Séamus Kirk (born 26 April 1945) is an Irish former

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 who served as

Ceann Comhairle The (; "Head of heCouncil"; plural usually ) is the chairperson (or speaker) of , the lower house of the (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the from among their number in the first session ...

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 ...

from 2009 to 2011 and a

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

from 1987 to 1992. 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) for the

Louth Louth may refer to: Australia *Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia * Louth, New South Wales, a town * Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia ** Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality Canada * Louth, Ontario Ireland * Cou ...

constituency from 1982 to 2016.

Background

Kirk was born in Drumkeith,

County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...

. He is married to Mary McGeough. They have three sons and one daughter and live in Knockbridge, County Louth. He was educated at CBS

Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...

. He was a farmer and agricultural adviser before entering politics. He is a former footballer who played for the Louth county team.

Political career

He was a member of Louth County Council from 1974 to 1985, and he was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the November 1982 general election as a member of the 24th Dáil, succeeding Eddie Filgate who had announced his resignation from national politics. He was returned in each subsequent election until his retirement. Kirk was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food from 1987 to 1992. and became Ireland's first Minister for Horticulture. During this time he helped establish Bord Glas in 1990 to attempt to expand the development of Ireland's fruit and vegetable sector. He served as Chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party from 2002 until October 2009 and was a long-serving member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Body. At the

2004 European Parliament election The 2004 European Parliament election was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. The European Parliamental parties could not be voted for, but elect ...

, he unsuccessfully contested the

East East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...

constituency where

Liam Aylward Liam Aylward (born 27 September 1952) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Minister of State from 1988 to 1989, from 1992 to 1994 and from 2004 to 2004. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East c ...

took a seat for Fianna Fáil. On 13 October 2009, Kirk succeeded John O'Donoghue as

after O'Donoghue resigned over an expenses scandal. He was nominated for that post by Taoiseach

Brian Cowen Brian Bernard Cowen (born 10 January 1960) is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in several ...

and seconded by Tanáiste Mary Coughlan, and he defeated Fine Gael's

Dinny McGinley Denis McGinley (born 27 April 1945) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal South-West constituency from 1982 to 2016. Background McGinley w ...

by 87 votes to 51 votes. McGinley had been nominated by his party's leader,

Enda Kenny Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, Leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2017, Minister for Defence (Ireland), Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 201 ...

. In doing so he became the second Louth based Fianna Fáil TD to hold the office since

Pádraig Faulkner Pádraig Faulkner (12 March 1918 – 1 June 2012) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1980 to 1981, Minister for Defence 1979 to 1980, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and Minister for T ...

. In September 2014, he announced he would not be contesting the 2016 general election. The party's seat was retained by Declan Breathnach on that occasion, also a resident of the Knockbridge townland. Kirk has been a life-long member of the GAA in Louth being a member of The Brides in his native Knockbridge and previously serving on the Louth GAA Committee that helped fund and develop the Darver Project for a training pitch for all teams in County Louth. He has been a life-long supporter of Knockbridge Tidy Towns and of the Dundalk & District Old IRA, a commemorative organisation who recognise the service of those who took part in the Easter Rising, The War of Independence and the Civil War. He also serves on Fianna Fail committees at this commemorative level.

Sporting Achievements

* O'Byrne Cup:

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...

* Leinster Junior Football Championship:

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

* Cardinal O'Donnell Cup: 1968 * Louth Junior Football Championship: 1967 * Ranafast Cup: 1964

References

External links

Séamus Kirk's page on the Fianna Fáil website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirk, Seamus 1945 births Living people Alumni of the University of Galway Fianna Fáil TDs 20th-century Irish farmers Irish sportsperson-politicians Members of Louth County Council Louth inter-county Gaelic footballers Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 25th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 31st Dáil Ministers of State of the 25th Dáil Ministers of State of the 26th Dáil Politicians from County Louth Presiding officers of Dáil Éireann People educated at Coláiste Rís