Patrick Hillery

Patrick Hillery
Hillery, 63, in a monochrome photograph
Hillery in 1986
6th President of Ireland
In office
3 December 1976 – 2 December 1990
Taoiseach
Preceded byCearbhall Ó Dálaigh
Succeeded byMary Robinson
Vice-President of the European Commission
In office
6 January 1973 – 5 January 1977
PresidentFrançois-Xavier Ortoli
Preceded byWilhelm Haferkamp
Succeeded byWilhelm Haferkamp
European Commissioner for Social Affairs
In office
6 January 1973 – 2 December 1976
PresidentFrançois-Xavier Ortoli
Preceded byAlbert Coppé
Succeeded byHenk Vredeling
Minister for External Affairs
In office
2 July 1969 – 3 January 1973
TaoiseachJack Lynch
Preceded byFrank Aiken
Succeeded byBrian Lenihan
Minister for Labour
In office
13 July 1966 – 2 July 1969
Taoiseach
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byJoseph Brennan
Minister for Industry and Commerce
In office
21 April 1965 – 13 July 1966
TaoiseachSeán Lemass
Preceded byJack Lynch
Succeeded byGeorge Colley
Minister for Education
In office
23 June 1959 – 21 April 1965
TaoiseachSeán Lemass
Preceded byJack Lynch
Succeeded byGeorge Colley
Teachta Dála
In office
May 1951 – 6 January 1973
ConstituencyClare
Personal details
Born(1923-05-02)2 May 1923
Spanish Point, County Clare, Ireland
Died12 April 2008(2008-04-12) (aged 84)
Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland
Resting placeSt. Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
​
(m. 1955)​
Children2
Alma mater
Profession

Patrick John Hillery (Irish: Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile;[1] 2 May 1923 – 12 April 2008) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the sixth President of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990. He also served as Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Social Affairs from 1973 to 1976, Minister for External Affairs from 1969 to 1973, Minister for Labour from 1966 to 1969, Minister for Industry and Commerce from 1965 to 1969 and Minister for Education from 1959 to 1965. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Clare constituency from 1951 to 1973.[2][3]

In 1973, he was appointed Ireland's first European Commissioner, upon Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community, serving until 1976, when he became President of Ireland. He served two terms in the presidency. Though seen as a somewhat lacklustre president, he was credited with bringing stability and dignity to the office, and won widespread admiration when it emerged that he had withstood political pressure from his own Fianna Fáil party during a political crisis in 1982.

  1. ^ "Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile". president.ie. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Patrick John Hillery". Oireachtas Members Database. 5 December 1972. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  3. ^ "A look at Patrick Hillery's career in politics". RTÉ News. 12 April 2008. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2008.