Stephen Quin

Quin was born in Limerick, the son of John Quin (born 1813), the founder of John Quin & Co. wine merchants. Quin was raised as a Roman Catholic and educated at Ushaw College, Durham. He later inherited his father's business and became the company director.^[1]

By 1891, he had become a justice of the peace in Limerick. He served two terms as High Sheriff of Limerick City in 1897 and 1898.^[1] He was also a deputy lieutenant of Limerick. Politically, he was initially a moderate nationalist supporter of the Irish Parliamentary Party, but became increasingly associated with unionism over the course of his career.^[2] He was recorded as the only unionist elected to the Limerick Corporation in 1914.^[2] Following the Easter Rising in April 1916, Quin played a leading role in organising the disarmament of Irish Volunteers in Limerick alongside Bishop O'Dwyer.^[2] He acted as an intermediary, receiving surrendered weapons from Michael Colivet before passing these on to the British Army garrison in the city.^[3] Between 1916 and 1918, he served as Mayor of Limerick.^[1] His public role and political position as a pragmatic Catholic unionist resulted in Quin being chosen as a representative to the Irish Convention in Dublin from 1917 to 1918.^[1] He was knighted in the 1918 New Year Honours.^[4]

Quin moved to England during the Irish War of Independence, purchasing a house at Swinley Forest in South Ascot.