Michael Ferris
Encyclopedia
Michael Ferris was an Irish
Labour Party
politician who served for more than twenty years as a member of the Oireachtas
, as both a Senator
and a Teachta Dála
(TD). Before becoming a full-time politician, he was secretary to a veterinary practice.
Ferris was a native of Bansha
, County Tipperary, and it was here in the 1950s, that he came under the influence of Very Rev. John Canon Hayes, Founder of Muintir na Tíre
and adopted many of his ideas for rural development embracing all sections of the community in an inclusive way. He was elected to the 13th Seanad by the Agricultural Panel in a by-election on 23 April 1975. At the 1977 general election
, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Dáil Éireann
in the Tipperary South
constituency, and was also defeated in the subsequent Seanad elections. He was re-elected in 1981 to the 15th Seanad, and returned again in 1982 and 1983.
At the 1987 general election
, he unsuccessfully stood again in Tipperary South
, but was afterwards re-elected to the 18th Seanad, again on the Agricultural Panel.
In the 1989 elections to the European Parliament
on 15 June, He was defeated in the Munster
constituency, trailing far behind his Labour colleague Eileen Desmond
, who narrowly missed a seat. However, polling in the 1989 general election
was held on the same day, and he was finally elected to Dáil Éireann
, taking his seat in the 26th Dáil on his third attempt. He was re-elected at the 1992 general election
and again at the 1997 general election
, taking the last seat in each case.
He died suddenly while on parliamentary business in Lisbon
on 20 March 2000 at the age of 69. The subsequent by-election for his Dáil seat was held on 2 June and won by an independent candidate, Séamus Healy
, who retained the seat at the 2002 general election
. Ferris was the quintessential rural Labour TD, garnering support across party lines, especially from small farmers and the rural working class, quite in disproportion to the level of national support generally enjoyed by his party. He championed the rural agricultural economy and was Chairman of the Bansha Agricultural & Industrial Show Society for a number of years. In private life, Deputy Ferris was married twice, firstly to Josephine Tobin of Bansha and after her death to Ellen Kiely of Tipperary Town who survives him as do his four sons and two daughters.
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...
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...
politician who served for more than twenty years as a member of 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...
, as both a Senator
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
and 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). Before becoming a full-time politician, he was secretary to a veterinary practice.
Ferris was a native of Bansha
Bansha
Bansha is a village in the barony of Clanwilliam, South Tipperary in Ireland. The village is part of the parish of "Bansha and Kilmoyler" in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. Bansha is co-extensive with the pre-Reformation parish of Templeneiry of which the townland name of...
, County Tipperary, and it was here in the 1950s, that he came under the influence of Very Rev. John Canon Hayes, Founder of Muintir na Tíre
Muintir na Tíre
Muintir na Tíre is a national Irish voluntary organisation dedicated to promoting the process of community development. Canon Hayes founded the organisation in 1937. It aims to enhance the capacities of people in communities, rural and urban, to become involved in local social, economic, cultural...
and adopted many of his ideas for rural development embracing all sections of the community in an inclusive way. He was elected to the 13th Seanad by the Agricultural Panel in a by-election on 23 April 1975. At the 1977 general election
Irish 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...
, he was an unsuccessful candidate for 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...
in the Tipperary South
Tipperary South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Tipperary South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency, and was also defeated in the subsequent Seanad elections. He was re-elected in 1981 to the 15th Seanad, and returned again in 1982 and 1983.
At 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...
, he unsuccessfully stood again in Tipperary South
Tipperary South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Tipperary South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
, but was afterwards re-elected to the 18th Seanad, again on the Agricultural Panel.
In the 1989 elections 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...
on 15 June, He was defeated in the Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
constituency, trailing far behind his Labour colleague 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 narrowly missed a seat. However, polling in the 1989 general election
Irish general election, 1989
The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 25 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 26th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 29 June...
was held on the same day, and he was finally 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...
, taking his seat in the 26th Dáil on his third attempt. He was re-elected at the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
and again 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....
, taking the last seat in each case.
He died suddenly while on parliamentary business in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
on 20 March 2000 at the age of 69. The subsequent by-election for his Dáil seat was held on 2 June and won by an independent candidate, Séamus Healy
Séamus Healy
Séamus Healy is an Irish politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for Tipperary South since the general election in February 2011,having previously held the seat from 2000 to 2007....
, who retained the seat 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...
. Ferris was the quintessential rural Labour TD, garnering support across party lines, especially from small farmers and the rural working class, quite in disproportion to the level of national support generally enjoyed by his party. He championed the rural agricultural economy and was Chairman of the Bansha Agricultural & Industrial Show Society for a number of years. In private life, Deputy Ferris was married twice, firstly to Josephine Tobin of Bansha and after her death to Ellen Kiely of Tipperary Town who survives him as do his four sons and two daughters.