Michael D'Arcy (7 March 1934 – 1 May 2024) was an Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

politician, who served as a TD for the

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

constituency. D'Arcy's political career began in 1958, when his father Timothy died and Michael was co-opted into his county council seat, which he served in for fifteen years. He was elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

at the 1977 general election, and held his seat until the 1987 general election when he lost it to

Brendan Howlin Brendan Howlin (born 9 May 1956) is an Irish former Labour Party (Ireland), Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party (Ireland), Leader of the Labour Party from 2016 to 2020, Minister for Public Expenditure, National Devel ...

of the Labour Party. He was re-elected at the 1989 general election, at the expense of party colleague

Avril Doyle Avril Doyle (; born 18 April 1949) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 1986 to 1987 and from 1995 to 1997. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2004 and 2004 to 2009, a ...

, but she regained her seat at the 1992 general election. D'Arcy was then elected to the

20th Seanad The 20th Seanad was in office from 1993 to 1997. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 1992 general election to the 27th Dáil. The senators served until the close of poll for the 21st S ...

on the Agricultural Panel. At the 1997 general election he was returned to the

28th Dáil The 28th Dáil was elected at the 1997 Irish general election, 1997 general election on 6 June 1997 and met on 26 June 1997. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Republic of Ireland, Ire ...

, again unseating Avril Doyle. He lost his seat again at the 2002 general election, this time to the independent candidate Liam Twomey, who later joined Fine Gael. In 1981, in Garret FitzGerald's first government, D'Arcy was appointed a Minister of State for Agriculture. In FitzGerald's second government in 1982, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Fisheries and Forestry and at the Department of the Gaeltacht. He was dismissed in February 1986. In

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, D'Arcy was elected to

Gorey Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is bypassed by the main N11 road (Ireland), M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the Gorey railway station, railway network along the same route. Local newspape ...

Town Council; and was re-elected at the 2004 local elections, and retired in

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

. D'Arcy was married to Marie, and they had four children. A son Michael W. D'Arcy is a former TD and senator. D'Arcy died on 1 May 2024, at the age of 90.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darcy, Michael 1934 births 2024 deaths Fine Gael TDs Members of the 21st Dáil Members of the 22nd Dáil Members of the 23rd Dáil Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 20th Seanad Members of the 28th Dáil Members of Wexford County Council 20th-century Irish farmers Ministers of State of the 24th Dáil Ministers of State of the 22nd Dáil Fine Gael senators Agricultural Panel senators Politicians from County Wexford

See also

References