Clement Coughlan

Clement Coughlan
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1981 – 1 February 1983
ConstituencyDonegal South-West
In office
November 1980 – June 1981
ConstituencyDonegal
Personal details
Born(1942-08-14)14 August 1942
County Donegal, Ireland
Died1 February 1983(1983-02-01) (aged 40)
County Donegal, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Relatives

Clement Coughlan (14 August 1942 – 1 February 1983) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and school teacher from County Donegal.[1] He was elected to Dáil Éireann in a 1980 by-election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal constituency.[2] He only served in public office for two years before his death in a road traffic accident on 1 February 1983.

In a morbid twist his death and the timing of his funeral is considered to be the deciding factor in keeping Charles Haughey as leader of Fianna Fáil, when the support for the campaign to oust him dwindled following the funeral. Coughlan's brother, Cathal Coughlan, was elected in the subsequent by-election. His niece, Mary Coughlan was also a TD and Minister.[2]

He also played at senior level for the Donegal county football team.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "Clement Coughlan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Clement Coughlan". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 December 2012.