Robert Rowlette
Irish politician (1873–1944)
title: "Robert Rowlette" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1873-births", "1944-deaths", "independent-tds", "members-of-the-8th-dáil", "members-of-the-2nd-seanad", "members-of-the-3rd-seanad", "members-of-the-4th-seanad", "alumni-of-trinity-college-dublin", "british-army-personnel-of-world-war-i", "royal-army-medical-corps-officers", "20th-century-irish-medical-doctors", "teachtaí-dála-for-dublin-university", "members-of-seanad-éireann-for-dublin-university", "independent-members-of-seanad-éireann", "people-educated-at-sligo-grammar-school", "irish-military-doctors", "physicians-of-the-mercer's-hospital", "presidents-of-the-royal-college-of-physicians-of-ireland", "politicians-from-county-sligo", "military-personnel-from-county-sligo", "medical-doctors-from-county-sligo", "irish-officers-in-the-british-army"] description: "Irish politician (1873–1944)" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Rowlette" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Irish politician (1873–1944) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| office | Senator |
| term_start | 27 April 1938 |
| term_end | 18 August 1944 |
| constituency | Dublin University |
| office1 | Teachta Dála |
| term_start1 | October 1933 |
| term_end1 | July 1937 |
| constituency1 | Dublin University |
| nationality | Irish |
| party | Independent |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Carncash, County Sligo, Ireland |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Dublin, Ireland |
| alma_mater | Trinity College Dublin |
| education | Sligo Grammar School |
| spouse | Gladys Camper Day |
| children | 1 |
| rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| branch | British Army |
| unit | Royal Army Medical Corps |
| battles | World War I |
| :: |
| image = | office = Senator | term_start = 27 April 1938 | term_end = 18 August 1944 | constituency = Dublin University | office1 = Teachta Dála | term_start1 = October 1933 | term_end1 = July 1937 | constituency1 = Dublin University | nationality = Irish | party = Independent | birth_date = | birth_place = Carncash, County Sligo, Ireland | death_date = | death_place = Dublin, Ireland | alma_mater = Trinity College Dublin | education = Sligo Grammar School | spouse = Gladys Camper Day | children = 1 | rank = Lieutenant colonel | branch = British Army | unit = Royal Army Medical Corps | battles = World War I Robert James Rowlette (16 October 1873 – 13 October 1944) was an Irish medical doctor and an independent politician. He was later a member of Seanad Éireann.
Early life
He was born on 16 October 1873 at Carncash, County Sligo, the second son of Matthew Rowlett, a farmer, and Kezia Rowlett (née Hunter). His own name always appears as 'Rowlette'. Rowlette attended Sligo Grammar School, and entered Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 1891, graduating in 1895 as a senior moderator in ethics and logic. In 1896–97, he was president of the University Philosophical Society and was vice-president of the College Historical Society whose gold medal for oratory he won in 1899. Also in 1899, he graduated MD, having studied medicine since 1893 in parallel with his arts courses, already receiving his MB and B.Ch. in 1898. Rowlette's varied academic record anticipated a subsequent career in medicine and politics, where he moved between one discipline and the other with apparent ease.
Career
He was, at various times, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Royal Irish Academy of Medicine and the editor of the Journal of the Irish Medical Organisation. As well as holding several hospital appointments (including Mercer's Hospital) and consultancies, he was king's professor of materia medica and pharmacy at TCD, and professor of pharmacology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Military and sporting activities
During World War I he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, with the rank of Lieutenant colonel on his discharge. He was mentioned in dispatches while serving in France.
His athletic prowess at TCD, particularly in track events, long-distance running, and membership of the Dublin University Harriers, translated into a passionate life interest.
He was Honorary Physician to the British Olympic team at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, and to the Irish teams at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, the first two occasions on which an independent Irish team competed.
Political career
Rowlette was elected unopposed to the 8th Dáil as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin University constituency at a by-election on 13 October 1933, following the death of sitting TD James Craig. He was the first TD elected to the Dáil without having to take the Oath of Allegiance to the crown, abolished with effect from the previous May.
In 1938, the university constituencies were transferred to Seanad Éireann, and Rowlette was then elected for three successive terms, to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Seanads. He failed to gain re-election to the Seanad in 1944, finishing as the runner-up by a margin of 5 votes out of a total valid poll of 2,297.
Later life and death
He was married to Gladys Camper Day, and they had one son.
References
References
- "Robert Rowlette". Oireachtas Members Database.
- Long, Patrick. "Rowlette, Robert James". [[Dictionary of Irish Biography]].
- "Death of Dr. R.J. Rowlette", ''The Irish Times'', 14 October 1944, p 1.
- "University Athletics in Ireland 1857–2000". Cyril M. White, PhD/Athletics Ireland website.
- "Robert Rowlette". ElectionsIreland.org.
- The pre-1937 [[Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State). Free State Seanad]] is deemed to be the first Seanad
- "Few Surprises in Senate elections", ''The Irish Times'', 2 August 1944, p 1.
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