Pierce McCan

Pierce McCan[1] or McCann (2 August 1882 – 6 March 1919) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician.

After 1 April 1922, the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 prohibited any by-election,[7] and the constituency was abolished when parliament was dissolved on 26 October 1922 for the general election on 15 November.

The First Dáil also considered how to fill the vacancy; a select committee in April recommended that the local Sinn Féin organisation which nominated him should nominate his replacement; a June proposal to postpone action, either for six months or until a Westminster by-election was held, was referred to another committee, which recommended that "in view of the circumstances which occasioned the vacancy, it was due to the memory of the late Pierce McCann that his place should not be filled at present".

[8][9] On 10 April 1919, Cathal Brugha told the First Dáil:[10] "Before I formally move the motion, as I have mentioned the name of Pierce McCan, I would ask the Members of the Dáil to stand up as a mark of our respect to the first man of our body to die for Ireland, and of our sympathy with his relatives.

We are sure that their sorrow is lightened by the fact that his death was for the cause for which he would have lived, and that his memory will ever be cherished in the hearts of the comrades who knew him, and will be honoured by succeeding generations of his countrymen with that of the other martyrs of our holy cause."