Mark Killilea, Snr
Encyclopedia
Mark Killilea, Snr was an Irish
Fianna Fáil
Party politician. He was a TD
for constituencies in County Galway
for over thirty years, and then a Senator
for 8 years.
Killilea was a founder-member of Fianna Fáil
and a farmer and shopkeeper before entering politics. He was elected to Dáil Éireann
on his first attempt, at the June 1927 general election
in the nine-seat Galway
constituency. He took his seat in the 5th Dáil, along with the 44 other Fianna Fáil TDs who ended the Republican
policy of abstention and took the disputed oath of allegiance, dismissing it as an "empty formula".
He was re-elected at the September 1927 general election
. However, in the Fianna Fáil victory at the 1932 general election
, it won no new seats in Galway. All five siting Fianna Fáil TDs stood for re-election, but the party ran a total of seven candidates in the constituency and Killilea was one of the two sitting TDs to lose their seats to party colleagues. He was re-elected the following year, displacing Cumann na nGaedheal's Joseph Mongan
.
Killilea was then re-elected at all the eight general elections in the next 28 years, switching to the new Galway East constituency when the county's parliamentary repesentation was split at the 1937 election
, and choosing Galway North
after a further constituency revision for the 1948 general election
.
At the 1961 general election
, he lost his seat again, this time in the restored Galway East constituency. The county's three 3-seat constituencies had been replaced by the 3-seat Galway West and the 5-seat Galway East, where Killilea was one of four sitting Fianna Fáil TDs stood for re-election. Michael Kitt
and Michael Carty
had both been returned at the previous general election, and Anthony Millar
had won a by-election in 1958. It would have been difficult for Fianna Fáil to win four out of five seats, and with 55% of the first-preference vote the party took three seats: Killilea was the loser.
He then stood for election to Seanad Éireann
on the Labour Panel, and was returned to the 10th Seanad. He was re-elected at the 1965 Seanad election to the 11th Seanad, but stood down in 1969 in favour of his son Mark Killilea, Jnr
, who was elected to the 12th Seanad.
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...
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...
Party politician. He was a 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...
for constituencies in 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...
for over thirty years, and then a Senator
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
for 8 years.
Killilea was a founder-member of 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...
and a farmer and shopkeeper before entering politics. He was elected to 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...
on his first attempt, at the June 1927 general election
Irish general election, 1927 (June)
The Irish general election of June 1927 was held on 9 June 1927. The newly elected members of the 5th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 23 June when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed....
in the nine-seat Galway
Galway (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Galway was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1921 to 1937. The method of election was the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .- History :...
constituency. He took his seat in the 5th Dáil, along with the 44 other Fianna Fáil TDs who ended the Republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
policy of abstention and took the disputed oath of allegiance, dismissing it as an "empty formula".
He was re-elected at the September 1927 general election
Irish general election, 1927 (September)
The Irish general election of September 1927 was held on 15 September 1927. The newly elected members of the 6th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 11 October when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed.-Campaign:The second general...
. However, in the Fianna Fáil victory at the 1932 general election
Irish general election, 1932
The Irish general election of 1932 was held on 16 February 1932, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 29 January. The newly elected 153 members of the 7th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 9 March 1932 when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of...
, it won no new seats in Galway. All five siting Fianna Fáil TDs stood for re-election, but the party ran a total of seven candidates in the constituency and Killilea was one of the two sitting TDs to lose their seats to party colleagues. He was re-elected the following year, displacing Cumann na nGaedheal's Joseph Mongan
Joseph Mongan
Joseph W. Mongan was an Irish politician. He was an unsuccessful candidate at the June 1927 general election, but was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála for the Galway constituency at the September 1927 general election. He was re-elected at the 1932 general election...
.
Killilea was then re-elected at all the eight general elections in the next 28 years, switching to the new Galway East constituency when the county's parliamentary repesentation was split at the 1937 election
Irish general election, 1937
The Irish general election of 1937 was held on 1 July 1937, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 14 June. A plebiscite to ratify the Constitution of Ireland was held on the same day...
, and choosing Galway North
Galway North (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Galway North was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1948 to 1961...
after a further constituency revision for the 1948 general election
Irish general election, 1948
The Irish general election of 1948 was held on 4 February 1948. The 147 newly elected members of the 13th Dáil assembled on 18 February when the First Inter-Party government in the history of the Irish state was appointed....
.
At the 1961 general election
Irish general election, 1961
The Irish general election of 1961 was held on 4 October 1961, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 8 September. The newly elected members of the 17th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 11 October when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took...
, he lost his seat again, this time in the restored Galway East constituency. The county's three 3-seat constituencies had been replaced by the 3-seat Galway West and the 5-seat Galway East, where Killilea was one of four sitting Fianna Fáil TDs stood for re-election. Michael Kitt
Michael F. Kitt
Michael F. Kitt, Snr was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and long-serving TD.He was elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time at the 1948 general election for Galway North, but lost his seat at the next election in 1951, and failed to be elected again in the 1954 general election...
and Michael Carty
Michael Carty
Michael Carty was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. Born in Loughrea, County Galway to Lawrence and Josephine Carty, he was the eldest of seven children. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1957 general election. He served as a Teachta Dála for various Galway constituencies until 1973 when...
had both been returned at the previous general election, and Anthony Millar
Anthony Millar
Anthony G. Millar was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Galway South constituency at the 1958 by-election caused by the death of Patrick Beegan of Fianna Fáil. He was re-elected at the 1961 and 1965 general elections for the...
had won a by-election in 1958. It would have been difficult for Fianna Fáil to win four out of five seats, and with 55% of the first-preference vote the party took three seats: Killilea was the loser.
He then stood for election to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
on the Labour Panel, and was returned to the 10th Seanad. He was re-elected at the 1965 Seanad election to the 11th Seanad, but stood down in 1969 in favour of his son Mark Killilea, Jnr
Mark Killilea, Jnr
Mark Killilea, Jnr is a former Irish Fianna Fáil party politician from County Galway. In a 30-year political career, served as a Teachta Dála and Member of the European Parliament and also as a Senator....
, who was elected to the 12th Seanad.