Kevin O'Higgins

Kevin O'Higgins
O'Higgins in 1922
Vice-President of the Executive Council
In office 6 December 1922 – 10 July 1927
President	W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Ernest Blythe
Minister for Justice
In office 30 August 1922 – 10 July 1927
President	W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by	Eamonn Duggan
Succeeded by	W. T. Cosgrave
Minister for External Affairs
In office 23 June 1927 – 10 July 1927
President	W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by	Desmond FitzGerald
Succeeded by	W. T. Cosgrave
Minister for Economic Affairs
In office 10 January 1922 – 9 September 1922
President	Michael Collins W. T. Cosgrave
Preceded by	Robert Barton
Succeeded by	Ernest Blythe
Teachta Dála
In office August 1923 – 10 July 1927
Constituency	Dublin County
In office May 1921 – August 1923
Constituency	Laois-Offaly
In office June 1918 – May 1921
Constituency	Queen's County
Personal details
Born	(1892-06-07)7 June 1892 Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
Died	10 July 1927(1927-07-10) (aged 35) Booterstown, Dublin, Ireland
Manner of death	Assassination
Resting place	Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Cumann na nGaedheal (1923–1927)
Other political affiliations	Sinn Féin (1918–1923)
Spouse	Brigid Cole ​ (m. 1915)​
Children	5
Relatives	Timothy Daniel Sullivan (grandfather) Tim Healy (uncle-in-law) Thomas F. O'Higgins (brother) Tom O'Higgins (nephew) Michael O'Higgins (nephew) Iseult O'Malley (granddaughter)
Education	Clongowes Wood College St. Mary's Knockbeg College
Alma mater	University College Dublin

Kevin Christopher O'Higgins (Irish: Caoimhghín Críostóir Ó hUigín; 7 June 1892 – 10 July 1927) was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice from 1922 to 1927, Minister for External Affairs from June 1927 to July 1927 and Minister for Economic Affairs from January 1922 to September 1922. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1927.^[1]

He was part of early nationalist Sinn Féin, before going on to become a prominent member of Cumann na nGaedheal. In his capacity as Minister for Justice, O'Higgins established the Garda Síochána police force. His brother Thomas and nephews Tom and Michael were also elected TDs at various stages.

Along with Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Eoin O'Duffy, O'Higgins is an important figure in Irish nationalist historiography, representing a more "conservative revolutionary" position when contrasted with republicanism. After having a role in the Irish War of Independence, he went on to defend the nascent Irish Free State, as part of the pro-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War. During this time he signed the execution orders of seventy-seven prisoners. He was later assassinated in retaliation by an IRA unit in Booterstown, County Dublin.