Timothy O'Donovan
Encyclopedia
Timothy Joseph O'Donovan (4 April 1881 – 1951) was a Farmers' Party
and Fine Gael
politician from County Cork
in Ireland
. He was a Teachta Dála
(TD) from 1923 to 1944, then a senator
from 1944 until his death, serving as Cathaoirleach
of Seanad Éireann
from 1948 to 1951.
O'Donovan was elected at the 1923 general election
to the 4th Dáil as a Farmers' Party TD for the Cork West
constituency. He was re-elected at seven further general elections until his defeat at the 1944 general election
to the 12th Dáil, after several changes of party affiliation. After the demise of the Farmers' Party in the 1920s, he was re-elected in 1933 as a National Centre Party
TD, and when the National Party merged with Cumann na nGaedheal to form Fine Gael
, he joined the new party.
After the loss of his Dáil seat in 1944, he was elected in the subsequent Seanad Éireann
election to the 5th Seanad, on the Agricultural Panel. He was re-elected in 1948 to the 6th Seanad, serving as Cathaoirleach
(chairperson) of the Seanad from 1948 to 1951. He died in 1951, shortly after his re-election to the 7th Seanad.
Farmers' Party (Ireland)
The Farmers' Party or Farmers' Union was an agrarian political party in the Irish Free State between 1922 and 1932. It was concerned almost exclusively with the interests of the agricultural community, and never sought to widen its scope beyond the countryside.The party won seven seats in Dáil...
and 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...
politician from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
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,...
. He was 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) from 1923 to 1944, 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...
from 1944 until his death, serving as Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach is the title of the chairman of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Senator Paddy Burke...
of 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...
from 1948 to 1951.
O'Donovan was elected at the 1923 general election
Irish general election, 1923
The Irish general election of 1923 was held on 27 August 1923. The newly elected members of the 4th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 19 September when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed. The election was held just after the end...
to the 4th Dáil as a Farmers' Party TD for the Cork West
Cork West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cork West was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1961...
constituency. He was re-elected at seven further general elections until his defeat at the 1944 general election
Irish general election, 1944
The Irish general election of 1944 was held on 30 May 1944, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 9 May. The 138 newly elected members of the 12th Dáil assembled on 9 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
to the 12th Dáil, after several changes of party affiliation. After the demise of the Farmers' Party in the 1920s, he was re-elected in 1933 as a National Centre Party
National Centre Party (Ireland)
The National Centre Party, initially known as the National Farmers and Ratepayers League, was a short-lived political party in the Irish Free State...
TD, and when the National Party merged with Cumann na nGaedheal to form 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...
, he joined the new party.
After the loss of his Dáil seat in 1944, he was elected in the subsequent 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...
election to the 5th Seanad, on the Agricultural Panel. He was re-elected in 1948 to the 6th Seanad, serving as Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach is the title of the chairman of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Senator Paddy Burke...
(chairperson) of the Seanad from 1948 to 1951. He died in 1951, shortly after his re-election to the 7th Seanad.