Henry Kenny
Encyclopedia
Henry Kenny was an Irish Fine Gael
politician from County Mayo
and a Gaelic football
er who won an All-Ireland
medal with the Mayo inter-county team
in 1936. A Teachta Dála
(TD) for over 20 years, he was the father of Enda Kenny
, the current Taoiseach
.
near Castlebar
, County Mayo
, Kenny was educated at the local St. Patrick's national school and St. Gerald's College. He subsequently attended St. Patrick's College
in Drumcondra
where he qualified as a national school teacher. After graduation he taught in Connemara
and Williamstown, County Galway
, before being appointed principal of Litir national school in Islandeady
, County Mayo
.
with Castlebar Mitchels GAA club and enjoyed much success. He won several county senior championship medals in the 1930s.
senior inter-county team. Regarded as one of the best midfielders of his day he was a key member of the record-breaking Mayo team that won six consecutive National Football League
titles from 1934 until 1939. Kenny also captured a coveted All-Ireland
winners' medal in 1936.
at his first attempt at the 1954 general election
as a Fine Gael
Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Mayo South
constituency. The election saw Fine Gael enter government as the lead party in the country's second inter-party government. Kenny, as a new TD, remained on the backbenches, however, was subsequently elected to Mayo County Council
.
Kenny retained his seat at 1957 general election
, however, Fine Gael lost power as Fianna Fáil
began sixteen years of uninterrupted rule. During that time he retained his Dáil seat at every general election, even after moving to the Mayo West
constituency in 1969. That same year he was appointed Fine Gael spokesperson on the Board of Works
, a position he held until 1972. The results of the 1973 general election
saw Fine Gael and the Labour Party
form a coalition government. Kenny was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance where he had responsibility for the Board of Works.
, Kieran and Marie. His son, Enda, was elected to the Dáil as his replacement at the by-election in 1975. He went on to join the cabinet of John Bruton
in 1994 as Minister for Trade and Tourism, and is currently the Taoiseach
of Ireland and leader of the Fine Gael
party. Another son, also Henry Kenny, has been a member of Mayo County Council
since 1999. His wife Eithne Kenny died at the age of 93 in Mayo General Hospital
, Castlebar
on 26 November 2011.
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
politician from County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
and a Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
medal with the Mayo inter-county team
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in 1936. A Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for over 20 years, he was the father of Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
, the current Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
.
Early life
Born in the village of IslandeadyIslandeady
Islandeady is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, about halfway between the towns of Castlebar and Westport.The parish of Islandeady meets Castlebar to the east, Westport and Newport to the west, and Aughagower and Killawalla to the south. There is a view of Croagh Patrick to the west and Nephin to...
near Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Kenny was educated at the local St. Patrick's national school and St. Gerald's College. He subsequently attended St. Patrick's College
St. Patrick's College of Education (Drumcondra)
St Patrick's College of Education is a linked college of Dublin City University since 1993, located in Drumcondra, Dublin City, Ireland. The college is in existence since 1875 and has a Roman Catholic ethos. It is the largest primary teacher training college in Ireland...
in Drumcondra
Drumcondra
Drumcondra is the name of several places:* Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland, a residential area on the Northside of Dublin.** Drumcondra railway station** Drumcondra F.C., former football club...
where he qualified as a national school teacher. After graduation he taught in Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
and Williamstown, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, before being appointed principal of Litir national school in Islandeady
Islandeady
Islandeady is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, about halfway between the towns of Castlebar and Westport.The parish of Islandeady meets Castlebar to the east, Westport and Newport to the west, and Aughagower and Killawalla to the south. There is a view of Croagh Patrick to the west and Nephin to...
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
.
Club
Kenny played his club Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with Castlebar Mitchels GAA club and enjoyed much success. He won several county senior championship medals in the 1930s.
Inter-county
Kenny's prowess at club level earned him a place on the MayoMayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
senior inter-county team. Regarded as one of the best midfielders of his day he was a key member of the record-breaking Mayo team that won six consecutive National Football League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
titles from 1934 until 1939. Kenny also captured a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners' medal in 1936.
Political career
Kenny's entry into politics was unusual in the sense that neither he nor his family were steeped in politics at the time. In spite of this he was elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil 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 his first attempt at the 1954 general election
Irish general election, 1954
The Irish general election of 1954 was held on 18 May 1954. The newly elected members of the 15th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
as a Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Mayo South
Mayo South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Mayo South was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1969...
constituency. The election saw Fine Gael enter government as the lead party in the country's second inter-party government. Kenny, as a new TD, remained on the backbenches, however, was subsequently elected to Mayo County Council
Mayo County Council
Mayo County council is the local authority which is responsible for County Mayo in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county council is governed by the Local Government...
.
Kenny retained his seat at 1957 general election
Irish general election, 1957
The Irish general election of 1957 was held on 5 March 1957, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 4 February. The newly elected members of the 16th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 20 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place...
, however, Fine Gael lost power as Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
began sixteen years of uninterrupted rule. During that time he retained his Dáil seat at every general election, even after moving to the Mayo West
Mayo West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Mayo West was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1969 to 1997. The constituency was served by 3 deputies...
constituency in 1969. That same year he was appointed Fine Gael spokesperson on the Board of Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
, a position he held until 1972. The results of 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....
saw Fine Gael and the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
form a coalition government. Kenny was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance where he had responsibility for the Board of Works.
Death and private life
Two years after being appointed to the government Kenny was diagnosed with cancer. He died on 25 September 1975. He was survived by his wife Eithne and five children - John, Henry, EndaEnda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
, Kieran and Marie. His son, Enda, was elected to the Dáil as his replacement at the by-election in 1975. He went on to join the cabinet of 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,...
in 1994 as Minister for Trade and Tourism, and is currently the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
of Ireland and leader of the Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
party. Another son, also Henry Kenny, has been a member of Mayo County Council
Mayo County Council
Mayo County council is the local authority which is responsible for County Mayo in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county council is governed by the Local Government...
since 1999. His wife Eithne Kenny died at the age of 93 in Mayo General Hospital
Mayo General Hospital
Mayo General Hospital is a hospital situated in Castlebar, County Mayo in Ireland, serving County Mayo. The emergency department has an attendance of 27,000 patients per year. Other services include general surgery, medicine, paediatrics, orthopaedics, and obstetrics and gynaecology. There are 332...
, Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
on 26 November 2011.