Patrick ‘P.J.’ Little

Clongowes 1895-1902 I Patrick ‘P.J.’ Little

Patrick ‘P.J.’ Little (1884-1963), minister for posts and telegraphs and first director of the Arts Council, was a native of Dublin who attended Clongowes in 1895-1902. He studied law at UCD, where he was a prominent debater and managed St Stephen’s magazine. This gave him a taste for journalism, and he edited a succession of Sinn Féin newspapers in 1915-26, including New Ireland, Éire and An Phoblacht. He also practised as a solicitor. He was on the Sinn Féin executive in 1917-22 and was narrowly defeated in the 1918 general election, when he stood for Sinn Féin in Rathmines. Subsequently he went to South America and South Africa as a diplomatic representative of Dáil Éireann. He opposed the AngloIrish treaty and fought with the Four Courts garrison in the civil war. He was a founding member of Fianna Fáil in 1926. Elected TD for East Waterford in 1927, he held his Dáil seat until his retirement in 1954. He was parliamentary secretary to Éamon de Valera and government chief whip, until his appointment as minister for posts and telegraphs in 1939-48. His brief included broadcasting, which he believed should not be under direct state control. He supported both traditional and classical music, and was responsible for the establishment of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra in 1947. He championed the establishment of a national concert hall and sought the establishment of a council for national culture. His ideas largely underlay the inter-party government’s Arts Act of 1951, which established the Arts Council. When Fianna Fáil returned to office soon afterwards, Little was appointed the Arts Council’s first director by de Valera, who had long relied on him for advice on artistic matters. He was an energetic director, and as effective as the limited available finances allowed. He established specialist panels to advise on particular aspects of the arts and also promoted local advisory committees, an initiative that ultimately petered out. He was twice a member of the Council of State. For many years he worked with the sick at Lourdes.