Patrick Hillery

Patrick John Hillery (Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile; 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.

Patrick John Hillery, more popularly known as Paddy Hillery, was born in Spanish Point, County Clare, in 1923.

The son of Michael Joseph Hillery, a local doctor, and Ellen McMahon, a district nurse, he was educated locally at Milltown Malbay National School, before later attending Rockwell College.

At third level, Hillery attended University College Dublin, where he qualified with a degree in medicine.

Upon his conferral in 1947, he returned to his native town where he followed in his father's footsteps as a doctor.

Hillery's medical career in the 1950s, saw him serve as a member of the National Health Council and as Medical Officer for the Milltown Malbay Dispensary District.

He also spent a year working as coroner for West Clare.

He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Clare constituency from 1951 to 1973.

Hillery, though not himself political, agreed under pressure from Clare's senior Fianna Fáil TD, party leader and former Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera, to become his running mate at the 1951 general election.

Hillery received enough transfers from de Valera to be elected.

Hillery married Maeve Finnegan, on 27 October 1955.

De Valera was elected as president of Ireland in 1959, and was succeeded as Taoiseach by Seán Lemass.

Under Lemass, many party elders such as James Ryan, Seán MacEntee and Paddy Smith, retired and a new generation of politicians were introduced to government, such as Brian Lenihan, Donogh O'Malley, Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney.

Key among this new breed of politician was Hillery, who was given his first position in cabinet as Minister for Education in 1959, succeeding Jack Lynch in that post.

As Minister for Education, Hillery was responsible for much innovative thinking in a department which would become very important under Lemass's leadership.

In 1963, he made a major policy speech in which he outlined many of the educational reforms that were to be introduced over the next decade.

These included increased educational opportunities for many, the establishment of comprehensive schools and Regional Technical Colleges.

He also proposed access by students to all public examinations.

As Minister for Education, Hillery laid the groundwork for successive Ministers to advance the reforms and initiatives he had begun.

While Donogh O'Malley, has received much of the credit for introducing free education, it was in fact Hillery who laid much of the groundwork before this landmark announcement.

In 1965, Hillery succeeded Lynch again by taking over as Minister for Industry and Commerce.

This department was considered one of the most important in kick-starting Ireland's economy.

Hillery only remained in this position for just over a year, becoming the country's first Minister for Labour in 1966, as industrial disputes began to take their toll.

This new department had been an ambition of Lemass's for several years.

Lemass resigned as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil in November 1966, a shock to many of his political friends.

Hillery was invited by Lemass to allow his name to go forward for the leadership of the party, however, he declined explaining that he had no interest.

Jack Lynch succeeded Lemass after a leadership contest with George Colley.

Hillery retained his post as Minister for Labour in Lynch's cabinet, serving until 1969.

Following a further victory for Fianna Fáil at the 1969 general election, Hillery was appointed Minister for External Affairs (renamed Foreign Affairs in 1971), one of the most prestigious of cabinet posts.

He earned an international profile when, in the aftermath of the killing of fourteen unarmed civilians in Derry, by British paratroopers (known as Bloody Sunday), he travelled to the United Nations to demand UN involvement in peace-keeping on the streets of Northern Ireland.

The trip to the UN achieved very little, other than to draw the attention of the world to the worsening situation in Northern Ireland.

During the whole period Hillery remained one of Jack Lynch's staunchest allies in pursuing peaceful means with regard to the possibility of a civil war breaking out.

Although considered a mild-mannered politician, Hillery showed his mettle at the 1971 Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis when Kevin Boland, an opponent of Lynch's Northern policy, stormed a nearby podium and launched a very public and vocal attack on the Fianna Fáil leadership.

While some of his supporters started chanting "We want Boland", Hillery, who by this stage had grabbed the nearest microphone, shouted down the Boland faction with the line "Ye can have Boland but ye can't have Fianna Fáil."

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.

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.

As well as affairs in Northern Ireland, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hillery also negotiated Irish membership of the European Economic Community (EEC), a process that was completed in 1973.

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.

Together they had a son, John, and a daughter, Vivienne, who died after a long illness in 1987, shortly before her eighteenth birthday.