James Craig 1st Viscount Craigavon

James Craig Craigavon, 1st Viscount , 1871-1940, Irish statesman. He worked with Edward Carson in rousing the Protestants of Ulster against Home Rule in the crisis preceding World War I. He organized the Ulster Volunteers to resist any attempt to enforce Home Rule. In 1921 he became prime minister of the newly established government of Northern Ireland, a position he held until his death. He was created a viscount in 1927.

Craig, James, 1st Viscount Craigavon (1871–1940) Northern Irish soldier and politician, first prime minister of Northern Ireland (1921–40). An extreme Unionist, he helped Sir Edward Carson to keep the province part of Britain.

Craig, James, 1st Viscount Craigavon (1871–1940). First prime minister of Northern Ireland. Craig, the son of a millionaire whiskey distiller, was elected as Unionist MP for East Down in 1906. With Carson he led the Ulster Unionist resistance to the third Home Rule Bill. He held junior ministerial office as parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Pensions (1919–20) and as financial secretary at the Admiralty (1920–1): he influenced the Government of Ireland Act, successfully pressing for a six‐county partition scheme. Despite his standing at Westminster, he accepted the premiership of the newly created Northern Ireland in 1921, holding office until his death in 1940.