Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus
Encyclopedia
Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus (1 November 1927 – 10 July 2010) was an Irish environmentalist
, barrister
and politician
who drew attention to his campaign issues by changing his name. He was often known as "Dublin Bay Loftus".
Born Seán D. Loftus in Dublin in 1927, he was educated in Coláiste Mhuire
, Catholic University School
, McCaffrey's College, Stephen's Green, University College Dublin
and King's Inns
, qualifying as a barrister. A resident of Clontarf
, on Dublin Bay
, he specialised in town planning
law and campaigned for the sustainable development of Dublin Bay and against environmentally harmful projects in the bay. He founded the Christian Democrat Movement of Ireland in 1961 and stood for election to Dáil Éireann
at the 1961 general election
in the Dublin North East
constituency, the first of thirteen attempts. He was a member of Dublin City Council
for 25 years, an alderman
for much of that time, and a member of the Council's Planning and Development Committee. He was a member and honorary legal advisor of the Dublin Bay Preservation Association (later Dublin Bay Watch). He lectured in Law
in Bolton Street College of Technology (later the Dublin Institute of Technology
).
In 1972 the Dublin Port and Docks Board
proposed the building of an oil refinery
in Dublin Bay. The plan was vigorously opposed by environmentalists, including Loftus, on the grounds that it posed a serious risk of pollution
. At the 1973 general election
, Loftus stood for election to the Dáil in the Dublin North Central
constituency as a Christian Democrat on the issue of Dublin Bay. As, under election rules, he would be listed as 'Independent
', he changed his name by deed poll
to "Seán D. Christian Democrat Dublin Bay Loftus" in order that his political affiliation and campaign issue would appear on the ballot paper
. Although he was not elected, he succeeded in highlighting the issue and the proposal was eventually turned down by the Minister for Local Government, James Tully. He was elected to Dublin Corporation
in 1974.
In the following years Loftus changed his name by deed poll several times more, to "Seán Dublin Bay Loftus", "Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus" (as part of a campaign to press the Irish Government to make a territorial claim to the Rockall
islet 424 kilometres off the coast of County Donegal
) and "Seán Alderman Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus", among others. It was under this last name that he was finally elected to the 22nd Dáil for the Dublin North East
constituency at the 1981 general election
. This Dáil was short-lived, however, and he himself contributed to the end of his Dáil career when he voted against John Bruton
's 1982 budget. At the February 1982 general election he stood in two constituencies, Dublin North East and Dublin North Central
, but failed to win a seat in either. He continued to contest Dáil and European
elections until 1997
. He remained on Dublin City Council, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
from 1995 to 1996.
Loftus remained active as a member and honorary legal advisor of Dublin Bay Watch, and most recently led opposition to the 2002 application by the Dublin Port Company
to fill in 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) of Dublin Bay. The application was rejected in June 2010 by the planning board, An Bord Pleanála
, while Loftus was in hospital, having undergone brain surgery. Local councillor Gerry Breen said its rejection was a "fitting tribute" to Loftus. Loftus died on 10 July 2010.
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who drew attention to his campaign issues by changing his name. He was often known as "Dublin Bay Loftus".
Born Seán D. Loftus in Dublin in 1927, he was educated in Coláiste Mhuire
Coláiste Mhuire
Coláiste Mhuire, which is part of the Marino Institute of Education , is a primary teacher training college which is affiliated with Trinity College, Dublin. It is located on Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9. Coláiste Mhuire is primarily focused on providing for pre-service primary education...
, Catholic University School
Catholic University School
Catholic University School is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys located on the southside of central Dublin, Ireland. It is run by the Marist Fathers.-Origins:...
, McCaffrey's College, Stephen's Green, 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...
and King's Inns
King's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
, qualifying as a barrister. A resident of Clontarf
Clontarf, Dublin
Clontarf is a coastal suburb on the northside of Dublin, in Ireland. It is most famous for giving the name to the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, in which Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Vikings of Dublin and their allies, the Irish of Leinster. This battle, which extended to districts...
, on Dublin Bay
Dublin Bay
Dublin Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea on the east coast of Ireland. The bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south...
, he specialised in town planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
law and campaigned for the sustainable development of Dublin Bay and against environmentally harmful projects in the bay. He founded the Christian Democrat Movement of Ireland in 1961 and stood for election 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...
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...
in the Dublin North East
Dublin North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency, the first of thirteen attempts. He was a member of Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
for 25 years, an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
for much of that time, and a member of the Council's Planning and Development Committee. He was a member and honorary legal advisor of the Dublin Bay Preservation Association (later Dublin Bay Watch). He lectured in Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Bolton Street College of Technology (later the Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology was established officially in 1992 under the but had been previously set up in 1978 on an ad-hoc basis. The institution can trace its origins back to 1887 with the establishment of various technical institutions in Dublin, Ireland...
).
In 1972 the Dublin Port and Docks Board
Dublin Port
Dublin Port is Ireland's biggest sea port. It has both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximatively two-thirds of the Republic of Ireland's port traffic goes via Dublin Port...
proposed the building of an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
in Dublin Bay. The plan was vigorously opposed by environmentalists, including Loftus, on the grounds that it posed a serious risk of pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
. 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....
, Loftus stood for election to the Dáil in the Dublin North Central
Dublin North Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin North–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency as a Christian Democrat on the issue of Dublin Bay. As, under election rules, he would be listed as 'Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
', he changed his name by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
to "Seán D. Christian Democrat Dublin Bay Loftus" in order that his political affiliation and campaign issue would appear on the ballot paper
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
. Although he was not elected, he succeeded in highlighting the issue and the proposal was eventually turned down by the Minister for Local Government, James Tully. He was elected to Dublin Corporation
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
in 1974.
In the following years Loftus changed his name by deed poll several times more, to "Seán Dublin Bay Loftus", "Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus" (as part of a campaign to press the Irish Government to make a territorial claim to the Rockall
Rockall
Rockall is an extremely small, uninhabited, remote rocky islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office....
islet 424 kilometres off the coast of County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
) and "Seán Alderman Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus", among others. It was under this last name that he was finally elected to the 22nd Dáil for the Dublin North East
Dublin North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency at the 1981 general election
Irish 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....
. This Dáil was short-lived, however, and he himself contributed to the end of his Dáil career when he voted against John Bruton
John Bruton
John Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
's 1982 budget. At the February 1982 general election he stood in two constituencies, Dublin North East and Dublin North Central
Dublin North Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin North–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
, but failed to win a seat in either. He continued to contest Dáil and European
Elections in the European Union
Elections to the Parliament of the European Union take place every five years by universal adult suffrage. 736 MEPs are elected to the European Parliament which has been directly elected since 1979. No other body is directly elected although the Council of the European Union and European Council is...
elections until 1997
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....
. He remained on Dublin City Council, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
from 1995 to 1996.
Loftus remained active as a member and honorary legal advisor of Dublin Bay Watch, and most recently led opposition to the 2002 application by the Dublin Port Company
Dublin Port
Dublin Port is Ireland's biggest sea port. It has both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximatively two-thirds of the Republic of Ireland's port traffic goes via Dublin Port...
to fill in 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) of Dublin Bay. The application was rejected in June 2010 by the planning board, An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála is an independent statutory administrative tribunal that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in the Republic of Ireland. As of 2007 The Planning Board directly decides major strategic infrastructural projects under the provisions of the Planning...
, while Loftus was in hospital, having undergone brain surgery. Local councillor Gerry Breen said its rejection was a "fitting tribute" to Loftus. Loftus died on 10 July 2010.