John Patrick Wilson (8 July 1923 – 9 July 2007) was an Irish
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christia ...
politician who served as
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Tao ...
from 1990 to 1993,
Minister for Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
and
Minister for the Gaeltacht from 1992 to 1993,
Minister for the Marine from 1989 to 1992,
Minister for Tourism and Transport from 1987 to 1989,
Minister for Communications in March 1987,
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs ( ga, Aire Poist agus Telegrafa) was the holder of a position in the Government of Ireland (and, earlier, in the Executive Council of the Irish Free State). From 1924 until 1984 – when it was abolished ...
from March 1982 to December 1982 and
Minister for Education from 1977 to 1981. He served as a
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parli ...
(TD) from 1973 to 1992.
Early life and Gaelic football
Wilson was born in Mullahoran,
County Cavan, in 1923. He was educated at
St. Mel's College in
Longford, the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
and the
National University of Ireland. He graduated with a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
in Classics and a Higher Diploma in Education. He was a secondary school teacher at
St Eunan's College
St Eunan's College ( ; ga, Coláiste Adhamhnáin), known locally as The College to distinguish it from the cathedral and GAA club, is a voluntary Roman Catholic all-male secondary day school (and former boarding school) in County Donegal, Ire ...
in
Letterkenny
Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...
and
Gonzaga College
Gonzaga College SJ is a voluntary Catholic boys' secondary school in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1950, Gonzaga College is under the trusteeship of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order), one of five Jesuit secondary schools in Ir ...
and also a university lecturer at
University College, Dublin
University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...
(UCD), before he became involved in politics.
Wilson was also a
Gaelic footballer for the
Cavan county team, with which he won two
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medals; one in 1947 in the
Polo Grounds,
New York.
He was a member of the teachers trade union, the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI), and served as president of the association. While at St Eunan's College in
Letterkenny
Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...
(at which time he lived at 2 College Row, close to the school gates, and taught within them between 1952 and 1960),
Wilson was known as "Big Johnny", training the team that would reach the final of the 1961
MacRory Cup
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college (school) Gaelic football tournament in Ulster at senior "A" grade. The MacLarnon Cup is the competition for schools at senior 'B' grade.
Players must be under nineteen at the start of the tournament. The win ...
(though he departed for a teaching post at Gonzaga College midway through the year).
Political career
Wilson was first elected to
Dáil Éireann at the
1973 general election for the
Cavan constituency, for
Cavan–Monaghan in 1977 and at each subsequent election until his retirement after the dissolution of the
26th Dail in 1992.
He was succeeded as Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan by his special advisor,
Brendan Smith, who went on to serve as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 2008 to 2011. In 1977,
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...
Jack Lynch appointed Wilson to the cabinet as
Minister for Education. He went on to serve in each Fianna Fáil government until his retirement, serving in the governments of Jack Lynch,
Charles Haughey
Charles James Haughey (; 16 September 1925 – 13 June 2006) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach on three occasions – 1979 to 1981, March to December 1982 and 1987 to 1992. He was also Minister for the Gaeltacht from ...
and
Albert Reynolds
Albert Martin Reynolds (3 November 1932 – 21 August 2014) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1992 to 1994, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1992 to 1994, Minister for Finance from 1988 to 1991, Minister for Indust ...
.
In 1990, Wilson challenged
Brian Lenihan for the
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christia ...
nomination for the
1990 presidential election. Lenihan won the nomination but failed to be elected
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
and was also sacked from the government. Wilson was then appointed
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Tao ...
. He remained in the cabinet until retirement in 1993. Although the
26th Dail was dissolved in December 1992, Wilson served in Government until the new government took office.
Retirement
Following his retirement from politics, Wilson was appointed the Commissioner of the
Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) was established by treaty between the Her Majesty's Government, United Kingdom Government and the Government of Ireland, made on 27 April 1999 in connection with the affairs o ...
by Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...
. This position entailed involvement with members of the
Provisional IRA
The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, fa ...
to assist in finding the bodies of the disappeared who were murdered by the Provisional IRA during
The Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
.
Wilson died in
Beaumont, Dublin
Beaumont () is a northside suburb of Dublin city, Ireland, bordered by Donnycarney, Santry and Artane. It lies within the postal district of Dublin 9.
Etymology
The name is derived from the French for "beautiful mount" as the parish is locate ...
, on 9 July 2007.
See also
*
Families in the Oireachtas
There 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 ( TD or Senator) of either of th ...
–
Diarmuid Wilson, a nephew, is currently a member of
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house).
It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
.
References
External links
Friends we lost: Mr. John Wilson– Article at Hogan Stand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, John P
1923 births
2007 deaths
Academics of University College Dublin
Alumni of the University of London
Cavan inter-county Gaelic footballers
Fianna Fáil TDs
Irish sportsperson-politicians
Members of the 20th Dáil
Members of the 21st Dáil
Members of the 22nd Dáil
Members of the 23rd Dáil
Members of the 24th Dáil
Members of the 25th Dáil
Members of the 26th Dáil
Ministers for Defence (Ireland)
Ministers for Education (Ireland)
Ministers for the Environment (Ireland)
Ministers for Transport (Ireland)
People associated with St Eunan's College
People educated at St Mel's College
Politicians from County Cavan
Tánaistí