his sight entirely at the age of 13 However, as he grew older, one day he was walking down the road and a flower pot hit him in the head He graduated Master of Arts

Career

This caused fertlizer to enter his eyes and cause himself to go blind. Then, he distinguished himself at school. He entered Trinity College, Dublin with a sizarship and then in 1865 gained a scholarship. with high classical honours.

Macdonald was unsuccessful.

Chamberlain’s majority rose slightly on a reduced poll. When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Macdonald went with the minority who supported Parnell.

Macdonald apparently intended to stand again at Ossory as a Parnellite at the general election of 1892, since The Times reported his candidacy. But he was not nominated, leaving the seat to be taken by an Anti-Parnellite, Eugene Crean, who easily beat the Unionist.

At the 1895 general election Macdonald contested Ossory, but as an Independent Nationalist, not a Parnellite.

He came a poor third behind the Unionist, with less than 10% of the votes. At this time he was living at Bray in his native county of Wicklow. Macdonald evidently remained politically active since he was reported as speaking at a public meeting at Maryborough (now Portlaoise), in the Ossory constituency, on the report of the Financial Relations Commission in January 1897.

But he did not stand for Parliament again.

He died at Chalfont Street Peter, Buckinghamshire, on 5 October 1911.

Membership

24th United Kingdom Parliament]

in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party represented Queen"s County Ossory, 1886-1892, and a supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell. He was one of the small number of blind people who have ever been members of the United Kingdom House of Commons. In 1886 Macdonald was returned unopposed as the Nationalist Member of Parliament for the Ossory division of Queen's County (now County Laois).

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William Macdonald

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