CRAIGAVON, JAMES CRAIG, 1ST VISCOUNT ), the first prime minister of Northern Ireland, was born Jan. 8, 1871, a son of James Craig of Craigavon, Co. Down. He was educated at Merchiston school, Edinburgh, and served in the South African War of I899-19o2 in the Royal Irish Rifles.
He won back for the Unionist party one of the seats in his native county of Down in 1906. In and out of parliament he was in the confidence of Sir Edward Carson, and when, in 1914, it was de cided to offer armed resistance to what Ulster Unionists regarded as the threatened destruction of their rights of citizenship in Great Britain, he shouldered a prominent share of the work and the risk (see CARSON, BARON).
During the World War Colonel Craig devoted his energies to recruiting and organizing he 36th (Ulster) Division. In the Coalition Government of 1916, he was treasurer of the household. In 1919 he was parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Pen sions, and in 1920 financial secretary to the Admiralty. When the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, came into force, he resigned his office and his seat in the Imperial Parliament and became prime minister of Northern Ireland. In 1918 he was created a baronet, in 1921 a privy councillor, and in 1927 first Viscount Craigavon. (See IRELAND, NORTHERN.)