Patricio Cullen (1826–1877) was the governor of province of Santa Fe, Argentina between 1862 and 1865. He was the second son of Domingo Cullen and Joaquina Rodríguez del Fresno. Cullen was born in the provincial capital Santa Fe. His family was of Irish origin (descended from Thomas Cullen Maher, who emigrated from

Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...

to the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

in 1793), and has given Santa Fe many influential characters in the field of politics (Domingo Cullen was governor of Santa Fe, as was Patricio's brother José María). Many of their descendants were part of powerful local families (for example, Patricio's sister Joaquina was the wife of governor Nicasio Oroño). In 1850 Patricio Cullen married Elena Iturraspe. They had two daughters, Elena and Dominga, both of whom were later married to provincial governors (

Mariano Cabal Mariano Cabal (12 April 1830 – 1885) was the governor of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina between 9 April 1886 and 7 April 1871. Major achievements of Cabal's administration were, among others, the opening of the first telegraph line betwee ...

and José Bernardo Iturraspe). Cullen was the first constitutional governor of Santa Fe, elected under the provincial constitution dictated in 1856, three years after the National Constitution of 1853. He belonged to the progressive Liberal faction, along with his brother-in-law Nicasio Oroño (who succeeded him), and opposed to the Autonomist faction led by

Simón de Iriondo Simón de Iriondo (1836–1883) was an Argentine politician of the National Autonomist Party, who was twice governor of the province of Santa Fe, from 1871 to 1874 and from 1878 to 1882. Iriondo was also the Government Minister of governor Ma ...

. The Autonomists ousted Nicasio Oroño in 1867. Around 1877, popular discontent with the government of Servando Bayo led Oroño (then a national senator) to plot an uprising to regain power, counting with the support of the population of the immigrant colonies. Cullen led the rebellion in the north, gathering forces and taking control of several towns on his way to the provincial capital. His second-in-command, Francisco Iturraspe, went before him and attempted to cross the Saladillo Stream from the west, across the pass of Los Cachos, but he was repelled and badly wounded. Cullen went to help, but he faced superior forces and had to flee. He was followed north and killed near the town of Santa Rosa (

Garay Department The Garay Department (in Spanish, ''Departamento Garay'') is an administrative subdivision (''departamento'') of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located in the center-east of the province. It has about 20,000 inhabitants as per the . I ...

), on 20 March 1877. His body was then taken south to the capital, where the provincial government officially deplored his death and gave him the honours corresponding to his rank. Cullen's remains are now buried in the Convent of Saint Dominic in Santa Fe City, next to those of his father and other prominent leaders of the province.Concern about the Convent of Saint Dominic in the city of Santa Fe
etc. Chamber of Deputies of the Nation, file 0152-D-2007.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Patricio 1826 births 1877 deaths Governors of Santa Fe Province People from Santa Fe, Argentina Argentine people of Irish descent Argentine people of Spanish descent