David Robinson (Irish politician)

He was born in Dublin in 1882 to J.J. Robinson, who was Rector of Delgany and later the Dean of St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.^[1] His grandfather, John Robinson, was the owner of the Daily Express newspaper in Dublin. His mother, Henrietta Harriet Robinson (née Lubbock) and a sister of the first Lord Avebury. He was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin and Trinity College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor.^[1] He was a keen hockey enthusiast and represented Ireland at international level.^[2]

After he qualified he travelled to Canada and during World War I he enlisted in the 19th Alberta Dragoons as a private and was commissioned to the Royal Marine Artillery.^[1] He had a distinguished military career and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order by the British Government and the Croix de Guerre.^[1] He had lost an eye and was badly wounded in both legs during his years at the front.^[2]

His cousin, Robert Barton, had resigned as a British officer after the 1916 Easter Rising and was elected as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála at the 1918 general election for the West Wicklow constituency. His other cousin, Erskine Childers, used his yacht, the Asgard, to transport guns from Germany to Ireland on behalf of the Irish Volunteers. He too was a former British Army Officer that became more sympathetic with the cause of Irish independence after the events of the Rising.^[3]