Paddy Harte

Paddy Harte
Minister of State
1981–1982Posts and Telegraphs
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1981 – June 1997
ConstituencyDonegal North-East
In office
July 1977 – June 1981
ConstituencyDonegal
In office
October 1961 – July 1977
ConstituencyDonegal North-East
Personal details
Born(1931-07-26)26 July 1931
Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland
Died8 January 2018(2018-01-08) (aged 86)
Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Rosaleen Harte
​
(m. 1953)​
Children9, including Jimmy
OccupationButcher

Patrick Harte OBE (26 July 1931 – 8 January 2018) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served for 36 years as Teachta Dála (TD) for Donegal North-East.[1]

Early life and family

He was born in 1931 in Lifford, County Donegal. His son, Jimmy Harte, is a former Labour Party Senator.

Political career

He was first elected to the 17th Dáil at the 1961 general election, and re-elected at eleven further general elections.[2] In the 22nd Dáil, from 1981 to 1982, he was Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs in Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald's government. In 1989 he was an unsuccessful candidate in the Connacht–Ulster constituency at the elections to the European Parliament. He lost his seat at the 1997 general election to the Independent Fianna Fáil candidate Harry Blaney, and unsuccessfully contested the 1997 elections to Seanad Éireann on the Industrial and Commercial Panel. After this, he retired from politics.

Post-retirement

After his retirement he was involved in a number of projects, including (along with Glenn Barr) the Messines Island of Ireland Peace Park in West Flanders in Belgium. This park was officially opened in November 1998 by President Mary McAleese, Queen Elizabeth II and King Albert II of Belgium to commemorate all Irishmen who died in World War I.

Harte died the morning of 8 January 2018 at the age of 86.[3]

Awards

He was appointed an Honorary OBE in October 2006 for his ecumenical works. He received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the National University of Ireland in September 2007 in recognition of his contribution to politics.

Reading

  • Paddy Harte, Young Tigers and Mongrel Foxes: A life in politics, The O'Brien Press, Dublin, 2005.

References

  1. ^ "Patrick Harte". Oireachtas Members Database. 30 April 1997. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Paddy Harte". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Former Donegal TD Paddy Harte passes away". Donegal Democrat. 8 January 2018. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs
1981–1982 		Succeeded by