James Shanks (1845 – 17 December 1926) was an Irish politician. He was born in Belfast and moved to Dublin about 1865, eventually becoming managing director of a mineral water company. He a member of Dublin Corporation, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1893 to 1894. He was High Sheriff of Dublin in 1891. He was a Protestant Home Ruler and Parnellite.
He visited New York City in September 1893, and The New York Times described him as "Perhaps the finest looking man who stepped ashore from the Campania yesterday". He was involved in the Irish International Exhibition of 1907.
In the 1923 Irish general election he stood unsuccessfully in Dublin South as "Business Men's candidate".