Paschal Mooney
Encyclopedia
Paschal Canice Mooney is an Irish
Fianna Fáil
politician and a member of Seanad Éireann
. A journalist and broadcaster, he was first elected to the Seanad in 1987, on the Cultural and Educational Panel. He retained his seat at each subsequent election until losing it at the 2007 election to the 23rd Seanad
. He was re-elected to Seanad Éireann on the Agricultural Panel in a Seanad by-election on 19 January 2010.
, County Leitrim
, he is married to Sheila Baldrey and has five children (2 daughters and 3 sons). His father Joe Mooney
was a member of the Seanad (1961–65) and Leitrim County Council
(1943–88) while his mother Eva Mooney also served as a member of Leitrim County Council (1988–91). Paschal Mooney is the third generation of his family to contribute to public service locally and nationally as his grandfather Andrew Mooney served as a member of Leitrim County Council from 1920–1943.
Mooney has also enjoyed a broadcasting career with RTÉ
, Ireland's national broadcaster. A presenter of a variety of Irish traditional and country music and Sports programmes, he has also devised, scripted and presented numerous music documentaries on Irish and American country music stars. In September 2007, he was the recipient of the UK based Irish Post Newspaper Readers Award for 'Services to the Irish Community in Britain' and as a Senator was a leading campaigner for the undocumented Irish in the USA as well as being the 'Voice of the Irish Diaspora
' in Seanad Éireann. He presented music programmes on Ocean FM
and Dublin's Country Mix 106.8 and completed a series for RTÉ Radio 1
titled 'Irish Music Legends' which was transmitted in August 2008.
He was also in the forefront of the 'Shot at Dawn
' campaign led in the British House of Commons by Andrew MacKinlay
MP and in the House of Lords
by Alf Dubs
seeking a pardon for over 300 soldiers of World War I
(including 26 Irish servicemen) shot in questionable circumstances following Field courts-martial
.
In April 2008, Mooney was nominated to the position of Chairman of Fáilte Ireland
North West, one of five Regional Tourism Boards in Ireland charged with promoting their regions and attracting tourists.
Mooney was selected as running mate to Seán Ó Neachtain
as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election
for the North–West constituency. Following the announcement by O'Neachtain that he was not contesting the election due to health reasons, Pat the Cope Gallagher was nominated to contest the constituency as Mooney's Fianna Fáil running mate. Gallagher was elected as an MEP but Mooney was unsuccessful.
On 19 January 2010 Mooney was elected on the first count in a Seanad by-election caused by the death of Senator Peter Callanan
in October 2009. As a result he took a seat on the Agricultural panel in the 23rd Seanad returning after an absence of two and a half years.
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...
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 and a member of Seanad Éireann
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...
. A journalist and broadcaster, he was first elected to the Seanad in 1987, on the Cultural and Educational Panel. He retained his seat at each subsequent election until losing it at the 2007 election to the 23rd Seanad
Members of the 23rd Seanad
This is a list of the members of the 23rd Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These Senators were elected from 24 July 2007 onwards after postal voting closed. The Taoiseach's nominees were announced on 3 August 2007. The Seanad election took place after the 2007 general...
. He was re-elected to Seanad Éireann on the Agricultural Panel in a Seanad by-election on 19 January 2010.
Early and personal life
Born in DrumshanboDrumshanbo
Drumshanbo is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains...
, County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, he is married to Sheila Baldrey and has five children (2 daughters and 3 sons). His father Joe Mooney
Joe Mooney (politician)
Joseph Mary Mooney , known as Joe Mooney, was a Fianna Fáil politician from County Leitrim in Ireland who served as a senator for 4 years....
was a member of the Seanad (1961–65) and Leitrim County Council
Leitrim County Council
Leitrim County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Leitrim in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment....
(1943–88) while his mother Eva Mooney also served as a member of Leitrim County Council (1988–91). Paschal Mooney is the third generation of his family to contribute to public service locally and nationally as his grandfather Andrew Mooney served as a member of Leitrim County Council from 1920–1943.
Mooney has also enjoyed a broadcasting career with RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
, Ireland's national broadcaster. A presenter of a variety of Irish traditional and country music and Sports programmes, he has also devised, scripted and presented numerous music documentaries on Irish and American country music stars. In September 2007, he was the recipient of the UK based Irish Post Newspaper Readers Award for 'Services to the Irish Community in Britain' and as a Senator was a leading campaigner for the undocumented Irish in the USA as well as being the 'Voice of the Irish Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
' in Seanad Éireann. He presented music programmes on Ocean FM
Ocean FM (Ireland)
Ocean FM is a local radio station that broadcasts to parts of the northwest of Ireland. The station covers the area of south County Donegal, north County Leitrim and most of County Sligo and it broadcasts into parts of south-west County Fermanagh. It started broadcasting on 1 October 2004,...
and Dublin's Country Mix 106.8 and completed a series for RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
titled 'Irish Music Legends' which was transmitted in August 2008.
He was also in the forefront of the 'Shot at Dawn
Shot at Dawn Memorial
The Shot at Dawn Memorial is a British Monument at the National Memorial Arboretum near Alrewas, in Staffordshire, UK in memory of the 306 British and Commonwealth soldiers executed after courts-martial for cowardice and desertion during World War I...
' campaign led in the British House of Commons by Andrew MacKinlay
Andrew MacKinlay
Andrew Stuart MacKinlay is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Thurrock from 1992 until he stepped down at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
MP and in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
by Alf Dubs
Alf Dubs
Alfred Dubs, Baron Dubs is a Czech-born British Labour Party politician and former Member of Parliament.- Youth and education :...
seeking a pardon for over 300 soldiers of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(including 26 Irish servicemen) shot in questionable circumstances following Field courts-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
.
Political career
He was first elected to the Seanad in 1987, on the Cultural and Educational Panel as a nominee of the Library Association of Ireland (LAI). He retained his seat at each subsequent election until losing it in the 2007 election. He was a member of Leitrim County Council from 1991–1999.In April 2008, Mooney was nominated to the position of Chairman of Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 and replaces and builds upon the functions of Bord Fáilte, its predecessor organization...
North West, one of five Regional Tourism Boards in Ireland charged with promoting their regions and attracting tourists.
Mooney was selected as running mate to Seán Ó Neachtain
Seán Ó Neachtain
Seán Ó Neachtain is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Member of the European Parliament for the North–West constituency from 2002, when he was substituted for Pat the Cope Gallagher, until 2009....
as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
for the North–West constituency. Following the announcement by O'Neachtain that he was not contesting the election due to health reasons, Pat the Cope Gallagher was nominated to contest the constituency as Mooney's Fianna Fáil running mate. Gallagher was elected as an MEP but Mooney was unsuccessful.
On 19 January 2010 Mooney was elected on the first count in a Seanad by-election caused by the death of Senator Peter Callanan
Peter Callanan
Peter Callanan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and served as a member of Seanad Éireann from 1997 until his death in 2009.Born in Clonakilty, County Cork, Callanan was educated in Mount Melleray College, County Waterford...
in October 2009. As a result he took a seat on the Agricultural panel in the 23rd Seanad returning after an absence of two and a half years.