"Dan" Desmond (3 October 1913 – 9 December 1964) was an Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 Labour Party politician and 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...

 for seventeen years.

Desmond first stood for election 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...

 at the 1944 general election

Irish general election, 1944

The Irish general election of 1944 was held on 30 May 1944, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 9 May. The 138 newly elected members of the 12th Dáil assembled on 9 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....

, in the Cork South East constituency, where he was defeated, winning barely 5% of the first-preference votes. However, his second candidacy was successful: at the 1948 general election

Irish general election, 1948

The Irish general election of 1948 was held on 4 February 1948. The 147 newly elected members of the 13th Dáil assembled on 18 February when the First Inter-Party government in the history of the Irish state was appointed....

 he was the first candidate to be elected in the new 3-seat Cork South East

Cork South East

Cork South East may refer to:*South East Cork , UK Parliament constituency in Ireland from 1885–1922*Cork South East , Dáil Éireann constituency in Ireland from 1937–1948...

 constituency.

He took his seat in the 13th Dáil, and was re-elected at the 1951 general election

Irish general election, 1951

The Irish general election of 1951 was held on 30 May 1951. The newly elected members of the 14th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 13 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....

 and again in the 1954

Irish general election, 1954

The Irish general election of 1954 was held on 18 May 1954. The newly elected members of the 15th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....

 and 1957 elections

Irish general election, 1957

The Irish general election of 1957 was held on 5 March 1957, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 4 February. The newly elected members of the 16th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 20 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place...

, topping the poll again in 1951 and 1954. After further boundary changes, he was returned at the 1961 election

Irish general election, 1961

The Irish general election of 1961 was held on 4 October 1961, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 8 September. The newly elected members of the 17th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 11 October when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took...

 for the new 4-seat Cork Mid

Cork Mid (Dáil Éireann constituency)

Cork Mid was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1961 to 1981. The constituency was served by 4 deputies from 1961 to 1977, and then 5 from 1977 until its abolition in 1981...

 constituency.

He died on 9 December 1964, at the age of 51. The by-election for his seat in the 17th Dáil was won on 10 March 1965 by his widow Eileen Desmond

Eileen Desmond

Eileen Desmond, née Harrington was a senior Irish Labour Party politician. She served in the Dáil and the Seanad and the European Parliament, and was Minister for Health & Social Welfare from 1981 to 1982....

, who sat in the Oireachtas

Oireachtas

The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...

 for 22 years.

His daughter, Paula Desmond, was first elected as a Cork County Council

Cork County Council

Cork County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Cork in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach...

or in 1985 Carrigaline

Carrigaline

Carrigaline is a single-street town in County Cork, Ireland. It is about 12 km from Cork City which can be reached by car in 25 minutes...

, and has been re-elected at each local authority election since.

External links

• Dan Desmond's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)