Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke | |
---|---|
Leader of the Seanad | |
In office 1 September 2002 – 25 July 2007 | |
Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Donie Cassidy |
Succeeded by | Donie Cassidy |
Leader of Fianna Fáil in the Seanad | |
In office 1 September 2002 – 25 July 2007 | |
Leader | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Donie Cassidy |
Succeeded by | Donie Cassidy |
Deputy leader of Fianna Fáil | |
In office 20 November 1994 – 7 July 2002 | |
Leader | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Bertie Ahern |
Succeeded by | Brian Cowen |
Minister for Public Enterprise | |
In office 26 June 1997 – 6 June 2002 | |
Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Alan Dukes (Transport, Energy and Communications) |
Succeeded by | Séamus Brennan (Transport) |
Minister for Health | |
In office 12 July 1991 – 11 February 1992 | |
Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
Preceded by | Rory O'Hanlon |
Succeeded by | John O'Connell |
Minister for Education | |
In office 10 March 1987 – 11 February 1991 | |
Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
Preceded by | Patrick Cooney |
Succeeded by | Noel Davern |
Minister of State | |
1993–1994 | Enterprise and Employment |
1992–1993 | Industry and Commerce |
Teachta Dála | |
In office May 2007 – February 2011 | |
In office November 1982 – November 1992 | |
Constituency | Longford–Westmeath |
In office November 1992 – June 2002 | |
Constituency | Westmeath |
Senator | |
In office 12 September 2002 – 14 May 2007 | |
Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
In office 16 October 1981 – 22 November 1982 | |
Constituency | Cultural and Educational Panel |
Personal details | |
Born | Mary Lenihan 31 May 1937 Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Spouse |
Enda O'Rourke
(m. 1962; died 2001) |
Children | 2, including St Patrick's College, Maynooth |
Mary O'Rourke (
Early life
She was born in
Political career
O'Rourke began her political career in local politics, serving on
In 1987, she was appointed Minister for Education by Charles Haughey. O'Rourke and her brother, Brian Lenihan, became the first brother and sister in Irish history to serve in the same cabinet. In the November 1991 cabinet reshuffle, O'Rourke became Minister for Health. In February 1992, Charles Haughey resigned as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. O'Rourke contested the subsequent leadership election along with Michael Woods and Albert Reynolds. Reynolds defeated the other two contenders and O'Rourke was subsequently dropped from her ministerial position, but was appointed to a junior ministry as Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce with responsibility for Trade and Marketing. In January 1993, she was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment with responsibility for Labour Affairs, serving until the fall of the Reynolds government in December 1994.
In 1994,
In January 2006, O'Rourke received the party nomination to stand at the 2007 general election. She narrowly defeated her nearest rival and Dáil election running mate, Kevin "Boxer" Moran of Athlone Town Council, causing a controversy when she thanked her election team for working "like blacks."[3] In May 2007, she was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2007 general election, with her highest ever vote.
In November 2008, during a march against the re-introduction of college fees, students from the Athlone Institute of Technology laid a funeral wreath at the door of O'Rourke's constituency office. The card in the wreath stated "Sincere sympathies on the death of free fees. We will remember this." O'Rourke described the act as "heinous". The wreath was placed there because O'Rourke was not speaking at a rally against the fees.[4]
In July 2010, O'Rourke conceded that she did not expect the party to be in power after the
O'Rourke in November 2010 said there was then more to unite her party and Fine Gael than to divide them. She pointed to the common approach of the two parties to Northern Ireland, Europe and the current financial crisis. In an address to the 1916–1921 Club in Dublin Castle last night, she said that most voters no longer defined themselves in terms of Civil War politics. Having pointed to the shared values of the two parties on a number of issues, she said the last issue she wanted to mention was the "dreaded b" word.[6]
Her senior years led her to often being referred to as the "Mammy of the Dáil".[7][8][9]
She contested the 2011 general election, but was defeated on the poll.[7] O'Rourke has criticised former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, saying that he should have resigned after his infamous "congested" radio interview.[10] She supported the attack on Cowen by her nephew, former Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, who said he was "disappointed" by Cowen's performance and he had to provide the leadership when the Taoiseach did not.[10]
In retirement, she received a lump sum of €237,000 and an annual pension of €97,000.[11]
Other activities
As well as being a well-known politician, O'Rourke makes regular appearances in the media in a non-political capacity. She has been a contestant on RTÉ's reality series Celebrity Bainisteoir, as well as other shows such as Sex & Sensibility.[12] She has guest presented Tonight with Vincent Browne.
In 2012, Just Mary: My Memoir was published. It won the 2012
Family
O'Rourke comes from a strong political family, her father
O'Rourke was widowed in January 2001, following the death of her husband, Enda. She has two sons. One of them, Aengus O'Rourke (her adopted son), ran for Athlone Town Council in 2009.
See also
References
- ^ "Mary O'Rourke". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
- ^ "Mary O'Rourke". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
- ^ "O'Rourke Sparks Row Over 'Blacks' Remark". Irish Independent. 9 January 2006. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
- ^ "O'Rourke lashes out as students leave wreath at her door". Sunday Tribune. 9 November 2008. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010.
- ^ "O'Rourke: Expects Fianna Fáil to lose power". RTÉ News. 6 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ "Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael share many values now - O'Rourke". The Irish Times. 13 November 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Lenihan, face of Irish crisis, survives election". Reuters. 26 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ a b "O'Rourke enlists help from the 'Mammy'". Irish Independent. 1 June 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
- ^ "'Mammy' O'Rourke surrenders pension without a fight". Sunday Independent. 26 April 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
- ^ a b "O'Rourke joins attack on Cowen". Sunday Independent. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ "Outgoing TDs pensions" (PDF). The Irish Times. 5 March 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
- ^ "'Sex and Sensibility' begins on RTÉ". Irish Film & Television Network. 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
- ^ Boland, Rosita (23 November 2012). "Banville wins novel of year at awards". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ Murphy, Cormac (23 November 2012). "'Mammy' Mary enjoys literary success and picks up gong". Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "New leader at PwC". PriceWaterHouseCoopers Ireland. July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
- ^ "Man Making Ireland Tax Avoidance Hub Proves Local Hero". Bloomberg News. 28 October 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Controversial tax strategies brainchild of O'Rourke's son". Irish Independent. 3 November 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Scion of a prominent political dynasty who gave his vote to accountancy". Irish Times. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.