Neal Blaney
Encyclopedia
Neal Blaney was an Irish
Fianna Fáil
politician, and long-serving member of the Oireachtas
.
Blaney, a native of Fanad
in the north of County Donegal
, had been a commander of the IRA
in Donegal during the War of Independence
and the Civil War
. He was first elected to the 5th Dáil Éireann for the Donegal
constituency at the June 1927 general election
. He retained his seat at subsequent general elections until it was abolished in boundary changes for the 1937 general election
when he was returned for the new Donegal East
constituency. He lost his seat at the 1938 election
, and was elected to the 3rd Seanad on the Agricultural Panel, serving until 1943.
He returned to 11th Dáil at the 1943 election
, and was re-elected at the 1944 election
. He died on 30 October 1948, shortly after being returned to the 13th Dáil at the 1948 election
, and in the resulting by-election on 7 December 1948, his son Neil Blaney
was elected as the new TD
for Donegal East
.
Another son, Harry Blaney
, and Harry's son Niall Blaney
, were later elected as TD
s for the constituency of Donegal North East
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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...
politician, and long-serving member of the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
.
Blaney, a native of Fanad
Fanad
Fanad is a peninsula that lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay on the north coast of County Donegal in Ireland. It encompasses the parishes of Clondavaddog, Killygarvan and parts of Tullyfern and Aughinish. The peninsula includes the towns and villages of Milford, Kerrykeel , Tamney,...
in the north of County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, had been a commander of the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
in Donegal during the War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and the Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
. He was first elected to the 5th Dáil Éireann for the Donegal
Donegal (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1921 to 1937 and from 1977 to 1981...
constituency at the June 1927 general election
Irish general election, 1927 (June)
The Irish general election of June 1927 was held on 9 June 1927. The newly elected members of the 5th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 23 June when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed....
. He retained his seat at subsequent general elections until it was abolished in boundary changes 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...
when he was returned for the new Donegal East
Donegal East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal East was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1937 to 1961...
constituency. He lost his seat at the 1938 election
Irish general election, 1938
The Irish general election of 1938 was held on 17 June 1938. The 138 newly elected members of the 10th Dáil assembled on 30 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, and was elected to the 3rd Seanad on the Agricultural Panel, serving until 1943.
He returned to 11th Dáil at the 1943 election
Irish general election, 1943
The Irish general election of 1943 was held on 23 June 1943. The 138 newly elected members of the 11th Dáil assembled on 1 July when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, and was re-elected at the 1944 election
Irish general election, 1944
The Irish general election of 1944 was held on 30 May 1944, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 9 May. The 138 newly elected members of the 12th Dáil assembled on 9 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. He died on 30 October 1948, shortly after being returned to the 13th Dáil at the 1948 election
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....
, and in the resulting by-election on 7 December 1948, his son Neil Blaney
Neil Blaney
Neil Terence Columba Blaney was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála representing Donegal East. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs , Minister for Local Government and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries...
was elected as the new TD
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...
for Donegal East
Donegal East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal East was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1937 to 1961...
.
Another son, Harry Blaney
Harry Blaney
Harry Blaney is a retired Irish Independent Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the constituency of Donegal North East. He is a son of Neal Blaney, who was a TD from 1927 to 1948....
, and Harry's son Niall Blaney
Niall Blaney
Niall Blaney is a former Irish politician. A member of Independent Fianna Fáil until he joined Fianna Fáil in 2006, he served as a Teachta Dála for Donegal North East from 2002 to 2011....
, were later elected as TD
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...
s for the constituency of Donegal North East
Donegal North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
.
See also
- Families in the OireachtasFamilies in the OireachtasThere is a tradition in Irish politics of having family members succeed each other, frequently in the same parliamentary seat. This article lists families where two or more members of that family have been members of either of the houses of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament...