Michael Joseph O'Higgins (1 November 1917 – 9 March 2005) 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 Leader of the Seanad from 1973 to 1977. He served as a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) from 1948 to 1951 and 1954 to 1969. He also served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

from 1951 to 1954 and 1973 to 1977. The son of prominent Fine Gael politician Thomas F. O'Higgins, Michael and his brother Tom both entered the Dáil in 1948 and served there for a number of decades. While Tom built a reputation as a liberal, Michael mirrored their father and was considered a conservative.

Biography

Early life

O'Higgins was born in

Straffan Straffan () is a village in County Kildare, Ireland. It is situated on the banks of the River Liffey, 25 km upstream of the Irish capital Dublin. As of the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the village had a population of 1,158, an over ...

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...

, in 1917. O'Higgins came from an Irish political family. His father was Thomas F. O'Higgins, a former leader of the

Blueshirts The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, known by the nickname the Blueshirts (), was a paramilitary organisation in the Irish Free State, founded in 1932.New Irish Army Arises, Ne ...

and cabinet minister. His uncle was

Kevin O'Higgins Kevin Christopher O'Higgins (; 7 June 1892 – 10 July 1927) was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice from 1922 to 1927, Minister for External Affairs from June 1927 to July 1927 a ...

, a cabinet minister who was assassinated in 1927. O'Higgins's brother was

Tom O'Higgins Thomas Francis O'Higgins (23 July 1916 – 25 February 2003) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, barrister and judge who served as Chief Justice of Ireland and a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1974 to 1985, a Judge of the European Court of Just ...

, a fellow TD, Minister, presidential candidate (in 1966 and 1973) and later

Chief Justice of Ireland The chief justice of Ireland () is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland. The chief justice is the highest judicial office and the most senior judge in the Republic of Ireland. The role includes several constitutional and administrativ ...

. As a teenager, O'Higgins was a member of the

, the radical right-wing paramilitary that emerged in the early 1930s in Ireland in opposition to the

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various Resistance movement, resistance organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dominantly Catholic and dedicated to anti-imperiali ...

. Speaking at a Fine Gael convention in Monaghan in 1956, O'Higgins defended his time in the organisation, stating "if it should be necessary to wear it again, I would be proud and glad to wear it. Those who wore the blue shirts did not do so to cause disturbance or strife but in order to bring the various sections of the people together". He was educated at

St Mary's College, Dublin St Mary's College C.S.Sp. (Congregatio Sancti Spiritus) is a voluntary secondary school, voluntary boys' primary and secondary school run by the Holy Ghost Fathers, Congregation of the Holy Spirit and located in Rathmines, Dublin, Republic of Ire ...

Clongowes Wood College Clongowes Wood College SJ is a Catholic voluntary boarding school for boys near Clane, County Kildare, Ireland, founded by the Jesuits in 1814. It features prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel '' A Portrait of the Artist ...

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

and the Incorporated

Law Society of Ireland The Law Society of Ireland () is a professional body established on 24 June 1830 and is the educational, representative and regulatory body of the Solicitor, solicitors' profession in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As of 2020, the Law Society ha ...

Political career

O'Higgins was first 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 ...

as a

TD for the Dublin South-West constituency at the 1948 general election. O'Higgins, his father, and his brother hold the distinction of all being elected to the 13th Dáil in 1948. He lost his seat at the 1951 general election, but regained it again at the 1954 election. O'Higgins retained his seat, representing the

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...

constituency from the 1961 general election onwards, until losing it at the 1969 general election. He was a member of

Dublin City Council Dublin City Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of the city of Dublin in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the authority was k ...

from 1945 to 1955, and a member of

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

from 1951 to 1954 and from 1969 to 1977, until he retired from politics. He served as Leader of the Seanad from 1973 to 1977. In 1965, when James Dillon stepped down as leader of Fine Gael, O'Higgins moved immediately to nominate

Liam Cosgrave Liam Cosgrave (13 April 1920 – 4 October 2017) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1973 to 1977, Leader of Fine Gael from 1965 to 1977, Leader of the Opposition from 1965 to 1973, Minister for External Affairs fro ...

as the new leader in order to prevent the left-wing of the party, centring around Declan Costello, any time to organise their own campaign for the position. During the 1970s O'Higgins opposed any attempts to legalise the sale of

contraceptives Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

(birth control) in Ireland.

Personal life

He was married to Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins, also a Fine Gael TD. He married Brigid Hogan in 1958, one year after her election. They were the first married couple ever to be elected to the same Dáil. They had nine children. He died in 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohiggins, Michael 1917 births 2005 deaths Fine Gael TDs Fine Gael senators Members of the 12th Seanad Members of the 13th Dáil Members of the 13th Seanad Members of the 15th Dáil Members of the 16th Dáil Members of the 17th Dáil Members of the 18th Dáil Members of the 7th Seanad Members of the Blueshirts Nominated members of Seanad Éireann People educated at Clongowes Wood College Politicians from County Kildare Spouses of Irish politicians Alumni of University College Dublin People educated at St Mary's College, Dublin Administrative Panel senators Cultural and Educational Panel senators

Biography

Early life

Political career

Personal life

See also

References