List of Irish politicians

This is an incomplete list of public-representative office-holders, elected and appointed since 1918 up to the present day, in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The offices covered are TDs, MEPs, Presidents, Councillors, MPs, Stormont MPs, Members of the Sunningdale Assembly (as Mem.NI.Assmb), MLAs, Senators, Commissioners and Members of the Irish House of Commons (as Mem IHC).

Holders of other offices, such as Kings-representative (ie Governors General) or historical offices such as High King of Ireland are listed in the "Others" section.

Use of the term "Irish" and "Irish politicians"

It should be remembered that not everyone born on the island of Ireland sees themselves as Irish, as is commonly assumed by outsiders. Particularly in Northern Ireland, some also regard themselves as British and/or do not regard themselves as Irish at all. In Northern Ireland in particular, there is no common consensus on what the term "Irish" entails. It should not be therefore assumed that all people on this list would consider themselves to be "Irish". In the case of Irish politicians elected prior to 1918, these are listed in the Irish Parliamentary Party's relevant categories.

Political parties

Party membership is indicated by the colour below. It is the same colour-scheme as used in all articles on Irish politics, for example: Members of the 30th Dáil.

Office holders, H–M

Notable others (activists etc)

This list features Irish activists and revolutionaries, strategists, unelected office holders, unsuccessful election candidates, Irish people in the politics of other nations, historical Irish figures etc. It also includes Lords Lieutenant and Governors General, representatives of the King

Party leaders

Party leaders serving 10 years or more are:

Facts

Data as-of 13 Sept 2008

Oldest living former office-holders

*Séamus Dolan, former TD/Senator/Cathaoirleach (born 1914)
*Eddie Filgate, former TD (born 1915)
*Conor Cruise O'Brien, former Minister (born 1917)
*Pádraig Faulkner, former Minister (born March 1918)
*Richard Barry, former TD (born 1919)
*George Coburn, former TD (born March 1920)
*Liam Cosgrave, former Taoiseach (born Apr 1920)
*Desmond Governey, former TD/Senator (born Sep 1920)
*Peggy Farrell, former Senator (born Nov 1920)
*James Dooge, former Senator/Minister (born July 1922)
*Carey Joyce, former TD (born August 1922)
*Seán Treacy, former Ceann Comhairle (born 1923)
*Timothy Killeen, former TD (born 1923)
*Donal Creed, former TD (born 1924)

Oldest ever office-holders

*Éamon de Valera, retired as President aged 91 in 1973
*Gerald Boland, retired as Senator aged 84 in 1969
*Seán MacEntee, retired as TD aged 80 in 1969
*Maurice Hayes, retired as Senator, aged 80 in 2007
*Charles Fagan, retired as TD aged 80 in 1961
*James Everett, died as TD aged 78 in 1967
*Jackie Healy-Rae, current TD aged 77 in 2008
*James Ryan, retired as Senator aged 77 in 1969
*Seán T. O'Kelly, retired as President aged 77 in 1959
*Paddy Smith, retired as TD aged 76 in 1977

Youngest ever office-holders

*William J. Murphy, TD aged 21y 1m in 1949
*Lorcan Allen, TD aged 21y 6m in 1961
*Kathleen O'Connor, TD aged 21y, 7m in 1954
*Ivan Yates, TD aged 21y, 8m in 1981
*Mary Coughlan, TD aged 21y, 9m in 1987
*Myra Barry, TD aged 22y 6d in 1979
*John Bruton, TD aged 22y, 1m in 1969
*Paddy Smith, TD aged 22y, 2m in 1923
*Síle de Valera, TD aged 22y 6m in 1977
*Oliver J. Flanagan, TD aged 23y, 1m in 1943
*Liam Cosgrave, TD aged 23y, 2m in 1943

Earliest cabinet with members still surviving

*Costello 1954–57 – Liam Cosgrave
*Lynch 1966–69 – Pádraig Faulkner, Patrick Lalor
*Lynch 1969–73 – Pádraig Faulkner, Patrick Lalor, Desmond O'Malley, Michael O'Kennedy, Gerard Collins, Bobby Molloy

Earliest Dáil with members still surviving

*11th Dáil, 1943 – Liam Cosgrave
*12th Dáil, 1944 – Liam Cosgrave
*13th Dáil, 1948 – Liam Cosgrave, William J. Murphy
*14th Dáil, 1951 – George Coburn, Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Declan Costello
*15th Dáil, 1954 – George Coburn, Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Declan Costello, Kathleen O'Connor
*16th Dáil, 1957 – George Coburn, Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Declan Costello, Richie Ryan, Brigid Hogan, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
*17th Dáil, 1961 – Séamus Dolan, Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Desmond Governey, Sean Treacy, Patrick Lalor, Declan Costello, Tom O'Donnell, Joan Burke, Paddy Harte, Richie Ryan, Brigid Hogan, Séamus Pattison, John Donnellan, Lorcan Allen

Longest lived former office-holder

Aged 91 or more at time of death:
# Gearóid O'Sullivan died 1994 aged 102+
# Tom Maguire died 1993 aged 101
# Domhnall Ua Buachalla died 1963 aged 97
# George Noble Plunkett died 1951 aged 97
# Philip Brady died 1995 aged 96
# Seán MacEntee died 1984 aged 95
# Kathleen Clarke died in 1972 aged 94y 6m
# Joseph Farrell died 1999 aged 94y 5m
# Robert Barton, died in 1975 aged 94
# "'Séamus Dolan, aged 93y 9m (as of Sep 10 2008)
# Patrick Finucane died in 1984 aged 93y 4m
# Peadar O'Donnell, died in 1986 aged 93y 3m
# Kit Ahern died 2007 aged 92y 11m
# Éamon de Valera died 1975 aged 92y 10m
# William Sheldon died 1999 aged 92y 9m
# Charles Fagan died 1974 aged 92y 7m
# "'Eddie Filgate, aged 92y (as of Sep 10 2008)
# Patrick Shanahan died 2000 aged 91y 11m
# Hugh Gibbons died 2007 aged 91y 4m

Longest surviving members of the 1st Dáil

*Seán MacEntee (died 1984-01-10)
*Joseph Sweeney (died 1980-11-25)
*Joseph O'Doherty (died 1979)
*Éamon de Valera (died 1975-08-29)
*Robert Barton (died 1975-08-10)
*Ernest Blythe (died 1975-02-23)
*Patrick O'Keeffe (died 1973-09-20)
*Bryan Cusack (died 1973-05-24)

Longest serving Cabinet Ministers

*Seán Lemass, Minister for Industry & Commerce 19 years
*Éamon de Valera, Minister for External Affairs 16 years
*Frank Aiken, Minister for External Affairs 15 years
*James Ryan, Minister for Agriculture 15 years
*Seán MacEntee, Minister for Finance 10 years

People appointed to cabinet at the start of their first term as TD

*Alan Dukes
*Niamh Bhreathnach
*Martin O'Donoghue
*Kevin Boland
*Noel Browne

Oldest person currently in office

Politicians born before 1940:
*Jackie Healy-Rae, TD (born 1931)
*P. J. Sheehan, TD (born 1933)
*Rory O'Hanlon, TD (born Feb 1934)
*Ann Ormonde, Senator (born Jan 1935)
*Michael Woods, TD (born Dec 1935)
*Feargal Quinn, Senator (born Nov 1936)
*Mary O'Rourke, TD (born 1937)

Youngest Person currently in office

Politicians born after 1975:
*Michael McGrath, TD (born Aug 1976)
*Michael McCarthy, Senator (born Nov 1976)
*Thomas Byrne, TD (born June 1977)
*Brian Ó Domhnaill, Senator (born October 1977)
*Pearse Doherty, Senator (born 1978)
*Damien English, TD (born Feb. 1978)
*John Paul Phelan, Senator (born Sep. 1978)
*Leo Varadkar, TD (born January 18, 1979)
*Lucinda Creighton, TD (born 1980)

Oldest current members of Government

* Batt O'Keeffe (born 1945)
* Éamon Ó Cuív (born 1950)
* Willie O'Dea (born 1952)
* Noel Dempsey (born 1953)
* Mary Harney (born 1953)

Youngest current members of Government

*Mary Coughlan (born 1965)
*Eamon Ryan (born 1963)
*Micheál Martin (born 1960)
*Brian Cowen (born 1960)

Longest service (in one role)

*Paddy Smith 53y 11m as TD
*Frank Aiken 49y 6m as TD
*Neil Blaney 46y 10m as TD
*Tom McEllistrim, Snr 45y 10m as TD
*Séamus Pattison 45y 8m as TD
*Seán MacEntee 45y 6m as TD
*James Ryan 45y 2m as TD
*Seán Lemass 44y 7m as TD
*James Everett 44y 4m as TD
*Oliver J. Flanagan 43y 8m as TD

Longest service (cumulative)

*Éamon de Valera 55y (TD, President)
*Paddy Smith 54y (TD)
*Frank Aiken 50y (TD)
*James Ryan 50y (TD, Senator)
*Neil Blaney 47y (TD, MEP)
*Gerald Boland 46y (TD, Senator)

Currently in office, longest continuous service (as-of Aug 30 2008)

*Enda Kenny (elected 1975, 32y 10m, TD)
*Ruairi Quinn (elected 1976, 32y 2m, Senator/TD)
*Michael D. Higgins (elected 1973, 31y, 7m, Senator/TD)
*Bertie Ahern (elected 1977, 31y, 3m TD)
*Rory O'Hanlon (elected 1977, 31y, 3m TD)
*Jim O'Keeffe (elected 1977, 31y, 3m TD)
*Mary Harney (elected 1977, 31y, 3m Senator/TD)
*Michael Woods (elected 1977, 31y, 3m TD)

Longest service as MEP

*Joe McCartin 25y
*Mary Banotti 20y
*Niall Andrews 20y
*Jim Fitzsimons 20y

Husband and wife TDs in the same Dáil

*Michael O'Higgins and Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins both served in the 16th, 17th and 18th Dála.
*Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr and his wife Mary Flaherty both served in the 23rd Dáil.
*Olwyn Enright and Joe McHugh both serve in the 30th Dáil.

People who served in the House of Commons and in the Oireachtas

*P. J. Brady, MP 1910–18, Senator 1927–28
*Alfred Byrne, MP 1915–18, TD & Senator 1922–56
*James Campbell, MP 1898–1900, 1903–17, Senator 1922–28
*James Cosgrave, MP 1914–18, TD 1923–27
*William Duffy, MP 1900–18, TD 1927
*John Esmonde, MP 1915–18, TD 1937–44
*Thomas Esmonde, MP 1885–1918, Senator 1922–34
*Laurence Ginnell, MP 1906–18, TD 1918–23
*Hugh Law, MP 1902–18, TD 1927–32
*James O'Mara, MP 1900–18, TD 1918–21, 1924–27
*Horace Plunkett, MP 1892–1900, Senator 1922–25
*William Redmond, MP 1910–22, TD 1923–32

ee also

*List of Irish people
*Families in the Oireachtas
*Father of the Dáil
*List of Taoisigh by important facts

References