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Cathal Brugha (Irish pronunciation: [ˈkahəlˠ ˈbˠɾˠuː]; born Charles William St John Burgess; 18 July 1874 – 7 July 1922) was an Irish republican politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1919 to 1922, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann in January 1919, the first president of Dáil Éireann from January 1919 to April 1919 and Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army from 1917 to 1919.
Teachta Dála
He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1922.
He was active in the Easter Rising, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, and was the first Ceann Comhairle (chairman) of Dáil Éireann as well as the president of Dáil Éireann, the then title of the head of government.
Born in Dublin
Brugha was born in Dublin, of mixed Roman Catholic and Protestant parentage. He was the tenth child in a family of fourteen. His father, Thomas, was a cabinet maker and antique dealer who had been disinherited by his family for marrying an Irish Catholic, Maryanne Flynn.
Brugha attended Colmcille Schools on Dominic Street until 1888 when he was admitted to Belvedere College. He had intended to study medicine but this did not come to fruition after his father’s business failed in 1890.
Brugha was seen as an austere figure, not very different from Éamon de Valera, and was known not to smoke cigarettes, swear or drink alcohol.