Wikipedia:Sean Hurley

Sean Hurley (Lashadoo, 1882–Dublin, March 1961), an Irishman, was the elder son of Daniel Hurley (1853-?) and Margaret Mahoney (1842-1926). He spent the years 1902 to 1915 in China. He was the first known Irishman to hold a Chinese passport.

Born in Lashadoo; District Durrus & Kilcrohane; Union Bantry (Co Cork). He entered the British Navy c. 1900, and was sent to Shanghaï as a Custom officer. During the Chinese Revolution, he acted as a military adviser to the Nationalist Forces, and was personally decorated in 1912 by Dr Sun Yat Sen, founder and first President of the Chinese Republic. He was one of the few westerners to venture into the Sino-Russian war zone. He learned Chinese and helped to train activists loyal to Sun Yat-sen, who came to power in 1912 and honoured Hurley with gifts and a Chinese passport.

Back in Ireland during WW I, he served as an Intelligence Officer for the IRA. He was a friend of Gen Michael Collins who he hid in his house in Stillorgan during the Civil War.

He returned to Ireland in 1915 and married in 1916 Margaret Davis (1887-1964), who gave him 4 children: Donal (1917-2007), Peggy (1919-2009), Seamus (1922-2012) and Maureen (1926-2011). A professional photographer, he opened a photographic studio in Dublin and in 1924, he directed Michael MacLiammoir in the film" Land of her Father's", involving many Abbey actors including Barry Fitzgerald. It was described at the time as the most ambitious Irish film made to date. He was later involved in establishing Aer Lingus and what was to become the IDA.