Roger McHugh

{{Short description|Irish academic and politician (1908–1987)}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| office = Senator

| term_start = 22 July 1954

| term_end = 22 May 1957

| constituency = National University

| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|7|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = County Dublin, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1987|1|1|1908|7|24|df=y}}

| death_place = Dublin, Ireland

| nationality =

| party = {{ubl|Independent|Córas na Poblachta}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Patricia Kelly|1942}}

| children = 5

| alma_mater = University College Dublin

| education = {{ubl|Our Lady's Bower, Athlone|Synge Street CBS}}

|}}

Roger Joseph McHugh (24 July 1908 – 1 January 1987) was an Irish academic, author, playwright, politician and Irish republican.{{cite web|url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/mchugh-roger-joseph-a5707|title=McHugh, Roger Joseph|work=Dictionary of Irish Biography|last=White|first=Lawrence William|access-date=6 April 2024}}

He was educated Our Lady's Bower, Athlone; Synge Street CBS, Dublin and University College Dublin (UCD).{{cite web|url=http://www.ucd.ie/archives/html/collections/mchugh-roger.html|title=Roger McHugh|work=University College Dublin Archives|access-date=6 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123191830/http://www.ucd.ie/archives/html/collections/mchugh-roger.html|archive-date=2013-11-23|url-status=dead}}

McHugh was a supporter of a minor Irish Republican political party Córas na Poblachta and a friend of Irish Republican Army leader Seamus O'Donovan. In 1939 McHugh was interned by the Irish Free State at the Curragh internment camp.MacEoin, Uinseann (1997), The IRA in the twilight years 1923-1948, Argenta Publications, Dublin, pgs 873-74 ISBN 0951117246

He was elected to Seanad Éireann as an independent member in 1954 by the National University constituency.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Roger-Joseph-McHugh.S.1956-05-14/|title=Roger McHugh|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=6 February 2012}} He lost his seat at the 1957 election.

In 1965 he became Professor of English at UCD and in 1966 he was appointed the first Professor of Anglo–Irish Literature and Drama.

He wrote two plays, each produced at the Abbey Theatre: Trial at Green Street courthouse (1941), and Rossa (1945).