Members of the Third Dáil - Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson (1872–1963) was an Irish nationalist and Irish Labour Party leader. He was elected a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin County to the Third Dáil at the 1922 general election and was the leader of the Labour Party until 1927. As such, he was Leader of the Opposition in the Dáil of the Irish Free State, as the anti-treaty faction of Sinn Féin refused to recognise the Dáil as constituted. He is the only Leader of the Opposition from the Labour Party, or indeed from any party other than Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

He lost his Dáil seat at the September 1927 general election, and the following year he was elected to Seanad Éireann, where he served until the Seanad's abolition in 1936.

Each Summer, the Labour Party holds the "Tom Johnson Summer School" to discuss various issues and campaigns.