Patrick Lenihan was a 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...

 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) in the Ireland

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,...

 in the early 1960s. He held the distinction of being the only parent to be elected to an Irish parliament where his son was already a member.

Born in Kilfenora

Kilfenora

Kilfenora is a small village in County Clare in Ireland, just south of The Burren. The village is noted for being the home to the Kilfenora Ceili Band and the location for much of the filming of the sitcom Father Ted.-Places of interest:...

, County Clare

County Clare

-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...

, he was an Inspector of Taxes in Dundalk

Dundalk

Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...

 before being taken out by 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....

 to run the Gentex textiles company in Athlone. At its height it was the major employer in the midlands. He also was involved for some years in the Hudson Bay hotel on Lough Ree

Lough Ree

Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...

 and was instrumental in the establishment of the All Ireland Amateur drama festival.

He was elected at his first attempt in the constituency of Longford–Westmeath at 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....

. He beat the long serving 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...

 TD Seán Mac Eoin

Seán Mac Eoin

Seán Mac Eoin was an Irish Fine Gael politician and soldier. He was commonly referred to as the "Blacksmith of Ballinalee".-Early life:...

 in the famous "long count". His son Brian Lenihan had been elected in the neighbouring constituency of Roscommon at the previous 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...

. It was the first, and to date only, occasion of a child preceding his parent into the Dáil. He was re-elected to the Dáil 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...

 and died suddenly in 1970. His seat was taken at the subsequent by election by Fine Gael's Patrick Cooney

Patrick Cooney

Patrick Cooney is a former Irish politician of the Fine Gael party. Most notable as Minister for Justice from 1973 to 1977, he was a Teachta Dála for 15 years, a senator for four years, and Member of the European Parliament for five years.Cooney was born in 1931 and was educated at Castleknock...

 who subsequently went on to serve as a Minister.

Two of his children, Brian Lenihan and Mary O'Rourke

Mary O'Rourke

Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...

 served as Irish cabinet ministers. A third, Paddy, served as a county councillor in Roscommon although in the later stages of his career in the 1980s left the party to join up with Neil Blaney's Independent Fianna Fáil party. Two of his grandchildren, Brian Lenihan, Jnr

Brian Lenihan, Jnr

Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...

 and Conor Lenihan

Conor Lenihan

Conor Lenihan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency from 1997 to 2011, and served as a Minister of State from 2004 to 2011. He then moved to Moscow.-Biography:...

, served as Minister for Finance

Minister for Finance (Ireland)

The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...

 and Minister of State

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....

 respectively in the government of Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...

. Conor Lenihan and Mary O'Rouke lost their seats at the 2011 general election. Brian Lenihan, Jnr was re-elected but died in June 2011, ending the families' 50-years of continuous service in the Oireachtas.

Patrick Lenihan was the only member of his family to serve in the Dáil who was not appointed a minister at some stage in his career.