John Donovan (Irish politician)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}

{{Use Irish English|date=April 2017}}

John Thomas Donovan (1878 – 17 January 1922){{Rayment-hc|w|3|date=May 2014}} was an Irish barrister and nationalist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1914 to 1918.

Born in Belfast,{{cite web|title=John Thomas Donovan (1878 - 1922)|url=http://www.newulsterbiography.co.uk/index.php/home/viewPerson/420|work=The Dictionary of Ulster Biography|accessdate=23 May 2014}} Donovan was called to the bar at the King's Inns in 1914.{{cite book

| url = https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1918londuoft#page/48/mode/1up

| title = Debrett's House of Commons and The Judicial Bench 1918

| page = 48

| editor = Arthur G. M. Hesilrige

| publisher = Dean and Son

| location = London

| year = 1918

| accessdate = 23 May 2014

}}

He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Wicklow at a by-election in August 1914, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Edward Peter O'Kelly.{{cite book

|year=1978

|editor1-last=Walker

|editor1-first=Brian M.

|title=Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland 1801–1922

|series=A New History of Ireland

|location=Dublin

|publisher=Royal Irish Academy

|publication-date=

|page=382

|isbn=0901714127

|issn=0332-0286

}}

He did not defend his seat at the 1918 general election, when it was won by the Sinn Féin candidate. He stood instead in South Donegal, where he was defeated by Sinn Féin's Peter J. Ward.Walker, op. cit., page 387