Jim Gibbons (Irish politician)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Gibbons was a senior Irish
Fianna Fáil
politician. He was first elected in 1957 as a Teachta Dála
(Member of Parliament) for Carlow–Kilkenny
. He held his seat until 1982. Gibbons also served as Minister for Defence
(1969–1970) and Minister for Agriculture (1970–1973 and 1977–1979).
, Gibbons was born into a very politically-minded family. His uncle, Seán Gibbons
, was elected to Dáil Éireann
as a Cumann na nGaedheal candidate in the 1923 general election
but later joined the Farmer's Party
and eventually joined Fianna Fáil
.
Gibbons was educated locally and later attended Kilkenny CBS
and the famous St. Kieran's College. Here he earned a reputation on the sports field, winning a Leinster colleges' hurling
title. Following the completion of his Leaving Certificate
he studied medicine at University College Dublin
, however, he abandoned his studies after two years to return to Kilkenny where he concentrated on farming.
Gibbons later bought a 300-acre farm at the Pheasantgry, Dunmore, about four miles from Kilkenny city.
in 1954, and secured election to that authority in his own right the following year. He remained as a county councillor until 1967.
Gibbons was elected to Dáil Éireann for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency at the 1957 general election
. He secured re-election in 1961
, however, he remained on the government backbenches for a second term.
Following the 1965 general election
Gibbons secured promotion to the junior ministerial ranks under Seán Lemass
, when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance. In this position he served under Jack Lynch
and later under Charles Haughey
.
, Gibbons joined Jack Lynch's cabinet as Minister for Defence
. Although not regarded as a particularly high-ranking portfolio, his short tenure would come to define his political career. In August 1969 civil unrest in Northern Ireland
boiled over and the Irish government were forced to act. Lynch urged his cabinet to take a cautious line and established a cabinet subcommittee to organise emergency assistance and relief. A government fund of £100,000 was set up to provide relief to nationalist civilians forced out of their homes by the Troubles, and Charles Haughey, as Minister for Finance, was given sole authority over this money. The Minister for Agriculture, Neil Blaney
, allegedly made plans with Captain James Kelly to import weapons from continental Europe. Haughey provided the money for the purchase from his civilian relief fund, and also tried to arrange customs clearance for the shipment.
In May 1970 the Arms Crisis
broke when Haughey and Blaney were sacked by Lynch when the plot to import arms was revealed. At the subsequent Arms Trial Gibbons would be the chief prosecutorial witness and his evidence would contradict Haughey's. Haughey was found not guilty, therefore Gibbons was alleged to have been the dishonest one, an allegation that affected him deeply. He was never charged with any offence himself and was angry that a Dáil motion of confidence in the government effectively turned into a debate on him personally.
and in the amalgamation of creameries in the country.
-Labour Party
coalition following the 1973 general election
. In spite of losing ministerial office he remained a key member of Jack Lynch's team. Shortly after the general election he was appointed a member of the second delegation
from the Oireachtas
to the European Parliament
. Two years later in 1975 Gibbons was included on Jack Lynch's new front bench as spokesperson on agriculture. Charles Haughey, the man who he clashed with in the Arms Trial of 1970, also re-joined the front bench.
, Gibbons's tenure as a MEP ended and he returned to Jack Lynch's new cabinet as Minister for Agriculture. Once again his appointment was welcomed by farmers.
In 1979 Gibbons clashed with the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Charles Haughey, over the controversial Family Planning Bill
. As a staunch Catholic Gibbons voted against the bill that legalised the sale of contraceptives. He was the first government minister in the history of the state to vote against his own government, yet the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, took no action against him. This action only exacerbated the ill-feeling between Gibbons and Haughey.
In December 1979 Jack Lynch announced his resignation as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. The subsequent leadership election
turned into a straight battle between Haughey and George Colley
. The latter had the backing of almost every member of the existing cabinet, however, a backbench revolt saw Haughey narrowly become Taoiseach and party leader.
In the resulting cabinet reshuffle Gibbons was the only member of the cabinet to be sacked.
he openly called for a change of leadership within the party.
Gibbons regained his seat at the February 1982 general election and voted against Haughey in the leadership challenge that was proposed by Charlie McCreevy
. Leaving Leinster House
after the vote he was attacked by a number of drunken Fianna Fáil supporters and forced to the ground. A friend of his saw off the attackers. In the aftermath, new swivel doors were erected to prevent mobs pushing their way into the parliament building. The incident was recounted by Desmond O'Malley
in the RTÉ
documentary series Seven Ages
(although O'Malley does not mention Gibbons by name), and was later also referred to in the 2005 RTÉ biographical series Haughey
.
A few weeks after this incident Gibbons suffered a heart attack and was unable to vote for Haughey later that year in a no-confidence motion at which point the government fell. He lost his seat at the November 1982 general election and effectively retired from politics.
In 1986 Gibbons offered his support to Desmond O'Malley
and the new Progressive Democrats
, as he believed that there was no longer a place for him within Haughey's Fianna Fáil party. His son, Martin
was elected to the Dáil form the new party in the 1987 general election
. In 1997 another son, Jim Gibbons, Jnr, was nominated by the Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
as a member of the 21st Seanad.
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,...
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician. He was first elected in 1957 as 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...
(Member of Parliament) for Carlow–Kilkenny
Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Carlow–Kilkenny is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
. He held his seat until 1982. Gibbons also served as Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Ireland)
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....
(1969–1970) and Minister for Agriculture (1970–1973 and 1977–1979).
Early life
Born in Bonnettsrath, County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Gibbons was born into a very politically-minded family. His uncle, Seán Gibbons
Seán Gibbons
Séan Francis Gibbons was an Irish politician who sat as Cumann na nGaedheal TD in the 1920s and as a Fianna Fáil TD in the 1930s...
, 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...
as a Cumann na nGaedheal candidate in the 1923 general election
Irish general election, 1923
The Irish general election of 1923 was held on 27 August 1923. The newly elected members of the 4th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 19 September when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed. The election was held just after the end...
but later joined the Farmer's Party
Farmers' Party (Ireland)
The Farmers' Party or Farmers' Union was an agrarian political party in the Irish Free State between 1922 and 1932. It was concerned almost exclusively with the interests of the agricultural community, and never sought to widen its scope beyond the countryside.The party won seven seats in Dáil...
and eventually joined Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
.
Gibbons was educated locally and later attended Kilkenny CBS
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
and the famous St. Kieran's College. Here he earned a reputation on the sports field, winning a Leinster colleges' hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
title. Following the completion of his Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
he studied medicine at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, however, he abandoned his studies after two years to return to Kilkenny where he concentrated on farming.
Gibbons later bought a 300-acre farm at the Pheasantgry, Dunmore, about four miles from Kilkenny city.
Political career
Gibbons was politically active from an early age, having joined Fianna Fáil in his youth. He was co-opted onto Kilkenny County CouncilKilkenny County Council
Kilkenny County council is the local authority for County Kilkenny in Ireland. The council is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The county council has 26 elected members...
in 1954, and secured election to that authority in his own right the following year. He remained as a county councillor until 1967.
Gibbons was elected to Dáil Éireann for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency at the 1957 general election
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...
. He secured re-election in 1961
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...
, however, he remained on the government backbenches for a second term.
Following the 1965 general election
Irish general election, 1965
The Irish general election of 1965 was held on 7 April 1965. The newly elected members of the 18th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 21 April when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
Gibbons secured promotion to the junior ministerial ranks under Seán Lemass
Seán Lemass
Seán Francis Lemass was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century. He served as Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966....
, when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance. In this position he served under Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
and later under Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
.
Minister for Defence (1969–70)
Following Fianna Fáil's fourth general election triumph in succession in 1969Irish general election, 1969
The Irish general election of 1969 was held on 18 June 1969. The newly elected members of the 19th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 July when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed...
, Gibbons joined Jack Lynch's cabinet as Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Ireland)
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....
. Although not regarded as a particularly high-ranking portfolio, his short tenure would come to define his political career. In August 1969 civil unrest in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
boiled over and the Irish government were forced to act. Lynch urged his cabinet to take a cautious line and established a cabinet subcommittee to organise emergency assistance and relief. A government fund of £100,000 was set up to provide relief to nationalist civilians forced out of their homes by the Troubles, and Charles Haughey, as Minister for Finance, was given sole authority over this money. The Minister for Agriculture, Neil Blaney
Neil Blaney
Neil Terence Columba Blaney was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála representing Donegal East. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs , Minister for Local Government and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries...
, allegedly made plans with Captain James Kelly to import weapons from continental Europe. Haughey provided the money for the purchase from his civilian relief fund, and also tried to arrange customs clearance for the shipment.
In May 1970 the Arms Crisis
Arms Crisis
The Arms Crisis or Arms Trial was a political scandal in the Republic of Ireland in 1970, when two cabinet ministers — Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney — were sacked for allegedly attempting to illegally import arms for the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland.-Background:The...
broke when Haughey and Blaney were sacked by Lynch when the plot to import arms was revealed. At the subsequent Arms Trial Gibbons would be the chief prosecutorial witness and his evidence would contradict Haughey's. Haughey was found not guilty, therefore Gibbons was alleged to have been the dishonest one, an allegation that affected him deeply. He was never charged with any offence himself and was angry that a Dáil motion of confidence in the government effectively turned into a debate on him personally.
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (1970–73)
In the wake of the Arms Crisis and the ministerial sackings, Gibbons was appointed Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. As a farmer himself, he was respected and liked by the farming community and its representatives. In his new role Gibbons played a key role in the agricultural negotiations concerning entry into the European Economic CommunityEuropean Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
and in the amalgamation of creameries in the country.
In opposition (1973–77)
Fianna Fáil lost power to a Fine GaelFine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
-Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
coalition following the 1973 general election
Irish general election, 1973
The Irish general election of 1973 was held on 28 February 1973. The newly elected 144 members of the 20th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 4 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. In spite of losing ministerial office he remained a key member of Jack Lynch's team. Shortly after the general election he was appointed a member of the second delegation
MEPs for Ireland 1973-1977
This is a list of the 10 Members of the European Parliament for Ireland appointed to the delegation from the Oireachtas following the 1973 general election. The second delegation served from March 1973 until the 1977 general election.*Denotes outgoing MEP...
from 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...
to the 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...
. Two years later in 1975 Gibbons was included on Jack Lynch's new front bench as spokesperson on agriculture. Charles Haughey, the man who he clashed with in the Arms Trial of 1970, also re-joined the front bench.
Minister for Agriculture (1977–79)
Following Fianna Fáil's huge triumph at the 1977 general electionIrish general election, 1977
The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in twentieth century Irish politics. The general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 148 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of...
, Gibbons's tenure as a MEP ended and he returned to Jack Lynch's new cabinet as Minister for Agriculture. Once again his appointment was welcomed by farmers.
In 1979 Gibbons clashed with the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Charles Haughey, over the controversial Family Planning Bill
An Irish solution to an Irish problem
The availability of contraception in the Republic of Ireland was illegal in the Irish Free State from 1935 until 1980, when it was legalized with strong restrictions, later loosened...
. As a staunch Catholic Gibbons voted against the bill that legalised the sale of contraceptives. He was the first government minister in the history of the state to vote against his own government, yet the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, took no action against him. This action only exacerbated the ill-feeling between Gibbons and Haughey.
In December 1979 Jack Lynch announced his resignation as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. The subsequent leadership election
Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1979
The 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in December 1979, when Jack Lynch resigned as party leader and Taoiseach. Lynch had been party leader for thirteen years and Taoiseach for over nine years. His successor was elected by the members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 7 December...
turned into a straight battle between Haughey and George Colley
George Colley
George Colley was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Finance and Tánaiste. He was twice defeated for the leadership of Fianna Fáil in 1966 and 1979.-Early life:Colley was born in Fairview, on the northside of Dublin...
. The latter had the backing of almost every member of the existing cabinet, however, a backbench revolt saw Haughey narrowly become Taoiseach and party leader.
In the resulting cabinet reshuffle Gibbons was the only member of the cabinet to be sacked.
Later political career
Following his dismissal from cabinet, Gibbons became a vocal critic of Haughey's leadership of Fianna Fáil. After he lost his seat at the 1981 general electionIrish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
he openly called for a change of leadership within the party.
Gibbons regained his seat at the February 1982 general election and voted against Haughey in the leadership challenge that was proposed by Charlie McCreevy
Charlie McCreevy
Charles "Charlie" McCreevy is a former Irish politician. He was the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004–2010. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD in 1977 and held the seat in Kildare until 2004 when he became Ireland's European Commissioner...
. Leaving Leinster House
Leinster House
Leinster House is the name of the building housing the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland.Leinster House was originally the ducal palace of the Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it is a complex of buildings, of which the former ducal palace is the core, which house Oireachtas Éireann, its...
after the vote he was attacked by a number of drunken Fianna Fáil supporters and forced to the ground. A friend of his saw off the attackers. In the aftermath, new swivel doors were erected to prevent mobs pushing their way into the parliament building. The incident was recounted by Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
in the RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
documentary series Seven Ages
Seven Ages
Seven Ages is a historical documentary series that was produced by Araby Productions, in association with The O'Reilly Foundation, for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland. It charts the birth, growth and development of the Irish state since its foundation in 1921. The series was produced and directed by...
(although O'Malley does not mention Gibbons by name), and was later also referred to in the 2005 RTÉ biographical series Haughey
Haughey (TV series)
Haughey is a four-part mini-series documenting the life of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey which was first broadcast on Irish television channel, RTÉ One in June and July 2005...
.
A few weeks after this incident Gibbons suffered a heart attack and was unable to vote for Haughey later that year in a no-confidence motion at which point the government fell. He lost his seat at the November 1982 general election and effectively retired from politics.
Retirement
In retirement Gibbons suffered from ill health and suffered a number of heart attacks and strokes. He never fully recovered from the physical assault on him outside the Dáil in 1982.In 1986 Gibbons offered his support to Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
and the new Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
, as he believed that there was no longer a place for him within Haughey's Fianna Fáil party. His son, Martin
Martin Gibbons
Martin Gibbons is an Irish farmer and former Progressive Democrat TD who represented Carlow–Kilkenny in Dáil Éireann from 1987 to 1989....
was elected to the Dáil form the new party in the 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
. In 1997 another son, Jim Gibbons, Jnr, was nominated by the Taoiseach
Nominated by the Taoiseach
The composition of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland, is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees that are nominated by the Taoiseach...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
as a member of the 21st Seanad.