Donnie Cassidy
| Donie Cassidy | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Seanad Éireann | |
|
In office 2007–2011 |
|
| Taoiseach |
Bertie Ahern Brian Cowen |
| Deputy | Dan Boyle |
| Preceded by | Mary O'Rourke |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Cummins |
|
In office 1997–2002 |
|
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Maurice Manning |
| Succeeded by | Mary O'Rourke |
| Senator | |
|
In office July 2007 – April 2011 |
|
|
In office May 1982 – May 2002 |
|
| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office May 2002 – May 2007 |
|
| Constituency | Westmeath |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 September 1945 Castlepollard, Westmeath, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Geraghty |
| Children | 4 |
Daniel "Donie" Cassidy (born 15 September 1945) is an Irish businessman and a former Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Westmeath constituency from 2002 to 2007. From 1982 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2011, he served as a member of Seanad Éireann.
Cassidy was born in Castlepollard in County Westmeath. He came to prominence in Ireland through the showband scene. A saxophone player with Jim Tobin and the Firehouse, he moved into showbusiness management. He was the manager of Foster and Allen, a popular singing duo that enjoyed success inside and outside Ireland.
He first became involved in politics in 1982 when he was elected as a Fianna Fáil Senator on the Labour Panel. He was a member of Westmeath County Council from 1985 until 2003 at which point he resigned from the council due to the abolition of the dual mandate.
Cassidy was elected to Dáil Éireann for the Westmeath constituency at the 2002 general election, taking the seat of sitting TD and Government Minister Mary O'Rourke. This created a rift between the two politicians and Cassidy lost his seat to O'Rourke at the 2007 general election when both candidates contested the Longford–Westmeath constituency. The fact that Cassidy lost most of his home base of Castlepollard and north Westmeath due to the redrawing of the constituency did not help him. On 22 June 2007 Cassidy was nominated by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to Seanad Éireann and created Leader of the Seanad for the remaining weeks of the 22nd Seanad's existence. Cassidy was subsequently elected to the Labour Panel at the 2007 Seanad general election and was Leader of the Seanad until March 2011. He lost his seat at the 2011 Seanad election.
...
Wikipedia