Patrick J. Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Patrick Joseph "P.J." Reynolds (25 November 1920 – 27 December 2003) was an Irish
Fine Gael
politician who served three terms in Dáil Éireann
and five in Seanad Éireann
, where he was Cathaoirleach
(speaker) for four years.
in 1920. His father Patrick Reynolds was elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála
(TD) for Leitrim–Sligo at the September 1927 general election, but was fatally shot during the 1932 general election
campaign. The election was postponed, and his mother Mary
won the seat, serving the Dáil for 29 years.
He was educated locally, receiving only a primary school education before his father's death forced him to leave school and join the family business. He built the business successfully, transforming the hardware shop which he had inherited from into one of the largest builders' suppliers and hardware merchants in the north west.
With his wife Tess, he had two sons, Gerry
and Peter, and two daughters, Ita and Regina. Gerry
continued the family's political tradition, serving like his father as a Fine Gael TD and senator.
in 1943, and served as a councillor for more than 40 years, taking a particular interest in rural electrification and group water schemes. He was the longest-serving chairman of the council, holding the office for 12 years from 1967 to 1979.
He was first elected to the 17th Dáil at the 1961 general election
, as a TD for the Roscommon
constituency. He was re-elected at the 1965 election
, but at the 1969 general election
he was defeated in the new Roscommon–Leitrim constituency. He was then elected to the 12th Seanad by the Administrative Panel.
The 1960s proved to be a fallow period for Fine Gael
as the party was out of power for the entire decade, but at the 1973 general election
a Fine Gael–Labour Party
coalition government came to power and Reynolds was elected to the 20th Dáil for Roscommon–Leitrim. In 1976, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister for Education and the Public Service. In spite of this appointment, Reynolds lost his Dáil seat in the 1977 general election
. Following this defeat, he secured election to the 14th Seanad on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, which re-elected him to the 15th Seanad in 1981, the 16th Seanad in 1982 and 17th Seanad in 1983.
He was elected on 23 February 1983 as Cathaoirleach
of the 17th Seanad, succeeding Tras Honan
. He held the office until he stepped down from the Seanad at the 1987 election.
Reynolds died on 27 December 2003, aged 83, and was buried in his home town of Ballinamore
, County Leitrim. Tributes in the Seanad after his death described him as a traditionalist or conservative, but praised his warmth, fairness and integrity, and the Irish Independent
described his hospitality as "legendary".
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,...
Fine Gael
Fine 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...
politician who served three terms 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...
and five in 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...
, where he was Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach is the title of the chairman of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Senator Paddy Burke...
(speaker) for four years.
Family and early life
Reynolds was born in Killellan, County LeitrimCounty 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...
in 1920. His father Patrick Reynolds was elected as a Cumann na nGaedheal 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 Leitrim–Sligo at the September 1927 general election, but was fatally shot during the 1932 general election
Irish general election, 1932
The Irish general election of 1932 was held on 16 February 1932, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 29 January. The newly elected 153 members of the 7th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 9 March 1932 when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of...
campaign. The election was postponed, and his mother Mary
Mary Reynolds
Mary Reynolds was an Irish politician, farmer and grocer from County Leitrim.She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála at the 1932 general election for the Leitrim–Sligo constituency...
won the seat, serving the Dáil for 29 years.
He was educated locally, receiving only a primary school education before his father's death forced him to leave school and join the family business. He built the business successfully, transforming the hardware shop which he had inherited from into one of the largest builders' suppliers and hardware merchants in the north west.
With his wife Tess, he had two sons, Gerry
Gerry Reynolds (Irish politician)
"Gerry" Reynolds is an Irish Fine Gael politician from County Leitrim. He was a Senator and later a TD for the constituency of Sligo-Leitrim.- Family :...
and Peter, and two daughters, Ita and Regina. Gerry
Gerry Reynolds (Irish politician)
"Gerry" Reynolds is an Irish Fine Gael politician from County Leitrim. He was a Senator and later a TD for the constituency of Sligo-Leitrim.- Family :...
continued the family's political tradition, serving like his father as a Fine Gael TD and senator.
Political career
Reynolds was first elected to Leitrim County CouncilLeitrim 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....
in 1943, and served as a councillor for more than 40 years, taking a particular interest in rural electrification and group water schemes. He was the longest-serving chairman of the council, holding the office for 12 years from 1967 to 1979.
He was first elected to the 17th Dáil at the 1961 general 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...
, as a TD for the Roscommon
Roscommon (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Roscommon was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1969 and from 1981 to 1992...
constituency. He was re-elected at the 1965 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....
, but at the 1969 general election
Irish 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...
he was defeated in the new Roscommon–Leitrim constituency. He was then elected to the 12th Seanad by the Administrative Panel.
The 1960s proved to be a fallow period for Fine Gael
Fine 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...
as the party was out of power for the entire decade, but at 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....
a Fine Gael–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 government came to power and Reynolds was elected to the 20th Dáil for Roscommon–Leitrim. In 1976, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
to the Minister for Education and the Public Service. In spite of this appointment, Reynolds lost his Dáil seat in 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...
. Following this defeat, he secured election to the 14th Seanad on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, which re-elected him to the 15th Seanad in 1981, the 16th Seanad in 1982 and 17th Seanad in 1983.
He was elected on 23 February 1983 as Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach is the title of the chairman of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Senator Paddy Burke...
of the 17th Seanad, succeeding Tras Honan
Tras Honan
Tras Honan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician from Ennis in County Clare who served as a senator for 15 years and was elected to the position of Cathaoirleach on two occasions,...
. He held the office until he stepped down from the Seanad at the 1987 election.
Reynolds died on 27 December 2003, aged 83, and was buried in his home town of Ballinamore
Ballinamore
Ballinamore is a small town in County Leitrim, Ireland, from the border with Northern Ireland. It is located on the R202 regional road where it is joined by the R199 and R204. means "mouth of the big ford", and the town is so named because it was the main crossing point of the Yellow River,...
, County Leitrim. Tributes in the Seanad after his death described him as a traditionalist or conservative, but praised his warmth, fairness and integrity, and the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
described his hospitality as "legendary".