Joseph McGarrity (28 March 1874 – 4 September 1940) was an Irish-American political activist best known for his leadership in Clan na Gael in America and his support of Irish Republicanism back in Ireland.

McGarrity was born in Carrickmore, County Tyrone, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1874.

He is reputed to have walked to Dublin before boarding a cattle boat to Liverpool disguised as a drover, and then sailing to America using a ticket belonging to someone else.

In the years that followed the 1880s and 1890s, McGarrity is, amongst others, credited with helping to stitch the organisation back together and bring it renewed strength.

That summer military training camps were set up in many parts of Ireland financed by the Volunteer Fund.

During the First World War, while the US was still neutral, McGarrity was involved in the Hindu–German Conspiracy; he arranged the Annie Larsen arms purchase and shipment from New York to San Diego for India.

[7] With the scope of Clan na Gael now narrowed, and Devoy and Cohalan removed from the picture, McGarrity became chairman of the organisation.

Many Irish-Americans saw the IRA and Fianna Fáil as one and the same at that point and Clan na Gael and McGarrity's hostility to them caused much friction.

[8] Despite the trying times of both Clan na Gael and his personal life, McGarrity held fast in his belief in physical force Irish Republicanism.

In 1939 supported the demand from Seán Russell for the "S-Plan" bombing campaign in Britain, which proved disastrous.

[7] McGarrity is alleged to have met Hermann Göring in Berlin in 1939 to ask for aid for the IRA, which led indirectly to "Plan Kathleen".