Jim Kemmy
Encyclopedia
Jim Kemmy (1 September 1936 – 25 September 1997) was an Irish
socialist politician from Limerick, who started his political career in the Labour Party. He later left Labour, was elected as an independent
Teachta Dála
(TD) and founded the Democratic Socialist Party
, which merged with the Labour Party in the 1990s.
area of the city. His father's death from tuberculosis
meant that he had to leave school at 15 for a stonemason apprenticeship to support his four siblings. He worked for many years as bricklayer for Limerick City Council
.
ist. He was a member of the Party's National Administrative Council, and its Director of Elections in 1969. He resigned from the party in 1972 because of conflict with local TD Stephen Coughlan
. Taking advantage of a change in the law which removed the ban on council employees standing for election as councillors, he was elected to Limerick City Council in 1974. He had pledged not to wear the formal robes of a councillor, saying that "While some councillors act like clowns, there is no need to dress like them."
In 1975 Kemmy founded the Limerick Family Planning Clinic. At the time, it was illegal to sell condoms in Ireland
and the clinic was condemned by the Catholic Church.
Kemmy stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for Dáil Éireann
in the Limerick East constituency at the 1977 general election
. His second attempt, at the 1981 general election
, was successful, and he was elected to the 22nd Dáil. During this time Kemmy criticised the 1981 Irish hunger strike
which earned him the animosity of many Irish Republicans and Socialists as well as a number of his fellow trade unionists. Despite this he was re-elected at the February 1982 general election, but his opposition to the pro-life amendment
to the Constitution
had led to sustained attacks from the Catholic Church. At the November 1982 general election, Kemmy lost his seat to Labour's Frank Prendergast
.
He returned to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election
and was re-elected again at the 1989 general election
. In 1990, his Democratic Socialist Party
merged with the Labour Party
, and Kemmy was re-elected as a Labour Party TD at the 1992 general election
and again at the 1997 general election
. After the merger, Kemmy was elected vice-chairman of the Labour Party in 1991 and chairman in 1993. He was twice elected as Mayor of Limerick, in 1991–1992 and again in 1995–1996.
Shortly before his death, Kemmy edited the acclaimed book The Limerick Anthology which
featured the work of his admirer, Frank McCourt
.
Kemmy died on 25 September 1997, following a short illness. The by-election
for his seat was held on 11 March 1998 and was won by the Labour Party candidate and former Democratic Socialist Party colleague Jan O'Sullivan
. The College of Business in the University of Limerick
has been named in his memory in 2003 as the "Kemmy Business School". The University College Cork branch of the Labour Party is named after him. In 2000, the Limerick City Museum was renamed the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum. Kemmy's life is profiled in a major biography: "Jim Kemmy - stonemason, trade unionist, politician, historian" by Brian Callanan (Liffey Press, 2011)
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
socialist politician from Limerick, who started his political career in the Labour Party. He later left Labour, was elected as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
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) and founded the Democratic Socialist Party
Democratic Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Democratic Socialist Party was a small left wing political party in the Republic of Ireland. It was a merger of Jim Kemmy's Limerick Socialist Organisation and the Socialist Party of Ireland. Jim Kemmy was an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann...
, which merged with the Labour Party in the 1990s.
Early and personal life
Kemmy was from the GarryowenGarryowen, Limerick
Garryowen is a neighbourhood in Limerick, Ireland. Contrary to common misconceptions, Garryowen Football Club, a prominent Rugby Union club in Ireland's AIB League is not located in the neighbourhood of Garryowen but rather in the Dooradoyle area of the Limerick Suburbs. Garryowen is home to the...
area of the city. His father's death from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
meant that he had to leave school at 15 for a stonemason apprenticeship to support his four siblings. He worked for many years as bricklayer for Limerick City Council
Limerick City Council
Limerick City Council is the local authority which is responsible for the city of Limerick in Ireland. It is the responsible for local government, sanitation, motor vehicles tax, and social housing.-History:...
.
Political career
In 1963, Kemmy joined the Labour Party and worked as a trade unionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist. He was a member of the Party's National Administrative Council, and its Director of Elections in 1969. He resigned from the party in 1972 because of conflict with local TD Stephen Coughlan
Stephen Coughlan
Stephen "Stevie" Coughlan was an Irish Labour Party politician who served for eighteen years as Teachta Dála for the Limerick East constituency....
. Taking advantage of a change in the law which removed the ban on council employees standing for election as councillors, he was elected to Limerick City Council in 1974. He had pledged not to wear the formal robes of a councillor, saying that "While some councillors act like clowns, there is no need to dress like them."
In 1975 Kemmy founded the Limerick Family Planning Clinic. At the time, it was illegal to sell condoms in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and the clinic was condemned by the Catholic Church.
Kemmy stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for Dáil Éireann
Dáil 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...
in the Limerick East constituency at the 1977 general election
Irish general election, 1977
The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in twentieth century Irish politics. The general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 148 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of...
. His second attempt, at the 1981 general election
Irish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, was successful, and he was elected to the 22nd Dáil. During this time Kemmy criticised the 1981 Irish hunger strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
which earned him the animosity of many Irish Republicans and Socialists as well as a number of his fellow trade unionists. Despite this he was re-elected at the February 1982 general election, but his opposition to the pro-life amendment
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland introduced a constitutional ban on abortion. It was effected by the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1983, which was approved by referendum on 7 September 1983 and signed into law on the 7 October of the same year.-Changes to the...
to the Constitution
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
had led to sustained attacks from the Catholic Church. At the November 1982 general election, Kemmy lost his seat to Labour's Frank Prendergast
Frank Prendergast
Frank Prendergast is a retired Irish lecturer and Labour Party politician who served two terms as Mayor of Limerick and served for four years in Dáil Éireann, as Teachta Dála for Limerick East....
.
He returned to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
and was re-elected again at the 1989 general election
Irish general election, 1989
The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 25 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 26th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 29 June...
. In 1990, his Democratic Socialist Party
Democratic Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Democratic Socialist Party was a small left wing political party in the Republic of Ireland. It was a merger of Jim Kemmy's Limerick Socialist Organisation and the Socialist Party of Ireland. Jim Kemmy was an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann...
merged with 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...
, and Kemmy was re-elected as a Labour Party TD at the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
and again at the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. After the merger, Kemmy was elected vice-chairman of the Labour Party in 1991 and chairman in 1993. He was twice elected as Mayor of Limerick, in 1991–1992 and again in 1995–1996.
Shortly before his death, Kemmy edited the acclaimed book The Limerick Anthology which
featured the work of his admirer, Frank McCourt
Frank McCourt
Francis "Frank" McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela’s Ashes, an award-winning, tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood....
.
Kemmy died on 25 September 1997, following a short illness. The by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for his seat was held on 11 March 1998 and was won by the Labour Party candidate and former Democratic Socialist Party colleague Jan O'Sullivan
Jan O'Sullivan
Jan O'Sullivan is an Irish Labour Party politician. She is a Teachta Dála for Limerick City constituency and is the current Minister of State for Trade and Development.-Personal life:...
. The College of Business in the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
has been named in his memory in 2003 as the "Kemmy Business School". The University College Cork branch of the Labour Party is named after him. In 2000, the Limerick City Museum was renamed the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum. Kemmy's life is profiled in a major biography: "Jim Kemmy - stonemason, trade unionist, politician, historian" by Brian Callanan (Liffey Press, 2011)