Luke 'Ming' Flanagan
Encyclopedia
Luke 'Ming' Flanagan is an Irish
independent
politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency at the 2011 general election. He was previously a county council
lor and Mayor of County Roscommon
. He is a social campaigner, best known for his long-running campaign to legalise cannabis
.
open prison, in County Cavan
, for refusing to pay a fine imposed for breach of the Litter Pollution Act. He is a lifelong fan of Sligo Rovers
.
. He entered politics urging the legalisation of cannabis
and as a protest candidate against his landlord, Fianna Fáil
TD
Frank Fahey
. He got 548 votes (1.1%). He went on to contest the Connacht–Ulster constituency at the 1999 European Parliament election
receiving 5,000 votes (1.6%) and the Longford–Roscommon constituency at the 2002 general election
receiving 779 votes (1.6%).
He was not portrayed by the media as a serious candidate, shaving his hair and styling his beard in the way of Ming the Merciless
from the comic strip Flash Gordon
. His posters and other election material featured cannabis leaves, and legalisation of the drug was one of his main policy platforms. He voiced uncompromising support for radical social and environmental issues, and displayed a knack for using the media, being featured in many newspapers and radio programmes who were attracted by his colourful appearance and strong rhetoric.
In 2001 he hit the headlines when he sent more than 200 cannabis cigarettes
to politicians in the Oireachtas
, one to each TD and senator, as part of his campaign to have cannabis legalised.
Flanagan supports the cutting of turf from raised bogs despite a European Union
ban. He has cut turf at Cloonchambers Bog near Castlerea
, a degraded, but still active, raised bog which has been designated a Special Area of Conservation
.
in County Roscommon
and contested the 2004 local elections, and was elected to Roscommon County Council
, topping the poll and getting elected on the first count, defeating sitting councillors John Murray and Danny Burke. He was re-elected on the first count at 2009 local elections
, receiving 16.8% of 1st preference votes in the Castlerea electoral area, and exceeding the quota by 394 votes.
In December 2010, Flanagan proposed that his Mayoral allowance should be halved, and many of his other allowances be abolished entirely, in recognition of the financial difficulties that the country and the county were experiencing. The proposal met with a mixed reception from his council colleagues.
alliance of independent candidates.
He received 8,925 (18.8%) first preference votes, and was elected to the first seat with 12,149 votes on the fourth count, while the two incumbent Fine Gael
TD
s were elected on the sixth count. Neither of the two Fianna Fáil
candidates managed to retain the seat of their retiring party colleague, Michael Finneran
.
Upon election Flanagan took a 50% salary cut and urged his fellow TDs to follow suit.
In March 2011, Flanagan announced that he was quitting smoking cannabis in Ireland
in order to protect his family and focus on the issues for which he stands. He will still smoke cannabis when he goes abroad. A Fianna Fáil
councillor from Kilkenny had lodged a formal complaint to the Garda Síochána
about Flanagan's cannabis use. Flanagan said that: "...my wife and children are the most important people on the planet to me and I don't want my kids to witness the Garda calling to the house." He will continue to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis.
On 2 November 2011, Flanagan walked out of the Dáil amid a heated disagreement with Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney
over turf-cutting rights. Flanagan had observed that his Fine Gael constituency colleague Frank Feighan
had promised before the 2011 general election that he would “sign his name in blood” if that was required to oppose a turf-cutting ban, with Coveney responding by saying populism was a dangerous thing. Flanagan then said, “Populism and bondholders. I am leaving the chamber”, with Coveney telling him to “go on and walk out in protest”. Flanagan retorted, “My daddy
did not give me a seat.”
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...
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...
politician. He was elected as 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 the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency at the 2011 general election. He was previously a county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
lor and Mayor of County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon 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 town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He is a social campaigner, best known for his long-running campaign to legalise cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
.
Personal life
Flanagan is the subject of two documentary films, Dole Éireann, which followed his 1997 Dáil election bid and The Life and Crimes of Citizen Ming which was shot over a longer period, and documents various election bids and tangles with the law. He has continued to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis, and has been convicted on several occasions of possession of the drug for personal use. He served nine days of a 15-day sentence in 1998 in Loughan HouseLoughan House
Loughan House is a low security open detention centre in Blacklion, County Cavan, Ireland. Built in 1953 as a noviciate for the White Fathers Missionary Congregation, it was purchased by the Department of Justice in 1972 to be converted to a prison facility. Its current governor is Mr. Pat Kavanagh...
open prison, in County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, for refusing to pay a fine imposed for breach of the Litter Pollution Act. He is a lifelong fan of Sligo Rovers
Sligo Rovers F.C.
Sligo Rovers Football Club is a professional Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Sligo Rovers have played at...
.
Political career
He began his political career running unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in the Galway West constituency at the 1997 general electionIrish 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....
. He entered politics urging the legalisation of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
and as a protest candidate against his landlord, 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...
TD
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...
Frank Fahey
Frank Fahey
Frank Fahey is a property developer and former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency.-Life before politics:...
. He got 548 votes (1.1%). He went on to contest the Connacht–Ulster constituency at the 1999 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 1999 (Ireland)
The 1999 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1999 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details :-See also:...
receiving 5,000 votes (1.6%) and the Longford–Roscommon constituency at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
receiving 779 votes (1.6%).
He was not portrayed by the media as a serious candidate, shaving his hair and styling his beard in the way of Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, TV shows and film adaptation.- First appearance :...
from the comic strip Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
. His posters and other election material featured cannabis leaves, and legalisation of the drug was one of his main policy platforms. He voiced uncompromising support for radical social and environmental issues, and displayed a knack for using the media, being featured in many newspapers and radio programmes who were attracted by his colourful appearance and strong rhetoric.
In 2001 he hit the headlines when he sent more than 200 cannabis cigarettes
Joint (cannabis)
Joint is a slang term for a cigarette rolled using cannabis. Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium among industrialized countries, however brown paper, cigarettes with the tobacco removed, and newspaper are commonly used in developing countries. Modern papers are now made from a wide...
to politicians in the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
, one to each TD and senator, as part of his campaign to have cannabis legalised.
Flanagan supports the cutting of turf from raised bogs despite a European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
ban. He has cut turf at Cloonchambers Bog near Castlerea
Castlerea
Castlerea is located in the west of County Roscommon, Ireland. It is the second largest town in the county with a population of 3,055 . Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea can mean Brindled Castle or King's Castle...
, a degraded, but still active, raised bog which has been designated a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
.
Roscommon County Council
He returned to his native CastlereaCastlerea
Castlerea is located in the west of County Roscommon, Ireland. It is the second largest town in the county with a population of 3,055 . Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea can mean Brindled Castle or King's Castle...
in County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon 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 town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
and contested the 2004 local elections, and was elected to Roscommon County Council
Roscommon County Council
Roscommon County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Roscommon in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of...
, topping the poll and getting elected on the first count, defeating sitting councillors John Murray and Danny Burke. He was re-elected on the first count at 2009 local elections
Irish local elections, 2009
The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
, receiving 16.8% of 1st preference votes in the Castlerea electoral area, and exceeding the quota by 394 votes.
Mayor of County Roscommon
On 28 June 2010, Flanagan was elected as the Mayor of Roscommon County Council. On 27 July 2010, Flanagan was the subject of debate over refusing to lead the prayer said before council meetings, because as a non-believer he said it would be hypocritical. The matter was later resolved by asking the Deputy Mayor Ernie Keenan to say the prayer.In December 2010, Flanagan proposed that his Mayoral allowance should be halved, and many of his other allowances be abolished entirely, in recognition of the financial difficulties that the country and the county were experiencing. The proposal met with a mixed reception from his council colleagues.
2011 general election
Flanagan won a seat in the 31st Dáil in the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency in the 2011 general election, one of twenty members of the New VisionNew Vision (electoral alliance)
New Vision was an electoral alliance of independent candidates formed to contest the 2011 Irish general election.The formation of the group was announced at a meeting in Dublin organised by the economist David McWilliams on 31 January 2011...
alliance of independent candidates.
He received 8,925 (18.8%) first preference votes, and was elected to the first seat with 12,149 votes on the fourth count, while the two incumbent 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...
TD
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...
s were elected on the sixth count. Neither of the two 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...
candidates managed to retain the seat of their retiring party colleague, Michael Finneran
Michael Finneran
Michael Finneran is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency from 2007 to 2011, and also served as a Minister of State....
.
Upon election Flanagan took a 50% salary cut and urged his fellow TDs to follow suit.
In March 2011, Flanagan announced that he was quitting smoking cannabis 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,...
in order to protect his family and focus on the issues for which he stands. He will still smoke cannabis when he goes abroad. A 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...
councillor from Kilkenny had lodged a formal complaint to the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
about Flanagan's cannabis use. Flanagan said that: "...my wife and children are the most important people on the planet to me and I don't want my kids to witness the Garda calling to the house." He will continue to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis.
On 2 November 2011, Flanagan walked out of the Dáil amid a heated disagreement with Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney
Simon Coveney
Simon Coveney is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Teachta Dála for Cork South Central since 1998. In March 2011 he became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Enda Kenny's coalition government....
over turf-cutting rights. Flanagan had observed that his Fine Gael constituency colleague Frank Feighan
Frank Feighan
Frank Feighan is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency since 2007. He was elected to the Dáil at the 2007 general election. He was a member of the 22nd Seanad Éireann, elected by the Administrative Panel from 2002–07.Feighan is from...
had promised before the 2011 general election that he would “sign his name in blood” if that was required to oppose a turf-cutting ban, with Coveney responding by saying populism was a dangerous thing. Flanagan then said, “Populism and bondholders. I am leaving the chamber”, with Coveney telling him to “go on and walk out in protest”. Flanagan retorted, “My daddy
Hugh Coveney
Hugh P. Coveney was a senior Irish Fine Gael politician, and a noted yachtsman.Hugh Coveney was born into one of Cork's prosperous "merchant prince" families in 1935. He was educated at Christian Brothers College, Cork, Clongowes Wood and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors...
did not give me a seat.”