Seán Lemass | |
---|---|
Taoiseach | |
In office 23 June 1959 – 10 November 1966 |
|
President | Éamon de Valera |
Tánaiste | |
Preceded by | Éamon de Valera |
Succeeded by | Jack Lynch |
Leader of Fianna Fáil | |
In office 23 June 1959 – 10 November 1966 |
|
Preceded by | Éamon de Valera |
Succeeded by | Jack Lynch |
Tánaiste | |
In office 20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | William Norton |
Succeeded by | Seán MacEntee |
In office 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | William Norton |
Succeeded by | William Norton |
In office 14 June 1945 – 18 February 1948 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | Seán T. O'Kelly |
Succeeded by | William Norton |
Minister for Industry and Commerce | |
In office 20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | William Norton |
Succeeded by | Jack Lynch |
In office 13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | Thomas F. O'Higgins |
Succeeded by | William Norton |
In office 18 August 1941 – 18 February 1948 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | Seán MacEntee |
Succeeded by | Daniel Morrissey |
In office 9 March 1932 – 16 September 1939 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | Patrick McGilligan |
Succeeded by | Seán MacEntee |
Minister for Supplies | |
In office 8 September 1939 – 31 July 1945 |
|
Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera |
Preceded by | New office |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Teachta Dála | |
In office February 1948 – April 1965 |
|
Constituency | Dublin South-Central |
Teachta Dála | |
In office June 1927 – February 1948 |
|
Constituency | Dublin South |
Personal details | |
Born |
John Francis Lemass 15 July 1899 Ballybrack, Dublin, Ireland |
Died | 11 May 1971 Phibsborough, Dublin, Ireland |
(aged 71)
Resting place | Deansgrange |
Nationality | Irish |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Spouse(s) | Kathleen Hughes |
Children | |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University College Cork |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Seán Francis Lemass (John Francis Lemass) (15 July 1899 – 11 May 1971) was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century. He served as Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966.
A veteran of the 1916 Easter Rising, the War of Independence and the Civil War, Lemass was first elected as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South constituency in a by-election on 18 November 1924 and was returned at each election until the constituency was abolished in 1948, when he was re-elected for Dublin South-Central until his retirement in 1969. He was a founder-member of Fianna Fáil in 1926, and served as Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for Supplies and Tánaiste in successive Fianna Fáil governments.
Lemass is widely regarded as the father of modern Ireland, primarily due to his efforts in facilitating industrial growth, bringing foreign direct investment into the country, and forging permanent links between Ireland and the European community.
John Francis Lemass was born in Ballybrack, County Dublin before his family moved to Capel Street in Dublin city centre. He was the second of seven children born to John and Frances Lemass. Within the family his name soon changed to Jack and eventually, after 1916, he himself preferred to be called Seán. He was educated at O'Connell School where he was described as studious (his two best subjects being history and mathematics).