Seán Flanagan (26 January 1922 – 5 February 1993) was an Irish

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

politician and

Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

er who served as Minister for Health from 1966 to 1969, Minister for Lands from 1969 to 1973 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce from 1965 to 1966. He served as a

Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...

(MEP) for the Connacht–Ulster constituency from 1979 to 1989. He was 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) for the Mayo South constituency from 1951 to 1969 and for the Mayo East constituency from 1969 to 1977.

Early life

Flanagan was born in Coolnaha, Aghamore, Ballyhaunis,

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

in 1922. He was educated locally, then later at St Jarlath's College in

Tuam Tuam (; , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midland Region, Ireland, midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. The town is in a civil parishe ...

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

, where he showed enthusiasm for sport. He won two

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

championship medals with the college in 1939 and 1940. He briefly studied at the seminary at Clonliffe College in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

and then enrolled in University College Dublin, where he studied law and qualified as a solicitor.

Football career

Flanagan also played senior

for Mayo. He captained the All-Ireland final-winning sides of 1950 and 1951 and won five

senior championship medals in all. He also won two

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

titles in 1949 and 1954. While still a footballer, Flanagan entered into a career in politics. In recognition of his skills and long-running contribution to the sport, Flanagan was awarded the 1992 All-Time All Star Award as no GAA All Stars Awards were being issued at the time of his playing career. In 1984, the

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...

centenary year he was honoured by being named on their Football Team of the Century. In 1999, he was again honoured by the GAA by being named on their Gaelic Football Team of the Millennium.

Political career

Flanagan came from a Fianna Fáil family and was recruited into the party in east Mayo. He was elected a Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo South at the 1951 general election, and won a seat—first there, then from 1969 in Mayo East—at each subsequent election until he lost his seat at the 1977 general election. Flanagan rose rapidly through the party ranks and was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary under

Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

Seán Lemass in 1959. Alongside Charles Haughey and Brian Lenihan, he was part of the "mohair suite" brigade of young moderniser TDs. In the Fianna Fáil leadership election in 1966 Flanagan supported Jack Lynch. When Lynch became Taoiseach, Flanagan was promoted to the Cabinet as Minister for Health. Three years later in 1969, he became Minister for Lands. Flanagan lost his seat at the 1977 general election, and effectively retired from domestic politics; however, he was elected to the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

in the first direct elections in 1979. He was re-elected in 1984, and retired from politics in 1989. Flanagan died on 5 February 1993, at the age of 71.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Flanagan, Sean 1922 births 1993 deaths All-Ireland–winning captains (football) Alumni of University College Dublin Fianna Fáil TDs Fianna Fáil MEPs Irish solicitors Irish sportsperson-politicians Mayo inter-county Gaelic footballers Members of the 14th Dáil Members of the 15th Dáil Members of the 16th Dáil Members of the 17th Dáil Members of the 18th Dáil Members of the 19th Dáil Members of the 20th Dáil MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1979–1984 MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1984–1989 Ministers for health of Ireland Parliamentary secretaries of the 18th Dáil People educated at St Jarlath's College Politicians from County Mayo Lawyers from County Mayo People from Ballyhaunis

Early life

Football career

Political career

See also

References

External links