Michael Ferris

Michael Ferris

Michael Ferris (21 November 1931 – 20 March 2000) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served for more than twenty years as a member of the Oireachtas, as both a Senator and a Teachta Dála (TD).[1] Before becoming a full-time politician, he was secretary to a veterinary practice.

Ferris was a native of Bansha, County Tipperary, and it was here in the 1950s, that he came under the influence of Very Rev. John Canon Hayes, Founder of Muintir na Tíre and adopted many of his ideas for rural development embracing all sections of the community in an inclusive way. He was elected to the 13th Seanad by the Agricultural Panel in a by-election on 23 April 1975. At the 1977 general election, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Dáil Éireann in the Tipperary South constituency, and was also defeated in the subsequent Seanad elections. He was re-elected in 1981 to the 15th Seanad, and returned again in 1982 and 1983.[2]

At the 1987 general election, he unsuccessfully stood again in Tipperary South, but was afterwards re-elected to the 18th Seanad, again on the Agricultural Panel. In the 1989 elections to the European Parliament on 15 June, He was defeated in the Munster constituency, trailing far behind his Labour colleague Eileen Desmond, who narrowly missed a seat. However, polling in the 1989 general election was held on the same day, and he was finally elected to Dáil Éireann, taking his seat in the 26th Dáil on his third attempt. He was re-elected at the 1992 general election and again at the 1997 general election, taking the last seat in each case.

He died suddenly while on parliamentary business in Lisbon on 20 March 2000 at the age of 69. The subsequent by-election for his Dáil seat was held on 2 June and won by an independent candidate, Séamus Healy, who retained the seat at the 2002 general election. Ferris was the quintessential rural Labour TD, garnering support across party lines, especially from small farmers and the rural working class, quite in disproportion to the level of national support generally enjoyed by his party. He championed the rural agricultural economy and was Chairman of the Bansha Agricultural & Industrial Show Society for a number of years. In private life, Deputy Ferris was married twice, firstly to Josephine Tobin of Bansha and after her death to Ellen Kiely of Tipperary Town who survives him as do his four sons and two daughters.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • John Brancato and Michael Ferris — Born John D. Brancato Michael Ferris U.S. Occupation Screenwriters Years active 1990 – present John Brancato and Michael Ferris are a pair of American screenwriters, whose works include …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Quealy — Michael A. Quealy is a former Fine Gael politician in Ireland. He was a senator from 1987 to 1989, elected to the 18th Seanad on the Agricultural Panel, but was not re elected in the 1989 elections.[1] References ^ Mr. Michael A. Quealy …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Howard (Irish politician) — For other people named Michael Howard, see Michael Howard (disambiguation). Michael Howard (19 September 1933 – 17 February 2009) was an Irish Fine Gael party politician who served in Seanad Éireann for nearly 20 years.[1] An unsuccessful… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael D. Higgins — Not to be confused with Michael O Higgins or Michéal Ó hUiginn. His Excellency Michael D. Higgins 9th President of Ireland …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Smith (Irish politician) — For other people named Michael Smith, see Michael Smith (disambiguation). Michael Smith Teachta Dála In office February 1987 – May 2007 In office June 1977 – February 1982 In off …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Yeats — For those of a similar name, see Michael Yates (disambiguation). Michael Yeats Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann In office 5 November 1969 – 3 January 1973 Preceded by Liam Ó Buachalla Succeeded by …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Lyons (Irish politician) — For other people named Michael Lyons, see Michael Lyons (disambiguation). Michael Dalgan Lyons (1 November 1910 – 19 November 1991) was an Irish Fine Gael party politician[1] from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo.[2] A farmer and former employee of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael O'Higgins — For the President of Ireland, see Michael D. Higgins. Michael Joseph O Higgins (1 November 1917 – 9 March 2005) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a member of the Oireachtas for nearly thirty years. O Higgins was born in 1917 in… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Moynihan (Kerry politician) — For other people named Michael Moynihan, see Michael Moynihan (disambiguation). Michael Moynihan (17 June 1917 – 27 June 2001) was an Irish Labour Party party politician who served in the Oireachtas as a Senator and as TD for Kerry South. From… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Mullen (Irish politician) — For other people named Michael Mullen, see Michael Mullen (disambiguation). Michael Mullen (1 February 1919 – 1 November 1982) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade union official. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Labour Party… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”