William Joseph Walsh (30 January 1841 – 9 April 1921)[1] served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin from 3 July 1885 until his death in 1921.

William inherited his sympathy for Irish nationalism and independence from his father, who had the boy enrolled in the Repeal Association before he was two years old.

Walsh was openly sympathetic to Irish nationalism, and an advocate of both Home Rule and agrarian land reform.

Walsh served on the Senate of the Royal University of Ireland (1883–4) and as part of the Commission of National Education (1885–1901).

[5] He was appointed Chancellor of the newly founded National University of Ireland in 1908, a position he held until he died, after which he was succeeded by Éamon de Valera.