for Wexford at the 1948 general election. In 1948, before the formation of the First Inter-Party Government, he was suggested as possible Taoiseach by Seán MacBride, on the grounds that he had no link to either side in the Civil War, a position that went to John A. Costello. In July 1950, he resigned from Fine Gael, although he kept his resignation private until September, after the 1950 local elections. He gave as his reason the predominance in the party of Cumann na nGaedheal over the old National Centre Party (to which he belonged originally), the lack of consultation with backbenchers and concessions made to the Labour Party. It seems likely that he was aggrieved that he was not appointed to succeed Cecil Lavery as Attorney General in April 1950. He continued to support the government as an independent. On 1 May 1951, he resigned from the Dáil, shortly before the 1951 general election. He was one of the few people who served as a Members of Parliament in the House of Commons as well as a Teachta Dála of Dáil Éireann, the lower House of the Irish parliament. Notable family His younger brother Lt. Geoffrey Esmonde (1897–1916) aged 19 was killed in action in World War I serving with the 4th Tyneside Irish Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. His second younger brother was Sir Anthony Esmonde, 15th Baronet. His half-brother Eugene Esmonde was awarded a Victoria Cross posthumously in 1942 during World War II. Later life and death He married Eleanor Fitzharris in 1922; they had no children. He died on 6 July 1958 in a Dublin nursing home. See also Families in the Oireachtas References External links 1893 births 1958 deaths People of the Easter Rising Irish barristers Irish farmers Irish Parliamentary Party MPs Irish Senior Counsel UK MPs 1910–1918 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for County Tipperary constituencies (1801–1922) Fine Gael TDs Independent TDs Members of the 9th Dáil Members of the 10th Dáil Members of the 11th Dáil Members of the 13th Dáil Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment officers Royal Dublin Fusiliers officers Irish people of World War I British Army personnel of World War I Baronets in the Baronetage of Ireland Politicians from County Wexford John Alumni of King's Inns