1.
Jack Lynch
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John Mary Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office, from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. Lynch was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Teachta Dála for Cork in 1948 and he previously served as Minister for Finance, Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for Education, Minister for the Gaeltacht and as a Parliamentary Secretary. He was the leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 until 1979. Lynch was the last Fianna Fáil leader to secure a majority in the Dáil. Historian and journalist T. Ryle Dwyer has called him the most popular Irish politician since Daniel OConnell, before his political career Lynch had a successful sporting career as a dual player of Gaelic games. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1936 until 1950, Lynch also played Gaelic football with his local club St Nicholas and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1936 until 1946. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest dual players of all-time, in a senior inter-county hurling career that lasted for fourteen years he won five All-Ireland titles, seven Munster titles, three National Hurling League titles and seven Railway Cup titles. In a senior inter-county football career lasted for ten years Lynch won one All-Ireland title. Lynch was later named at midfield on the Hurling Team of the Century, John Mary Lynch was born on 15 August 1917, just yards from the famous Shandon bells and St. Annes in Cork City. The youngest of five boys, with two girls born after him, Jack, as he was known, was regarded as the wild boy of the family. He was educated at St. Vincents Convent on Peacock Lane, and later at the famous North Mon, when Lynch was just thirteen years old his mother died suddenly. Lynch, who had particularly close to his mother, was deeply affected by her death. His aunt, who herself had a family of six, stepped in to look after the family in time of great upheaval for them. Lynch sat his Leaving Certificate in 1936, after which he moved to Dublin and worked with the Dublin District Milk Board, Lynch began working at the Cork Circuit Court as a clerk while still only nineteen years old. His work in the court ignited his interest in law and in 1941 he began a course at University College Cork studying law. After two years in UCC he moved to Dublin to complete his studies at Kings Inns, while continuing his studies he started work with the Department of Justice. In 1945 Lynch was called to the Bar and had to decide whether to remain in his Civil Service job or practice as a barrister, Lynch made the decision to move back to Cork and began a private practice on the Cork Circuit. It was in 1943, while on holidays in Glengariff, West Cork, that Lynch met his wife, Máirín OConnor
2.
Erskine Hamilton Childers
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Erskine Hamilton Childers was an Irish politician who served as the fourth President of Ireland from 25 of June 1973 until his death on 17 November 1974. He was a Teachta Dála from 1938 until 1973, Childers served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Minister for Lands, Minister for Transport and Power, and Minister for Health. He was appointed Tánaiste in 1969 and his father Robert Erskine Childers, a leading Irish republican and author of the espionage thriller The Riddle of the Sands, was executed during the Irish Civil War. Childers was born in the Embankment Gardens, London, to a Protestant family originally from Glendalough and his mother, Mary Alden Childers was a Bostonian whose ancestors arrived on the Mayflower. Childers was educated at Greshams School, Holt, and the University of Cambridge, before his execution, in a spirit of reconciliation, the older Childers obtained a promise from his son to seek out and shake the hand of every man who had signed the death warrant. After attending his fathers funeral, Childers returned to Greshams, then two years later he went on to Trinity College, Cambridge, after finishing his education, Childers worked for a period in a tourism board in Paris. In 1931, Éamon de Valera invited him to work for de Valeras recently founded newspaper, The Irish Press and he became a naturalised Irish citizen in 1938. That same year, he was first elected as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Athlone–Longford and he would remain in the Dáil Éireann until 1973, when he resigned to become President. Childers joined the cabinet in 1951 as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs in the de Valera government, erskines period as a minister was controversial. One commentator described his career as spectacularly unsuccessful. Others praised his willingness to make tough decisions, Childers was nominated by Fianna Fáil at the behest of de Valera, who pressured Jack Lynch in the selection of the presidential candidate. He was a nominee, owing not only to his British birth and upbringing. Childers, though 67, quickly gained a reputation as a vibrant, extremely hard-working president, however, he had a strained relationship with the incumbent government, led by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave of Fine Gael. Childers had campaigned on a platform of making the more open and hands-on. He refused to co-operate with Childers first priority upon taking office, Childers considered resigning from the presidency, but was convinced to remain by Cosgraves Foreign Minister, Garret FitzGerald. Prevented from transforming the presidency as he desired, Childers instead threw his energy into a schedule of official visits and speeches. On 17 November 1974, just after making a speech to the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin and he died the same day at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. He was buried in the grounds of the Church of Ireland Derralossary church in Roundwood, childerss widow, Rita, shared her late husbands widespread personal popularity
3.
Liam Cosgrave
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Liam Cosgrave is a former Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach and as Leader of Fine Gael. He was a Teachta Dála from 1943 to 1981, born in Castleknock, Dublin, Cosgrave was the son of W. T. Cosgrave, the first President of the Executive Council in the newly formed Irish Free State. After qualifying as a barrister he decided to embark on a political career and he was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1943 general election and sat in opposition alongside his father. The formation of the first inter-party government in 1948 saw Cosgrave become a Parliamentary Secretary to Taoiseach John A. Costello and he formally became a cabinet member in 1954 when he was appointed Minister for External Affairs. The highlight of his tenure was Irelands successful entry into the United Nations. In 1965 Cosgrave was the choice of his colleagues to succeed James Dillon as leader of Fine Gael. He lost the 1969 general election to the incumbent Jack Lynch and he was educated at Synge Street CBS, Castleknock College, Dublin, and Kings Inns. He studied law and was called to the Irish bar in 1943, T. Cosgrave who was one of the founders of the Irish Free State in the 1920s. Cosgrave rapidly rose through the ranks of Fine Gael, and was regarded as being by far the most able, the party was, however, at an extremely low ebb in the 1940s spending many years in opposition. Nevertheless, Cosgrave became the secretary to the Taoiseach and Chief Whip when the party returned to power in 1948. Mulcahy, while remaining leader of Fine Gael, allowed John A Costello to become Taoiseach of the Inter Party Government as the latter had wider appeal, the first coalition Government collapsed in 1951. However, in 1954 a second inter-party Government was formed, on this occasion Liam Cosgrave, at the age of 34, was given a cabinet position. As Minister for External Affairs Cosgrave took part in trade discussions and he also presided over Irelands admission to the United Nations in 1955. Ireland was non aligned in favour of the United States and he did not speak to Sweetman for some years. Cosgrave remained active in opposition but he privately supported Fianna Fáils referendum to abolish the system of representation in June 1959. This opposition was to count against him later that year in the leadership contest, in October 1959, the dual leadership of Fine Gael, Mulcahy and Costello, stood down. Costello wanted to continue his practice as a counsel as well as being leader. He had asked Cosgrave to be his managing director in the Dáil while he was absent on legal work, Cosgrave, not surprisingly, had declined this
4.
Fine Gael
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Fine Gael is a liberal-conservative and Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the governing and largest party in Ireland in terms of members of the Oireachtas, Kenny has led the party since 2002. Fine Gael was founded on 8 September 1933 following the merger of its parent party Cumann na nGaedheal, the National Centre Party and the National Guard. Its origins lie in the struggle for Irish independence and the pro-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War and Michael Collins, Fine Gael is generally considered to be more of a proponent of market liberalism than its traditional rival, Fianna Fáil. However, apart from brief minority governments, Fine Gael has rarely governed Ireland without a coalition also included the Labour Party. Fine Gael describes itself as a party of the centre which it defines as acting in a way that is right for Ireland. It lists its values as equality of opportunity, free enterprise and reward, security, integrity. It is strongly in favour of the European Union and opposed to physical force Irish republicanism, the partys youth wing, Young Fine Gael, was formed in 1977, and has approximately four thousand members. Fine Gael is a member of the European Peoples Party. In 1923 this faction formally separates to become Cumann na nGaedheal and it rules as a minority government until 1932 when it’s replaced by a Fianna Fáil minority government with support from the Labour Party. 1933, It becomes Fine Gael also merging with two groups, the National Centre Party and the National Guard. 1937, It campaigns against the enactment of a new constitution proposed by Fianna Fáil advocating a no vote in the referendum, 1948–51, It forms part of Ireland’s first coalition government also including the Labour Party, Clann na Poblachta, Clann na Talmhan and the National Labour Party. 1954–57, It takes part in a three-party coalition government with the Labour Party,1972, It supported the campaign for a yes vote in the referendum to join the European Communities, voters approved of this proposal in the referendum. Both amendments were approved by voters in referenda, 1973–77, It takes part in a two-party coalition government with the Labour Party. Both amendments were approved by voters in referenda, 1981–82, It takes part in a two-party minority coalition government with the Labour Party. 1982-87, It takes part in a two-party coalition government with the Labour Party,1984, It proposed and supported the campaign for a yes vote for a constitutional amendment to extend the voting franchise to allow votes for non-citizens who are residents. This amendment was approved by voters in the referendum,1986, It proposed and supported the campaign for a yes for a constitutional amendment to make divorce constitutional. This amendment was rejected by voters in the referendum,1987, It supported the campaign for a yes vote for a constitutional amendment permitting the state to ratify the Single European Act
5.
Irish general election, 1969
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The Irish general election of 1969 was held on 18 June 1969. The newly elected members of the 19th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 July when the new Taoiseach, the general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 144 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The general election of 1969 saw two new leaders of the two main parties fight their first general election, Jack Lynch of Fianna Fáil had become Taoiseach in 1966 and was attempting to win his first election. Liam Cosgrave had taken charge of Fine Gael in 1965 and was now leading his party into his first election, brendan Corish was fighting his third general election as leader of the Labour Party. Fianna Fáil had been in power since 1957, and in spite of media predictions the party was very popular with the voters. Its leader Jack Lynch proved to be the partys biggest electoral asset and his quiet, easy-going and reassuring style, coupled with the catchy slogan Lets back Jack. Attracted many new voters to Fianna Fáil, the party had introduced many innovative pieces of legislation during the 1960s and was now looking for a fresh mandate. Fianna Fáil were also helped by a divided opposition. There was tension between the conservative members, who wanted to keep the party as it was. One of the policies proposed to abolish compulsory Irish for State examinations. The Labour Party on the hand were predicted to make massive gains after firmly ruling out a pre-election pact with Fine Gael. The party fielded a number of new, high-profile candidates, including Justin Keating, Conor Cruise OBrien, David Thornley, the slogan The Seventies will be Socialist was popular with Labour supporters, however, Fianna Fáil played the red card, linking the Labour Party with communism. The result marked a third victory for Fianna Fáil, led by Jack Lynch. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael each lost votes, yet gained seats, Labour gained votes, yet lost seats. A total of 37 TDs were elected for the first time, Eugene Timmons Lionel Booth Paddy Clohessy Seán Collins John A
