Patrick Shea
Encyclopedia
Patrick Shea CB
, OBE (27 April 1908 – 1986) was a Northern Irish civil servant and the first Catholic
since A. N. Bonaparte-Wyse in the 1920s to achieve the rank of Permanent Secretary
of a Government Department in Northern Ireland
.
, County Westmeath
, where his father, a native Irish
speaker from West Kerry
, was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary
. His father had various postings until the RIC was disbanded on the Partition of Ireland
in 1922. Shea later joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary
, achieving the rank of Head Constable and later Clerk of Petty Sessions in Newry
, County Down
, where the family later lived. Patrick Shea attended the Christian Brothers
school at Abbey
, and on leaving joined the Northern Ireland
Civil Service
in June 1926.
Shea was given an OBE
in 1961 and CB
1972. He was made an Honorary member of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects
in 1971 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
in 1977. He was a long-time member of the Ulster Arts Club.
His postings included:
After retirement he chaired Enterprise Ulster from 1973 –1979.
for the Civil Service Rugby Club
. He wrote a one-act play A lady in a Cage, published by Harraps in The Best One-Act Plays of 1950-51 and broadcast on the BBC
. In partnership with John Kevin Maguire, under the pseudonyms John Kevin and P.S. Laughlin, they wrote for broadcasting. His play Waiting Night was produced at the Abbey Theatre
in Dublin. He married Eithne McHugh (d. 2000) in September 1941 and they had a daughter and two sons. His colleague John A. Oliver said of him "he had a gift for language, for expression and for repartee in a high degree".
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, OBE (27 April 1908 – 1986) was a Northern Irish civil servant and the first Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
since A. N. Bonaparte-Wyse in the 1920s to achieve the rank of Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
of a Government Department in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Career
Shea was born in DelvinDelvin
Delvin is a small town in east County Westmeath, Ireland located on the N52 road at a junction with the N51 to Navan. The town is from Mullingar and is the setting of the book Valley of the Squinting Windows by Delvin native Brinsley MacNamara, described under the fictitious name of "Garradrimna"...
, County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, where his father, a native Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
speaker from West Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
. His father had various postings until the RIC was disbanded on the Partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
in 1922. Shea later joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
, achieving the rank of Head Constable and later Clerk of Petty Sessions in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, where the family later lived. Patrick Shea attended the Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
school at Abbey
Abbey CBS
The Abbey CBS is a Christian Brothers Secondary School in Tipperary town, South Tipperary in Ireland. The school has a rich history in education going back hundreds of years....
, and on leaving joined the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
in June 1926.
Shea was given an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1961 and CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
1972. He was made an Honorary member of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects
Royal Society of Ulster Architects
The Royal Society of Ulster Architects is the professional body for registered architects in Northern Ireland. Chartered RIBA members in Northern Ireland are automatically members of the RSUA. RSUA Members use the suffix RSUA and also may use RIBA....
in 1971 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
in 1977. He was a long-time member of the Ulster Arts Club.
His postings included:
- Ministry of Labour, Clerical Officer 1926–1935 Belfast, Outdoor Officer EnniskillenEnniskillenEnniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
1935–1938, Senior Clerk, Headquarters 1938–1939 - Ministry of Finance, Assistant Principal 1939–1941, Deputy Principal 1941. His initial appointment to this office was blocked because he was a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
by the Minister of Labour John F. Gordon who was later overruled by John M. Andrews the Minister of Finance. - Secretary Civil Service Committee for Northern Ireland 1941
- Ministry of Education, Principal December 1947–1959, Establishment Officer and Accountant
- Ministry of Finance, Public Buildings and Works , 1959–1963, Assistant Secretary 1963–1969
- Ministry of Education, Permanent Secretary,December 1969–1973
After retirement he chaired Enterprise Ulster from 1973 –1979.
Other interests
He played golf and RugbyRugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
for the Civil Service Rugby Club
Civil Service Rugby Club
Civil Service Rugby Club is a rugby union club based in London, England.The club plays in National League 3 London & SE.Originally a part of Civil Service F.C., a combined association football and rugby union club, the rugby club is now a distinct entity and appears to have been so since the late...
. He wrote a one-act play A lady in a Cage, published by Harraps in The Best One-Act Plays of 1950-51 and broadcast on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. In partnership with John Kevin Maguire, under the pseudonyms John Kevin and P.S. Laughlin, they wrote for broadcasting. His play Waiting Night was produced at the Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
in Dublin. He married Eithne McHugh (d. 2000) in September 1941 and they had a daughter and two sons. His colleague John A. Oliver said of him "he had a gift for language, for expression and for repartee in a high degree".