Talk:Jack Murphy (Irish politician)

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Jack Murphy contacts[edit]

I'm in contact with members of Jack's family. How can they help with the article? How can they contact the contributors?

Just in case... This is all new to them (and me!!!)

Crugers (talk) 12:49, 19 July 2009 (UTC) Crugers[reply]

Why? He was a public figure. Read WP:COI. Snappy (talk) 05:10, 20 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Snappy is right, but anyway Crugers I can assure you it was not new to them. One of Jack's children supplied many of the original newspaper articles, material and photos we used as references when drafting the article in the first place during early 2009. Mibbles (talk) 05:10, 26 Jan 2011 (UTC)

First unemployed man ever elected...?[edit]

This statement: "(John) Jack Murphy (1920 – 11 July 1984) was an Irish politician and the first unemployed man ever elected to a national legislature." cannot be correct. There must have been many unemployed men elected over the years in many countries. Or does this refer only to Ireland? What does the reference, Andrew Boyd, refer to - is it a book, a pamphlet, or what? Hohenloh⁺ 19:17, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Why can't it be correct? Someone had to be the first. Jack Murphy was definitely the first unemployed person to be elected in Ireland (both post and pre-independence). As for whether he was the first in the world ever, that I don't know. Given the limited or non existent franchise of poor voters throughout history, its would have been rare for an unemployed person to even stand, let alone get elected. Snappy (talk) 18:09, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Voting has been around for a few hundred years, it is simply nonsense to claim that this chap was the first in the world. There were definitely unemployed people elected in England in the 1920/30s. I'd imagine that a number of Sinn Feiners and others elected after 1917 were unemployed. What about those who were in prison being elected - they weren't employed. Hohenloh⁺ 01:13, 13 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, voting has been around for a few hundred years but the franchise was very restricted to rich people, no ordinary people could stand or vote. If "there were definitely unemployed people elected in England in the 1920/30s", then please supply references. Also, they may been elected to local councils, this claim is for a national legislature. As for the SF candidates of pre-independence period, I have no information on their status prior to election. Still don't know why you're getting so bothered about the Jack Murphy claim to be the first, someone had to be and it could well have been him. Even if he wasn't the first in the world, he was definitely the first in Ireland (whole island). Snappy (talk) 10:52, 13 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]