Kevin Boland
| Kevin Boland | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Aontacht Éireann | |
|
In office 19 September 1971 – 27 June 1976 |
|
| Minister for Local Government | |
|
In office 10 November 1966 – 9 May 1970 |
|
| Preceded by | Neil Blaney |
| Succeeded by | Bobby Molloy |
| Minister for Social Welfare | |
|
In office 2 July 1969 – 9 May 1970 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph Brennan |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Brennan |
|
In office 11 November 1961 – 10 November 1966 |
|
| Preceded by | Seán MacEntee |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Brennan |
| Minister for Defence | |
|
In office 20 March 1957 – 11 November 1961 |
|
| Preceded by | Seán Mac Eoin |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Bartley |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office March 1957 – November 1970 |
|
| Constituency | Dublin County / Dublin County South |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 October 1917 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 23 September 2001 (aged 83) Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Kevin Boland (15 October 1917 – 23 September 2001) was an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957 as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Fianna Fáil. He served as Minister for Defence (1957–1961), Minister for Social Welfare (1961–1965) and Minister for Local Government (1965–1970). He holds the distinction of being one of only six TDs to be appointed Minister on their first day in the Dáil.
Born in Dublin in 1917, Kevin Boland was the son of Gerald Boland, a founder-member of Fianna Fáil, and the nephew of Harry Boland. Despite this, the young Boland failed to get elected to Dáil Éireann on his first two attempts, standing in the Dublin County constituency at the 1951 general election and again at the 1954 election. Double success followed at the 1957 general election, when he was not only elected to the 16th Dáil but was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for Defence on his very first day in the Dáil. This was due to the retirement of his father who had served in every Fianna Fáil government since 1932.
The Defence portfolio was largely considered a safe and uncontroversial position, so Boland made only a small impact. As a minister he proudly displayed a fáinne (gold ring) on the lapel of his jacket, which indicated that he was able and willing to speak the Irish language. He frequently conducted his governmental business in Irish, which he was very good at; he had won awards for it in school. In 1961 he was moved from Defence to become the Minister for Social Welfare. He remained there until the retirement in 1966 of the Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, when Fianna Fáil faced the first leadership contest in its history. He was then appointed Minister for Local Government which post he held until he left government in 1970.
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Wikipedia