Jim Tunney (Irish politician)

This article is about the Fianna Fáil politician. For his father, the Labour Party politician, see James Tunney (Irish politician).

Jim Tunney
Minister of State
1977–1981Education
Parliamentary Secretary
1973Education
Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann
In office
24 March 1987 – 4 January 1993
Ceann ComhairleSeán Treacy
Preceded byJohn Ryan
Succeeded byJoe Jacob
In office
7 July 1981 – 14 December 1982
Ceann ComhairleJohn O'Connell
Preceded bySeán Browne
Succeeded byJohn Ryan
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1977 – June 1981
ConstituencyDublin Finglas
In office
June 1981 – November 1992
In office
June 1969 – June 1977
ConstituencyDublin North-West
Lord Mayor of Dublin
In office
June 1984 – June 1985
Preceded byMichael O'Halloran
Succeeded byBertie Ahern
Personal details
Born
James Tunney

(1923-12-25)25 December 1923
Dublin, Ireland
Died16 January 2002(2002-01-16) (aged 78)
Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Cathleen Byrne
​
(m. 1957)​
Children4
Parent
EducationSt. Vincent's C.B.S.
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

James C. Tunney (25 December 1924 – 16 January 2002) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.[1]

Early and personal life

He was born 25 December 1924 in Finglas, Dublin, the fourth child among three sons and five daughters of James Tunney, a farmer and Labour Party TD and senator, and M. Ellen Tunney (née Grimes), who both came from outside Westport, County Mayo.[2] He was educated at St. Vincent's C.B.S. in Glasnevin.

He worked in the Department of Agriculture from 1943 to 1955 and it was in this period that he studied part-time at University College Dublin, where he took a BA in drama, English, and Irish before studying for a postgraduate qualification in Irish. From 1955 to 1962 he taught drama at VECs in Lucan, Balbriggan, and Garretstown, before being appointed headmaster of Blanchardstown VEC in 1962.[2]

He also played at senior level for the Dublin county team. He was on the winning side for Dublin in the 1948 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship.

A snappy dresser who earned the nickname – the yellow rose of Finglas, he was sometimes seen as pompous, a perception possibly attributable to his acting background, which once led to an audition for Dublin's Abbey Theatre.[2]

Politics

In 1963 he joined Fianna Fáil, and stood for the party at the 1965 general election but was not elected.[2] He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin North-West constituency at the 1969 general election.[3] He served continuously in the Dáil until losing his seat at the 1992 general election, having been a TD for Dublin Finglas from 1977 to 1981 when Dublin constituencies were reconfigured as 3-seaters, before being returned for Dublin North-West in 1981.

During that period he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (after 1978, Minister of State at the Department of Education) in three governments. He served as Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1981 to 1982, and from 1987 to 1993. He was also chair of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party for ten years. He was a member of Dublin City Council, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1984 to 1985.[2][4]

References

  1. ^ "James C. Tunney". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e McElroy, Gerry. "Tunney, James ('Jim')". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Jim Tunney". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Lord Mayors of Dublin 1665–2020" (PDF). Dublin City Council. June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
Jan.–Feb. 1973 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Education
1977–1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann
1987–1993 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party
1982–1992 		Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by Lord Mayor of Dublin
1984–1985 		Succeeded by