Detta O'Cathain, Baroness O'Cathain, (; 2 February 1938 – 23 April 2021) was an Irish-born British businesswoman and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician.

Early life and education

Margaret M. B. Ó Catháin was born in Cork, daughter of Caoimhghin Ó Catháin, of Dublin, and Margaret (née Prior). She was educated at Laurel Hill Convent in Limerick, before earning a BA at University College Dublin and emigrating to England.

Business career

Ó Catháin was a director of many companies. She served as non-executive director of Midland Bank from 1984 to 1993, of

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from 1985 to 2000, and of

British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...

from 1993 to 2004. She served as

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of the

Milk Marketing Board The Milk Marketing Board was a producer-run product marketing board, established by the Agricultural Marketing Act 1933, to control milk production and distribution in the United Kingdom. It functioned as buyer of last resort in the milk market in ...

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from 1984 to 1989 and of the Barbican Centre from 1990 to 1995. She was also a director of BNP/Paribas (UK) and Allders. In the 1983 New Year Honours she was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE).

Political career

Baroness O'Cathain made many appearances on the BBC's '' Question Time'' during the 1980s. She was made a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

as Baroness O'Cathain, of The Barbican in the

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, on 21 June 1991 and sat in the

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on the Conservative benches. She served on a number of committees within the House, including the Constitution Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee. She also sat on the European Union Committee, chairing the Sub-Committee on Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment. She was known for her socially conservative views, in particular her efforts to retain the ban on same-sex couples from adopting, and had taken on a leadership role against gay rights after the death of Lady Young. In 2004, Lady O'Cathain denied that her decision to step down from the board of

was connected with a threatened boycott of the airline by gay rights group Stonewall. Gay rights supporters took exception to what was described as her attempted "wrecking" amendment of the civil partnerships bill. She responded that her amendment was "nothing to do with homosexuals at all." In 2009, she proposed a law criminalising the possession of "extreme pornographic writings", similar to the recently passed law on images. In 2014, Baroness O’Cathain was selected to chair the

inquiry into civil use of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), devices commonly referred to as drones.

Personal life

Baroness O’Cathain married William Ernest John Bishop in 1963. He died in 2001. She died at her home in Arundel, West Sussex, following a short illness, in April 2021. Baroness Janet Fookes paid tribute to her, saying that she was "never afraid to speak her mind".

References

External links

Speeches by Baroness O'Cathain
TheWorkForYou.com
Biography - Baroness O'Cathain
UK Parliament {{DEFAULTSORT:OCathain, Detta OCathain, Baroness 1938 births 2021 deaths 20th-century British businesswomen 21st-century British businesswomen Alumni of University College Dublin Conservative Party (UK) life peers Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II Life peers created by Elizabeth II Irish emigrants to the United Kingdom Officers of the Order of the British Empire Businesspeople from Cork (city) Politicians from Cork (city) 20th-century British businesspeople 21st-century British businesspeople