Records of members of the Oireachtas

This is a list of records relating to the Oireachtas (National Parliament of Ireland).[1] The First Dáil Éireann consisted of the Sinn Féin MPs who were elected in the UK general election of 14 December 1918. They refused to attend the British House of Commons and instead assembled for the first time on 21 January 1919 in the Mansion House in Dublin as the revolutionary unicameral Dáil Éireann.

1118 Teachtaí Dála (TDs) served in the Dáil between 1919 and 2003.[2] The title Father of the Dáil is usually and unofficially conferred on the longest-serving member.

Contents

Longest-serving former TDs

This is a list of former TDs who have served at least 30 years in the Dáil. Unless otherwise specified, start and end dates given are those of the relevant general election. It can be assumed unless stated otherwise that the member did not stand in the end-date election, as opposed to standing and failing to be elected.

Name Party Elected
b = by-election		 Vacated seat Yrs/Mnths Notes
Paddy Smith Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1977 53y 11m Former cabinet minister
Frank Aiken Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1973 49y 6m Longest-serving cabinet minister (1932–1948,1951–1954,1957–1969)
Neil Blaney Fianna Fáil/ Independent Fianna Fáil 1948 Died on 8 October 1995 46y 10m Former cabinet minister
Thomas McEllistrim Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1969 45y 10m
Séamus Pattison Labour Party 1961 2007 45y 8m Former Ceann Comhairle
Seán MacEntee Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 1969 45y 6m Did not serve between the general elections of 1922 and June 1927
James Ryan Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 1965 45y 2m Long-serving cabinet minister. Did not serve between the general elections of 1922 and 1923 (1y 2m)
Seán Lemass Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1924 b 1969 44y 7m Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966
James Everett Labour Party/ National Labour Party 1923 Died on 18 December 1967 44y 4m Former cabinet minister; leader of the breakaway National Labour Party 1944–50
Oliver J. Flanagan Fine Gael 1943 1987 43y 8m Former cabinet minister
Martin Corry Fianna Fáil June 1927 1969 41y 10m
Patrick McGilligan Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1923 b 1965 41y 5m Attorney General from 1954 until 1957
Richard Mulcahy Sinn Féin/ Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1918 1961 41y Did not serve between general elections of 1937 and 1938, nor between those of 1943 and 1944
Éamon de Valera Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 Elected President in 1959 40y 6m Former Taoiseach and President of Ireland; first elected to Westminster at the June 1917 by-election
Cormac Breslin Fianna Fáil 1937 1977 40y Ceann Comhairle from 1967 until 1973
Patrick Hogan Labour Party 1923 Died on 24 January 1969 39y 8m Did not serve between the general elections of 1938 and 1943, nor between those of 1944 and 1948
Gerald Boland Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1961 38y 2m Long-serving cabinet minister
Liam Cosgrave Fine Gael 1943 1981 38y Taoiseach from 1973 until 1977
Dan Spring Labour Party/ National Labour Party 1943 1981 38y Member of the breakaway National Labour Party 1944-50
Michael Kennedy Fianna Fáil June 1927 1965 37y 10m
Seán Brady Fianna Fáil September 1927 1965 37y 7m
Bob Briscoe Fianna Fáil September 1927 1965 37y 7m
James Dillon Centre Party/ Fine Gael 1932 1969 37y 4m Leader of Fine Gael from 1959 until 1965
David Andrews Fianna Fáil 1965 2002 37y 1m
Ben Briscoe Fianna Fáil 1965 2002 37y 1m
Bobby Molloy Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats 1965 2002 37y 1m Joined Progressive Democrats in 1986; previously Fianna Fáil
Brendan Corish Labour Party 1945 b February 1982 36y 2m Tánaiste from 1973 until 1977
Dan Breen Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1965 35y 11m Did not serve between the general elections of June 1927 and 1932
Paddy Harte Fine Gael 1961 1997 35y 8m Former Father of the Dáil
Charles Haughey Fianna Fáil 1957 1992 35y 8m Taoiseach on three occasions
Seán Treacy Labour Party/ Independent 1961 1997 35y 8m Ceann Comhairle from 1987 until 1997
John A. Costello Fine Gael 1933 1969 35y 7m Did not serve between the general elections of 1943 and 1944. Taoiseach on two occasions.
Vivion de Valera Fianna Fáil 1945 b 1981 35y 7m Son of Éamon de Valera
John Bruton Fine Gael 1969 Resigned on 31 October 2004 35y 4m Taoiseach from 1994 until 1997. Resigned as TD to become EU Ambassador to the United States
Erskine H. Childers Fianna Fáil 1938 Elected President in 1973 35y Former Tánaiste and President of Ireland
Frank Fahy Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 Died on 14 July 1953 34y 10m Former Ceann Comhairle
Micheál Ó Móráin Fianna Fáil 1938 1973 34y 8m Former cabinet minister
Maurice E. Dockrell Fine Gael 1943 1977 34y 1m
Desmond O'Malley Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats 1968 b 2002 34y Founder of the Progressive Democrats and former cabinet minister
Bertie Ahern Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former Taoiseach
Rory O'Hanlon Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former Ceann Comhairle
Jim O'Keeffe Fine Gael 1977 2011 33y 8m Former cabinet minister
Michael Woods Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former cabinet minister
Daniel Morrissey Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1923 1957 33y 7m Former cabinet minister
Jack Lynch Fianna Fáil 1948 1981 33y 4m Taoiseach on two occasions
Gerald Bartley Fianna Fáil 1932 1965 33y 2m Former cabinet minister
Seán Mac Eoin Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1932 1965 33y 2m Former cabinet minister
Noel Davern Fianna Fáil 1969 2007 32y 4m Did not serve 11 June 1981 to 17 February 1987 (5y 8m)
Addendum
Mary Harney Fianna Fáil/ PD/ Independent 1981 2011 29y 8m Former Tánaiste and longest ever serving female TD

All time shortest-serving TDs

This is a list of former TDs who served for less than 1 year in the Dáil. Unless otherwise specified, start and end dates given are those of the relevant general election.

Name Party Elected
b = by-election		 Vacated seat Months Notes
Kieran Doherty Anti H-Block 1981 Died on 2 August 1981 2m Died after 73 days on hunger strike
Pierce McCan Sinn Féin 1918 Died on 6 March 1919 3m The Westminster election was on 14 December 1918, but the First Dáil did not sit until 21 January 1919
Patrick Gaffney Farmers' Party 1922 Resigned September 1922 3m Resigned after refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance[3]
Michael Carter Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Arthur Clery Independent June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Denis Cullen Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
William Duffy National League Party June 1927 Did not contest September 1927 3m
Thomas Falvey Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Hugh Garahan Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Gill Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Gilbert Hewson Independent June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Horgan National League Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Jinks National League Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Gilbert Lynch Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Eugene Mullen Fianna Fáil June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
David O'Gorman Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Timothy Quill Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
James Shannon Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Thomas Tynan Fianna Fáil June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Frank Drohan Sinn Féin 1921 Resigned on 5 January 1922 7m Returned unopposed on 24 May 1921; the Second Dáil convened on 16 August 1921.
George Lee Fine Gael June 2009 b Resigned on 8 February 2010 8m
Carrie Acheson Fianna Fáil 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Paddy Agnew Anti H-Block 1981 Did not contest February 1982 9m
Carey Joyce Fianna Fáil 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Seán Dublin Bay Loftus Independent 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Hugh Kennedy Cumann na nGaedheal October 1923 b Resigned on 25 June 1924 9m Resigned to become Chief Justice of the Irish Free State
Thomas Bellew Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Gerry Brady Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Ned Brennan Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Jim Corr Fine Gael February 1982 Did not contest November 1982 10m
Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr Fine Gael February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Patrick Gallagher Sinn Féin (Workers Party) February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Thomas O'Mahony Cumann na nGaedheal 1923 Died on 20 July 1924 11m
Richard Stapleton Labour Party 1943 Lost seat in 1944 11m

The following were eligible for membership of the Dáil, but as Unionists, they did not recognise it. Those elected to Westminster in 1918 were eligible for the First Dáil.[4]

Name Party Elected Vacated Westminster seat Months Notes
Hugh Anderson Irish Unionist Alliance 1918 Resignation in 1919 < 3m By-election was held on 4 March 1919
Robert McCalmont Irish Unionist Alliance 1918 Appointment as Commander of the Irish Guards in 1919 < 6m By-election was held on 27 May 1919
Arthur Warren Samuels Irish Unionist Alliance 1918 Appointment to the King's Bench in 1919 < 8m By-election was held on 28 July 1919

Currently in office, longest service as a TD

This is a list of current TDs who have served for at least 20 years in the Dáil. Unless otherwise specified, start dates given are those of the relevant general election.

Name Party Elected
b = by-election		 Years/Months
(as of 24 February 2012)		 Notes
Enda Kenny Fine Gael 1975 b 36 years, 3 months Current Taoiseach and Father of the Dáil
Ruairi Quinn Labour Party 1977 33 years, 9 months
(as of 21 November 2011)		 Did not hold seat in the 8 months between the general elections of 1981 and February 1982
Michael Noonan Fine Gael 1981 30 years, 8 months
Richard Bruton Fine Gael February 1982 30 years
Dinny McGinley Fine Gael February 1982 30 years
Willie O'Dea Fianna Fáil February 1982 30 years
Bernard Durkan Fine Gael 1981 29 years, 8 months
(as of 21 November 2011)		 Did not hold seat in the 9 months between the general elections of February 1982 and November 1982
John Browne Fianna Fáil November 1982 29 years, 3 months
Séamus Kirk Fianna Fáil November 1982 29 years, 3 months Former Ceann Comhairle
Michael P. Kitt Fianna Fáil 1975 b 27 years, 8 months
(as of 21 November 2011)		 Did not hold a seat in periods 1977 to 1981 elections and 2002 to 2007 elections
Seán Barrett Fine Gael 1981 25 years, 5 months
(as of 22 November 2011)		 Current Ceann Comhairle
Did not hold a seat between the May 2002 election and May 2007 election
Alan Shatter Fine Gael 1981 25 years, 5 months
(as of 22 November 2011)		 Did not hold a seat between the May 2002 election and May 2007 election
Jimmy Deenihan Fine Gael 1987 25 years
Brendan Howlin Labour Party 1987 25 years
Emmet Stagg Labour Party 1987 25 years
Michael Lowry Independent 1987 25 years
Phil Hogan Fine Gael 1989 22 years, 8 months
Eamon Gilmore Labour Party 1989 22 years, 8 months Current Tánaiste and leader of the Labour Party
Pat Rabbitte Labour Party 1989 22 years, 8 months
Micheál Martin Fianna Fáil 1989 22 years, 8 months Current Leader of the Opposition and leader of Fianna Fáil

Currently in office, longest continuous service in the Oireachtas

Name Party Office Year elected/appointed Length of service
Enda Kenny Fine Gael TD 1975 36 years, 3 months
Michael Noonan Fine Gael TD 1981 30 years, 8 months
Richard Bruton Fine Gael Senator / TD 1981 30 years, 4 months
Ruairi Quinn Labour Party Senator / TD 1981 30 years, 4 months
Shane Ross Independent Senator / TD 1981 30 years, 4 months
Dinny McGinley Fine Gael TD 1982 30 years
Willie O'Dea Fianna Fáil TD 1982 30 years
Bernard Durkan Fine Gael Senator / TD 1982 29 years, 9 months
John Browne Fianna Fáil TD 1982 29 years, 3 months
Séamus Kirk Fianna Fáil TD 1982 29 years, 3 months
Jimmy Deenihan Fine Gael Senator / TD 1983 29 years
Brendan Howlin Labour Party Senator / TD 1983 29 years
Emmet Stagg Labour Party TD 1987 25 years
Michael Lowry Independent TD 1987 25 years
Phil Hogan Fine Gael Senator / TD 1987 24 years, 9 months
David Norris Independent Senator 1987 24 years, 9 months
Eamon Gilmore Labour Party TD 1987 22 years, 8 months
Pat Rabbitte Labour Party TD 1987 22 years, 8 months
Micheál Martin Fianna Fáil TD 1987 22 years, 8 months

Longest-serving Senators

This is a list of current and former Senators who have served for at least 20 years in the Seanad, including both the Free State Seanad and the Seanad established under the 1937 Constitution. There was a 22-month gap between the abolition of the Free State Seanad in 1936 and the inauguration in 1938 of the 2nd Seanad, the first incarnation of the new body.

Name Party First Elected Vacated seat Years/Months Notes
Henry Barniville Independent 6 December 1922 23 September 1960 35 years, 11 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad
Margaret Mary Pearse Fianna Fáil 27 April 1938 7 November 1968 30 years, 6 months
Eoin Ryan, Snr Fianna Fáil 22 May 1957 3 April 1987 29 years, 10 months
Liam Ó Buachalla Fianna Fáil 7 October 1939 24 July 1969 29 years, 9 months
Shane Ross Independent 8 October 1981 26 February 2011 29 years, 4 months
James Douglas Independent 6 December 1922 16 September 1954 28 years, 9 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad;
Did not serve in 4th Seanad
Rory Kiely Fianna Fáil 27 October 1977 22 July 2007 28 years, 9 months Did not serve in 16th Seanad
Patrick McGowan Fianna Fáil 23 June 1965 3 October 1999 28 years, 5 months Did not serve in 15th, 16th and 17th Seanad
Des Hanafin Fianna Fáil 5 November 1969 26 June 2002 27 years, 10 months Did not serve in 20th Seanad
William Ryan Fianna Fáil 14 December 1961 5 July 1989 27 years, 6 months
Michael Hayes Fine Gael 27 April 1938 28 April 1965 27 years
Charles McDonald Fine Gael 14 December 1961 17 December 1992 26 years, 4 months Did not serve in 13th Seanad
John Counihan Independent 6 December 1922 25 July 1951 26 years, 3 months Did not serve in 2nd Seanad
Thomas Ruane Fianna Fáil 6 December 1934 28 April 1965 25 years, 9 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad;
Did not serve in 4th and 6th Seanad
Patrick O'Reilly Fianna Fáil 18 August 1944 24 July 1969 24 years, 11 months
Seán O'Donovan Independent 27 April 1938 24 July 1969 24 years, 10 months Did not serve in 6th and 8th Seanad
David Norris† Independent 25 April 1987 Incumbent 24 years, 9 months
Mick Lanigan Fianna Fáil 27 October 1977 26 June 2002 24 years, 7 months
Joe O'Toole Independent 25 April 1987 29 April 2011 24 years
Donie Cassidy Fianna Fáil 13 May 1982 29 April 2011 24 years Did not serve in 22nd Seanad from 2002 to 2007
Mícheál Prendergast Independent 22 July 1954 26 May 1977 22 years, 10 months
James Parkinson Cumann na nGaedheal 6 December 1922 31 July 1947 22 years, 9 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad
Patrick Baxter Clann na Talmhan 6 December 1934 3 April 1959 22 years, 5 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad
John Butler Labour Party 27 April 1938 28 April 1965 22 years, 3 months Did not serve in 9th Seanad
Seán Hayes Fianna Fáil 27 April 1938 28 April 1965 22 years, 2 months Did not serve in 4th and 6th Seanad
William O'Callaghan Independent 27 April 1938 1 September 1961 22 years, 2 months Did not serve in 4th Seanad
James Tunney Labour Party 27 April 1938 1 September 1961 22 years, 2 months Did not serve in 4th Seanad
Thomas Foran Labour Party 28 November 1923 12 March 1948 22 years Did not serve in 2nd Seanad
Patrick Fitzsimons Independent 21 April 1948 30 March 1973 22 years Did not serve in 8th Seanad
Peter Lynch Independent 7 September 1938 1 September 1961 22 years
Sir John Keane Independent 6 December 1922 12 March 1948 21 years, 10 months Did not serve in 1934–36 Seanad
Francis O'Brien Fianna Fáil 1 October 1989 29 April 2011 21 years, 7 months
Paschal Mooney† Fianna Fáil 25 April 1987 Incumbent 21 years, 6 months Did not serve 2y 6m from Jul. 2007 to Jan. 2010
William Quirke Independent 6 December 1931 5 March 1955 21 years, 4 months Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad
William Bedell Stanford Independent 21 April 1948 24 July 1969 21 years, 3 months
Michael Yeats Fianna Fáil 14 August 1951 12 March 1980 21 years Did not serve in 8th and 9th Seanad
James Dooge Fine Gael 14 December 1961 3 April 1987 20 years, 10 months Did not serve in 14th Seanad
Brian Mullooly Fianna Fáil 8 October 1981 26 June 2002 20 years, 8 months
Brendan Ryan Independent 13 May 1982 22 July 2007 20 years, 5 months Did not serve in 20th Seanad
Eddie Bohan Fianna Fáil 25 April 1987 22 July 2007 20 years, 2 months
Don Lydon Fianna Fáil 25 April 1987 22 July 2007 20 years, 2 months
Bernard McGlinchey Fianna Fáil 14 December 1961 21 December 1982 20 years, 2 months Did not serve in 15th Seanad
Patrick Quinlan Independent 22 May 1957 26 May 1977 20 years

†Serving senator

Oldest living former office-holders

Aged 86 or older

Name Office(s) held Date of birth Age
Eddie Filgate TD 16 September 1915 96 years, 5 months
Pádraig Faulkner Minister 12 March 1918 93 years, 11 months
Richard Barry TD 4 September 1919 92 years, 5 months
Liam Cosgrave Taoiseach 13 April 1920 91 years, 10 months
Desmond Governey TD / Senator 11 September 1920 91 years, 5 months
Joseph Dowling TD / Senator 2 February 1922 90 years
Thomas Finlay TD / Chief Justice 1922 88 years+
Timothy Killeen TD 10 May 1923 88 years, 9 months
Seán Treacy Ceann Comhairle 23 September 1923 88 years, 5 months
Peadar Maher TD 1 February 1924 88 years
Donal Creed TD 7 September 1924 87 years, 5 months
Patrick Byrne TD 2 April 1925 86 years, 10 months
Martin O'Toole TD 27 May 1925 86 years, 8 months

Oldest ever office-holders

Office holders aged 76 or older

Name Office Age Year
Éamon de Valera President Retired aged 90 1973
Gerald Boland Senator Retired aged 84 1969
Seán MacEntee TD Retired aged 80 1969
Maurice Hayes Senator Retired aged 80 2007
Charles Fagan TD Retired aged 80 1961
Jackie Healy-Rae TD Retired aged 79 2011
James Everett TD Died aged 78 1967
James Ryan Senator Retired aged 77 1969
Seán T. O'Kelly President Retired aged 77 1959
P. J. Sheehan TD Retired aged 77 2011
Rory O'Hanlon TD Retired aged 77 2011
Paddy Smith TD Retired aged 76 1977
Ann Ormonde Senator Lost seat aged 76 2011

Youngest ever office-holders

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

Earliest cabinet with members still living

Government Members
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, Gerry Collins, Bobby Molloy

Longest surviving Dáil members

Dáil Election Members
1st Dáil 1918 Seán MacEntee (died 1984), Joseph Sweeney (died 1980), Joseph O'Doherty (died 1979), Éamon de Valera (died 1975)
2nd Dáil 1921 Tom Maguire (died 1993)
3rd Dáil 1922
4th Dáil 1923
5th Dáil 1927 (June) Seán MacEntee (died 1984)
6th Dáil 1927 (Sep)
7th Dáil 1932 James Dillon (died 1986)
8th Dáil 1933 James McGuire (died 1989)
9th Dáil 1937 James Dillon (died 1986)
10th Dáil 1938
11th Dáil 1943 Liam Cosgrave
12th Dáil 1944
13th Dáil 1948 Liam Cosgrave, William J. Murphy
14th Dáil 1951 Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Peadar Maher
15th Dáil 1954 Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Thomas Finlay, Peadar Maher, Kathleen O'Connor
16th Dáil 1957 Richard Barry, Liam Cosgrave, Brigid Hogan, Peadar Maher, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Richie Ryan

Longest lived former office-holder

Aged 90 or more at time of death:

Name Date of birth Date of death Age
Tom Maguire 28 March 1892 5 July 1993 101y 4m
Seán Ó Ceallaigh 17 April 1896 15 June 1994 98y 1m
Domhnall Ua Buachalla 5 February 1866 30 October 1963 97y 8m
Philip Brady 10 June 1898 6 January 1995 96y 7m
George Noble Plunkett 3 December 1851 12 March 1948 96y 3m
Eddie Filgate 16 September 1915 96 years, 5 months
Séamus Dolan 10 December 1914 10 August 2010 95y 8m
Kathleen Clarke 11 April 1878 29 September 1972 94y 6m
Robert Barton 4 March 1881 10 August 1975 94y 5m
Joseph Farrell 1 July 1905 24 November 1999 94y 5m
Seán MacEntee 22 August 1889 10 January 1984 94y 5m
Pádraig Faulkner 12 March 1918 93 years, 11 months
Patrick Finucane 5 December 1890 10 April 1984 93y 4m
Thomas Tynan 1859 24 September 1953 93y 3m+
Peadar O'Donnell 22 February 1893 13 May 1986 93y 3m
Denis Cullen 23 September 1878 26 November 1971 93y 2m
Kit Ahern 13 January 1915 27 December 2007 92y 11m
Éamon de Valera 14 October 1882 29 August 1975 92y 10m
William Sheldon 18 January 1907 1 November 1999 92y 9m
Charles Fagan 1 October 1881 8 May 1974 92y 7m
Ted Russell 1 April 1912 28 November 2004 92y 7m
Richard Barry 4 September 1919 92 years, 5 months
Patrick Shanahan 10 March 1908 1 February 2000 91y 11m
Liam Cosgrave 13 April 1920 91 years, 10 months
Hugh Gibbons 6 July 1916 13 November 2007 91y 4m
Desmond Governey 11 September 1920 91 years, 5 months
Conor Cruise O'Brien 3 November 1917 18 December 2008 91y 1m
Bryan Cusack 2 August 1882 24 May 1973 90y 9m
Thomas Johnson 17 May 1872 17 January 1963 90y 8m
Patrick McGilligan 12 April 1889 15 November 1979 90y 7m

Shortest lived office holders

Aged 40 or younger at time of death:

Name Date of birth Date of death Age Cause of death
Kieran Doherty 16 October 1955 2 August 1981 25y Hunger strike
Liam Mellows 25 May 1895 8 December 1922 27y 6m Execution during the Irish Civil War
Michael Collins 16 October 1890 22 August 1922 31y 10m Shot during the Irish Civil War
Don Davern 4 March 1935 2 November 1968 33y 7m Sudden illness
Michael Derham 1889 20 November 1923 34y 10m- Sudden illness
Kevin O'Higgins 7 June 1892 10 July 1927 35y 1m Assassinated by former Civil War opponents
Billy Fox 3 January 1939 12 March 1974 35y 2m Shooting
Harry Boland 27 April 1887 31 July 1922 35y 3m Shot during the Irish Civil War
Frank Carney 25 April 1896 19 October 1932 36y 5m Ill-health
Hugh Colohan 30 September 1894 15 April 1931 36y 6m
Pierce McCan 2 August 1882 6 March 1919 36y 7m Influenza epidemic
Thomas A. Finlay 11 October 1893 22 November 1932 39y 1m Illness - typhoid
Alfred P. Byrne 1913 26 July 1952 39y 6m-
Sir Osmond Esmonde 4 April 1896 22 July 1936 40y 3m Sudden
Clement Coughlan 14 August 1942 1 February 1983 40y 5m Traffic accident
Séamus Dwyer c.1882 20 December 1922 40y 11m- Murdered by shooting on his premises
Joseph Hannigan 1904 1944 40y 11m-

Longest serving Cabinet Ministers (in same office)

Name Office Years
Seán Lemass Minister for Industry and Commerce 19
Éamon de Valera Minister for External Affairs 16
Frank Aiken Minister for External Affairs 15
James Ryan Minister for Agriculture 15
Seán MacEntee Minister for Finance 10

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

Name Date
Noël Browne February 1948
Kevin Boland March 1957
Martin O'Donoghue July 1977
Alan Dukes June 1981
Niamh Bhreathnach January 1993

Oldest person currently in office

Politicians born before 1945:

Name Office Date of birth Age as of 24 February 2012
Feargal Quinn Senator 27 November 1936 75 years, 2 months
Michael D. Higgins President 18 April 1941 70 years, 10 months
Seán Kenny TD 1 October 1942 69 years, 4 months
Michael Noonan TD 21 May 1943 68 years, 9 months
Paul Coghlan Senator 1 June 1944 67 years, 9 months
David Norris Senator 1 July 1944 67 years, 7 months
Seán Barrett TD 9 August 1944 67 years, 6 months
Michael Conaghan TD September 1944 67 years, 4 months
Emmet Stagg TD 1 October 1944 67 years, 4 months
Mary White Senator 7 October 1944 67 years, 4 months

Youngest person currently in office

Politicians born since 1977:

Name Office Date of birth Age as of 24 February 2012
Kathryn Reilly Senator Apr 1988–89[5] 22 years, 9 months+
Simon Harris TD October 1986 25 years, 3 months+
Patrick Nulty TD 18 November 1982 29 years, 3 months
Derek Nolan TD October 1982 29 years, 3 months+
Eoghan Murphy TD April 1982 29 years, 9 months+
Brendan Griffin TD March 1982 29 years, 10 months+
Paul Connaughton, Jnr TD January 1982 30 years+
Lucinda Creighton TD 20 January 1980 32 years, 1 month
James Heffernan Senator 3 October 1979 32 years, 4 months
Lorraine Higgins Senator 3 August 1979 32 years, 6 months
Leo Varadkar TD 18 January 1979 33 years, 1 month
John Paul Phelan Senator 27 September 1978 33 years, 4 months
Damien English TD 21 February 1978 34 years
Brian Ó Domhnaill Senator 18 October 1977 34 years, 4 months
Pearse Doherty TD 6 July 1977 34 years, 7 months
Thomas Byrne Senator 1 June 1977 34 years, 8 months

Members of the current Government by age

Main article: Government of the 31st Dáil
Name Date of birth Age as of 16 February 2012
Michael Noonan 21 May 1943 68 years, 9 months
Ruairi Quinn 2 April 1946 65 years, 10 months
Joan Burton 1 February 1949 63 years
Pat Rabbitte 18 May 1949 62 years, 9 months
Frances Fitzgerald 1 August 1950 61 years, 6 months
Alan Shatter 14 February 1951 61 years
Enda Kenny 24 April 1951 60 years, 10 months
Jimmy Deenihan 11 September 1952 59 years, 5 months
Richard Bruton 15 March 1953 58 years, 11 months
Eamon Gilmore 24 April 1955 56 years, 10 months
James Reilly 16 August 1955 56 years, 6 months
Brendan Howlin 9 May 1956 55 years, 9 months
Phil Hogan 4 July 1960 51 years, 7 months
Simon Coveney 16 June 1972 39 years, 8 months
Leo Varadkar 18 January 1979 33 years, 1 month

Longest service (cumulative)

Name Office(s) Years
Éamon de Valera TD / President 55
Paddy Smith TD 54
Frank Aiken TD 50
James Ryan TD / Senator 50
Neil Blaney TD / MEP 47
Gerald Boland TD / Senator 46

Husband and wife TDs in the same Dáil

Husband Wife Dála
Michael O'Higgins Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins 16th, 17th and 18th
Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr Mary Flaherty 23rd
Joe McHugh Olwyn Enright 30th

Members of both the British Parliament and of the Oireachtas

Name British Parliament Oireachtas
P. J. Brady MP 1910–18 Senator 1927–28
Alfred Byrne MP 1915–18 TD 1922–28, 1932–56, Senator 1928–31
James Campbell, later Lord Glenavy MP 1898–1900, 1903–17, Peer 1921–31 Senator 1922–28
Bryan Cooper MP 1910 TD 1923–30
James Cosgrave MP 1914–18 TD 1923–27
William Duffy MP 1900–18 TD 1927
Sir John Esmonde MP 1915–18 TD 1937–44
Sir Thomas Esmonde MP 1885–1918 Senator 1922–34
Laurence Ginnell MP 1906–18 TD 1918–23
Benjamin Guinness, 3rd Earl of Iveagh Peer 1967–92 Senator 1973–77
Edward Haughey, later Lord Ballyedmond Peer 2004–present Senator 1994–2002
Hugh Law MP 1902–18 TD 1927–32
Seamus Mallon MP 1986–2005 Senator 1982
James O'Mara MP 1900–18 TD 1918–21, 1924–27
Earl of Kerry, later Marquess of Lansdowne MP 1908–18, Peer 1927–36 Senator 1922–29
Horace Plunkett MP 1892–1900 Senator 1922–25
William Redmond MP 1910–22 TD 1923–32
Gerry Adams MP 1983–92, 1997–2011 TD 2011–present

See also

References

  1. ^ The two Houses of the Oireachtas are: Dáil Éireann (lower) and Seanad Éireann (upper).
  2. ^ "Members of Dáil Éireann 1919 – 2003 (Chronological Listing)". Government of Ireland. 2003. http://www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas/a-misc/members1919-chronological.htm. Retrieved 20 June 2007. 
  3. ^ Laffan, Michael (1999). The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916–1923. Cambridge University Press. p. 391. ISBN 0521650739. 
  4. ^ "Dáil Éireann – Volume 1 – 21 January 1919, An Rolla" (in Irish). Dáil Éireann Parliamentary Debates. http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/DT/D.F.O.191901210004.html. Retrieved 14 September 2010. 
  5. ^ Reilly is reported as being 22 on election date 29 Apr 2011, so was born between 30 Apr 1988 and 29 Apr 1989