Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Encyclopedia
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin is a Sinn Féin
politician from Ireland
. He has been a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Cavan–Monaghan
constituency since 1997 and was the parliamentary leader of Sinn Féin in Dáil Éireann
from 1997–2011.
in 1953. He was educated at St. Mary's CBS, Monaghan. He was a bank official with the Bank of Ireland
in the 1970s, and served in a number of towns, including Ballinasloe. He became a senior bank official but then left the bank to concentrate on politics. Ó Caoláin is married to Briege McGinn and they have four daughters and one son.
Ó Caoláin underwent a successful cardiac surgery early in 2007. On 19 June 2007 it was reported that he was rushed to hospital, but he was released shortly thereafter and has since made a full recovery.
circles for years. He was Director of Elections in the Anti H-Block
campaign of 1981 when Kieran Doherty
was elected as a TD for the Cavan–Monaghan
constituency. Between 1982 and 1985 he was general manager of the republican newspaper An Phoblacht
. Ó Caoláin's first political success came in 1985 when he was elected to Monaghan County Council
as a Sinn Féin
councillor. In 1989, loyalist
paramilitaries attempted to kill him and another Sinn Féin councillor. At the 1984
and 1989
European Parliament
elections he stood unsuccessfully in the Connacht–Ulster constituency.
Ó Caoláin represented Sinn Féin at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin in the mid-1990s and was also a member of the Sinn Féin negotiations team during the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement
in 1998. At the 1997 general election
he was elected to Dáil Éireann
for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency, making him the first Sinn Féin TD elected since 1957 and the first Sinn Féin TD to take his seat at Dáil Éireann in Leinster House. He was subsequently re-elected at the 2002 general election
and joined by four other Sinn Féin deputies. He was re-elected at the 2007 general election. Ó Caoláin is currently Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Health and Children." He accepts the average industrial wage and donates the remaining portion of his TD salary to his party.
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He has been a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Cavan–Monaghan
Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cavan–Monaghan is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency since 1997 and was the parliamentary leader of Sinn Féin in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
from 1997–2011.
Biography
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin was born in MonaghanMonaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
in 1953. He was educated at St. Mary's CBS, Monaghan. He was a bank official with the Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
in the 1970s, and served in a number of towns, including Ballinasloe. He became a senior bank official but then left the bank to concentrate on politics. Ó Caoláin is married to Briege McGinn and they have four daughters and one son.
Ó Caoláin underwent a successful cardiac surgery early in 2007. On 19 June 2007 it was reported that he was rushed to hospital, but he was released shortly thereafter and has since made a full recovery.
Political career
He has been active in republicanIrish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
circles for years. He was Director of Elections in the Anti H-Block
Anti H-Block
Anti H-Block was the political label used in 1981 by supporters of the Irish republican hunger strike who were standing for election in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland...
campaign of 1981 when Kieran Doherty
Kieran Doherty
Kieran Doherty TD was an Irish republican hunger striker, Teachta Dála and a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army ....
was elected as a TD for the Cavan–Monaghan
Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cavan–Monaghan is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency. Between 1982 and 1985 he was general manager of the republican newspaper An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht is the official newspaper of Sinn Féin in Ireland. It is published once a month, and according to its website sells an average of up to 15,000 copies every month and was the first Irish paper to provide an edition online and currently having in excess of 100,000 website hits per...
. Ó Caoláin's first political success came in 1985 when he was elected to Monaghan County Council
Monaghan County Council
Monaghan County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Monaghan in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county seat is at Monaghan Council Offices...
as a Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
councillor. In 1989, loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitaries attempted to kill him and another Sinn Féin councillor. At the 1984
European Parliament election, 1984 (Ireland)
The 1984 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1984 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
and 1989
European Parliament election, 1989 (Ireland)
The 1989 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1989 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
elections he stood unsuccessfully in the Connacht–Ulster constituency.
Ó Caoláin represented Sinn Féin at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin in the mid-1990s and was also a member of the Sinn Féin negotiations team during the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
in 1998. At the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
he was elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency, making him the first Sinn Féin TD elected since 1957 and the first Sinn Féin TD to take his seat at Dáil Éireann in Leinster House. He was subsequently re-elected at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
and joined by four other Sinn Féin deputies. He was re-elected at the 2007 general election. Ó Caoláin is currently Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Health and Children." He accepts the average industrial wage and donates the remaining portion of his TD salary to his party.