Childers is the name of two Irish politicians, a father and son.
Robert Erskine Childers (1870-1922), an author and politician, played an important part in the struggle for Irish independence. In 1914, he used his yacht Asgard to land guns and ammunition from Germany at Howth Harbour for the Irish Volunteers, a rebel group. He served in the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy during World War I (1914-1918).
Childers was chief secretary to the Irish delegation that negotiated the Treaty of 1921, which gave Ireland some self-government. In the Irish Civil War, which erupted because of the treaty, he joined the Republicans, who opposed the treaty. Irish Free State forces captured him, and on Nov. 24, 1922, he was executed.
Childers was born in London on June 25, 1870. He was educated at Cambridge University. In 1903, he wrote a spy novel, The Riddle of the Sands. See also Irish Civil War .
Erskine Hamilton Childers (1905-1974) was president of the Republic of Ireland from 1973 until his death. He had been tanaiste (deputy prime minister) from 1969 until 1973 in a government formed by the Fianna Fail Party.
Childers was born in London on Dec. 11, 1905, and educated at Cambridge. He was first elected to Dail Eireann (the lower house of Ireland’s parliament) in 1938. In 1944, he gained his first government post, parliamentary secretary to the minister for local government and public health. He held office in each Fianna Fail government until 1973. He died on Nov. 17, 1974.
