Frank Fahy
Encyclopedia
Francis Patrick Fahy (12 January 1880 – 14 July 1953) was an Irish
teacher, barrister, and politician. He served for nearly 35 years as a Teachta Dála
(TD), first for Sinn Féin
and later as a member of Fianna Fáil
, before becoming Ceann Comhairle
(chairman) for over 19 years.
, a son of John Fahy who taught at the local National School. He was the eldest of 6 children, 5 boys and a girl. After early education at his father's school in Kilchreest he attended Mungret College
in Limerick
and later studied at University College Galway. He gained a Bachelor of Arts
and a H.Dip. in Education, and a Diploma in Science.
From 1906 to 1921 he taught Latin, Irish and Science at Castleknock College
(St Vincent's College), Dublin. Fahy qualified as a barrister in 1927 at King's Inns
, Dublin and also taught at the Christian Brothers
school in Tralee. He was at one time General Secretary of the Gaelic League. He married Anna Barton of Tralee, a metal artist and member of the Cumann na mBan
in 1908. They had no children.
Member of Parliament
(MP) for South Galway
, but as the party was pledged to abstentionism
he did not take his seat in the British House of Commons
and joined the revolutionary 1st Dáil Éireann. He was re-elected as TD for Galway
in 1921 general election and having sided with the anti-treaty forces following the Anglo-Irish Treaty
, he did not take his seat in either the 3rd Dáil or the 4th Dáil. He joined Fianna Fáil
when the party was founded in 1926, and along with the 42 other Fianna Fáil TDs he took his seat in the 5th Dáil on 12 August 1927, three days before the Dáil tied 71 votes to 71 on a motion of no confidence
which persuaded W. T. Cosgrave's Cumann na nGaedheal government to call a general election in search of a majority.
After the September 1927 election, Cosgrave was able to form a minority government with the support of the Farmers' Party (Ireland)
and some independent TDs. However, in the 1932 general election
, Fianna Fáil won just under half of the seats and formed a government with the support of the Labour Party
. The first business was of the 7th Dáil was the election of the Ceann Comhairle
, and on 9 March 1932 Fahy was nominated for the position by Seán T. O'Kelly
, winning the vote by a margin of 74 to 71.
He held the post until Fianna Fáil lost the 1951 election
, and at the start of the 14th Dáil he did not offer himself for re-election as Ceann Comhairle. He was replaced by the Labour TD Patrick Hogan
. His 19 years in the chair remains the longest of any Ceann Comhairle, and the only other person to exceed 10 years as Ceann Comhairle was his successor, Patrick Hogan.
The 1932 election was the last which Fahy contested; as Ceann Comhairle, he was automatically re-elected at the next seven elections. When his Galway constituency
was divided for the 1937 general election
, he was returned unopposed for the new Galway East, and similarly in 1948
for the new Galway South
constituency.
Fahy died in 1953 and was buried in Dublin at Deans Grange Cemetery
. The Galway South by-election held after his death was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Robert Lahiffe
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
teacher, barrister, and politician. He served for nearly 35 years as a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD), first for Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and later as a member of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
, before becoming Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
(chairman) for over 19 years.
Early life
Fahy was born in Kilchreest, County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, a son of John Fahy who taught at the local National School. He was the eldest of 6 children, 5 boys and a girl. After early education at his father's school in Kilchreest he attended Mungret College
Mungret College
Mungret College, situated west of Limerick, Ireland, near the village of Mungret, was a Jesuit apostolic school and a lay secondary school from 1882 until 1974 when it closed as a school for the last time. The college produced over 1000 priests in that period...
in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and later studied at University College Galway. He gained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and a H.Dip. in Education, and a Diploma in Science.
From 1906 to 1921 he taught Latin, Irish and Science at Castleknock College
Castleknock College
Castleknock College is a private , secondary school for boys aged between 13 and 18, which is situated in the residential suburb of Castleknock, 8 km west of the city centre in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
(St Vincent's College), Dublin. Fahy qualified as a barrister in 1927 at King's Inns
King's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
, Dublin and also taught at the Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
school in Tralee. He was at one time General Secretary of the Gaelic League. He married Anna Barton of Tralee, a metal artist and member of the Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914 as an auxiliary of the Irish Volunteers...
in 1908. They had no children.
Political career
Fahy was first elected at the 1918 general election as a Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for South Galway
South Galway (UK Parliament constituency)
South Galway was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1922.Prior to the 1885 general election the area was part of the Galway County constituency...
, but as the party was pledged to abstentionism
Abstentionism
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in the election itself...
he did not take his seat in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and joined the revolutionary 1st Dáil Éireann. He was re-elected as TD for Galway
Galway (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Galway was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1921 to 1937. The method of election was the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .- History :...
in 1921 general election and having sided with the anti-treaty forces following the Anglo-Irish Treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
, he did not take his seat in either the 3rd Dáil or the 4th Dáil. He joined Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
when the party was founded in 1926, and along with the 42 other Fianna Fáil TDs he took his seat in the 5th Dáil on 12 August 1927, three days before the Dáil tied 71 votes to 71 on a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
which persuaded W. T. Cosgrave's Cumann na nGaedheal government to call a general election in search of a majority.
After the September 1927 election, Cosgrave was able to form a minority government with the support of the Farmers' Party (Ireland)
Farmers' Party (Ireland)
The Farmers' Party or Farmers' Union was an agrarian political party in the Irish Free State between 1922 and 1932. It was concerned almost exclusively with the interests of the agricultural community, and never sought to widen its scope beyond the countryside.The party won seven seats in Dáil...
and some independent TDs. However, in the 1932 general election
Irish general election, 1932
The Irish general election of 1932 was held on 16 February 1932, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 29 January. The newly elected 153 members of the 7th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 9 March 1932 when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of...
, Fianna Fáil won just under half of the seats and formed a government with the support of the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
. The first business was of the 7th Dáil was the election of the Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
, and on 9 March 1932 Fahy was nominated for the position by Seán T. O'Kelly
Sean T. O'Kelly
Seán Thomas O'Kelly was the second President of Ireland . He was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1918 until his election as President. During this time he served as Minister for Local Government and Minister for Finance...
, winning the vote by a margin of 74 to 71.
He held the post until Fianna Fáil lost the 1951 election
Irish general election, 1951
The Irish general election of 1951 was held on 30 May 1951. The newly elected members of the 14th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 13 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, and at the start of the 14th Dáil he did not offer himself for re-election as Ceann Comhairle. He was replaced by the Labour TD Patrick Hogan
Patrick Hogan (Ceann Comhairle)
Patrick Hogan was a long-serving Irish politician. He served as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1951 to 1967.- Early life :Hogan's birth date is uncertain...
. His 19 years in the chair remains the longest of any Ceann Comhairle, and the only other person to exceed 10 years as Ceann Comhairle was his successor, Patrick Hogan.
The 1932 election was the last which Fahy contested; as Ceann Comhairle, he was automatically re-elected at the next seven elections. When his Galway constituency
Galway (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Galway was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1921 to 1937. The method of election was the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .- History :...
was divided for the 1937 general election
Irish general election, 1937
The Irish general election of 1937 was held on 1 July 1937, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 14 June. A plebiscite to ratify the Constitution of Ireland was held on the same day...
, he was returned unopposed for the new Galway East, and similarly in 1948
Irish general election, 1948
The Irish general election of 1948 was held on 4 February 1948. The 147 newly elected members of the 13th Dáil assembled on 18 February when the First Inter-Party government in the history of the Irish state was appointed....
for the new Galway South
Galway South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Galway South was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1948 to 1961...
constituency.
Fahy died in 1953 and was buried in Dublin at Deans Grange Cemetery
Deans Grange Cemetery
Deans Grange Cemetery, or more commonly known today as Deansgrange Cemetery, is situated in the suburban area of Deansgrange in the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown part of the former County Dublin, Ireland. Since it first opened in 1865, over 150,000 people have been buried there...
. The Galway South by-election held after his death was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Robert Lahiffe
Robert Lahiffe
Robert Lahiffe was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and farmer. He served in the Oireachtas for 7 years as a Teachta Dála , and then as a senator for 8 years....
.