Donogh O'Malley | |
---|---|
Minister for Education | |
In office 13 July 1966 – 10 March 1968 |
|
Preceded by | George Colley |
Succeeded by | Brian Lenihan |
Minister for Health | |
In office 21 April 1965 – 13 July 1966 |
|
Preceded by | Seán MacEntee |
Succeeded by | Seán Flanagan |
Personal details | |
Born | January 1921 Limerick, Ireland |
Died | 10 March 1968 Limerick, Ireland |
(aged 47)
Nationality | Irish |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Spouse(s) | Hilda Moriarty |
Children | 2 |
Donogh Brendan O'Malley (January 1921 – 10 March 1968) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A Teachta Dála (TD) for Limerick East from 1954 until 1968, he also served as Minister for Health (1965–66) and Minister for Education (1966–68).
Donogh O'Malley was born in Limerick in 1921. Born into a wealthy middle-class family, he was educated by the Jesuits at Crescent College and later at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare. O'Malley later studied at University College Galway (UCG) where he was conferred with a degree in engineering in 1943. He then returned to Limerick, where he worked as an engineer before becoming involved in politics.
O'Malley married Dr Hilda Moriarty (1922–1991) in August 1947 and the couple had two children, the actor Daragh O'Malley and Suzanne. O'Malley's wife is famous as Patrick Kavanagh's ideal love in the poem On Raglan Road.
O'Malley was born into a highly politicised family who supported Cumann na nGaedheal until a falling-out with the party in the early 1930s. O'Malley first became involved in local politics as a member of Limerick Corporation. He became mayor of Limerick in 1961, the third O'Malley brother to hold the office. Desmond O'Malley was mayor from 1941 to 1943 and Michael O'Malley from 1948 to 1949.
O'Malley was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Limerick East at the 1954 general election; Fianna Fáil were not returned to government on that occasion. The new Dáil deputy spent the rest of the decade on the backbenches; however, his party was returned to power in 1957. Two years later Seán Lemass took over from Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach and the modernising process began. Lemass introduced younger cabinet ministers as the old guard who had served the party since its foundation in 1926 began to retire.