Enda Kenny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enda Kenny
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Kenny in 2012
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| 13th Taoiseach | |
| In office 9 March 2011 – 14 June 2017 |
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| President | |
| Tánaiste | |
| Preceded by | Brian Cowen |
| Succeeded by | Leo Varadkar |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 6 May 2016 – 14 June 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Simon Coveney |
| Succeeded by | Leo Varadkar |
| Acting 7 May 2014 – 11 July 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Alan Shatter |
| Succeeded by | Simon Coveney |
| Leader of Fine Gael | |
| In office 5 June 2002 – 2 June 2017 |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Michael Noonan |
| Succeeded by | Leo Varadkar |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 5 June 2002 – 9 March 2011 |
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| President | Mary McAleese |
| Taoiseach |
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| Preceded by | Michael Noonan |
| Succeeded by | Micheál Martin |
| Minister for Tourism and Trade | |
| In office 15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997 |
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| Taoiseach | John Bruton |
| Preceded by | Charlie McCreevy |
| Succeeded by | Jim McDaid |
| Minister of State | |
| 1986–1987 | Education |
| 1986–1987 | Labour |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1997 – February 2020 |
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| Constituency | Mayo |
| In office November 1975 – June 1997 |
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| Constituency | Mayo West |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1951 Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse |
Fionnuala O'Kelly
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent | Henry Kenny (father) |
| Education | St Gerald's College, Castlebar |
| Alma mater |
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| Signature |  |
Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former politician. He was the leader of the Fine Gael political party from 2002 to 2017. He also served as Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) from 2011 to 2017.
Kenny led Fine Gael to a big win in the 2011 Irish general election. His party became the largest in Ireland for the first time. They formed a government with the Labour Party. He was the first Fine Gael Taoiseach to be elected for a second time in a row in 2016. He was also the longest-serving Fine Gael Taoiseach.
He stepped down as Fine Gael leader in June 2017. Leo Varadkar took over from him. Kenny then resigned as Taoiseach and Varadkar became the new Taoiseach.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Enda Kenny was born in 1951 in Derrycoosh, near Castlebar, County Mayo. He was the third of five children. His father was Henry Kenny.
He went to St Patrick's National School and St. Gerald's College in Castlebar. He studied at St Patrick's College, Dublin and University College Galway. He became a primary school teacher and taught for four years. He also played Gaelic football for his local club, Islandeady GAA.
Political Career Beginnings (1975–1994)
Enda Kenny grew up around politics. His father, Henry Kenny, was a Fine Gael politician. In 1975, his father passed away. Enda was chosen to run in the election that followed.
He was elected as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Mayo West in 1975. At 24, he was the youngest member of the 20th Dáil. For almost ten years, he focused on local issues in his area.
In 1986, he became a junior minister. He was a Minister of State at the Department of Labour and Department of Education. He was in charge of Youth Affairs. Fine Gael lost the election in 1987. Kenny then spent seven years as part of the opposition.
Minister for Tourism and Trade (1994–1997)
In 1994, a new government was formed. It was a "Rainbow Coalition" of Fine Gael, Labour, and Democratic Left. Kenny became the Minister for Tourism and Trade.
During his time as Minister, tourism in Ireland grew a lot. Ireland's international trade also improved. He helped bring a stage of the 1998 Tour de France cycling race to Ireland. He also helped make the Saint Patrick's Day parade in Dublin more exciting. In 1997, his government lost the election, and he returned to the opposition.
Leader of the Opposition (2002–2011)
Becoming Party Leader
After the 2002 general election, Fine Gael lost many seats. The party's leader, Michael Noonan, resigned. Enda Kenny ran for leader again and won.
Under Kenny's leadership, Fine Gael did well in the 2004 local and European elections. This was the first time Fine Gael had beaten Fianna Fáil in a national election.
Working Towards Government
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In 2004, Fine Gael and the Labour Party agreed to work together. They wanted to form a government after the next election. This agreement was called the Mullingar Accord.
Kenny wanted Fine Gael to be a modern, forward-thinking party. They focused on policies like:
- Better value for money in public services.
- Protecting consumer rights.
- Reforming how public money was spent.
- Improving healthcare.
At a party meeting in March 2007, Kenny shared his plan for Ireland. It included more hospital beds and more Gardaí (police officers). It also promised free health insurance for children under 16.
In the 2007 Irish general election, Fine Gael gained 20 seats. However, they did not win enough seats to form a government. Fianna Fáil stayed in power.
Leading Up to the 2011 Election
In 2010, there was a challenge to Kenny's leadership. Some members of his party felt he should step down. However, Kenny won a vote of confidence and remained leader. He then changed some roles within his team.
For the 2011 Irish general election, Kenny promised no increase in income tax. He said Ireland needed a strong government. He did not want a government that relied on independent politicians.
He took part in several TV debates with other party leaders. He also met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss Ireland's economy. Both Fine Gael and Merkel's party are part of the same European political group.
Opinion polls before the election suggested Kenny would lead Fine Gael to a big victory. This proved true. Fine Gael won 76 seats, their highest ever. This made them the largest party in the Dáil. Fianna Fáil had their worst election result.
Kenny called it a "democratic revolution." Fine Gael and the Labour Party agreed to form a coalition government. Kenny became Taoiseach, and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore became Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister). Kenny said his first goal was to change the terms of Ireland's financial bailout.
Taoiseach (2011–2017)
First Term (2011–2016)
On 9 March 2011, Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach. He received 117 votes to 27. He then received his official seal from President Mary McAleese. He was almost 60 years old when he became Taoiseach.
One of his first actions was to cut his own pay by 7%. He also reduced the pay of other ministers. This was part of a plan to save money.
Financial Policies
Kenny attended his first European Council meeting in Brussels. He strongly defended Ireland's low 12.5% company tax rate. Some EU leaders wanted Ireland to change this rate. Kenny refused to do so.
In July 2011, Kenny announced good news. Eurozone leaders agreed to lower Ireland's interest rate on its bailout loan. They also extended the repayment time.
Political Changes
In May 2011, Kenny's government approved political reforms. These included:
- Reducing the number of TDs (parliament members).
- Setting a time limit for holding by-elections.
- Limiting spending in presidential elections.
- Planning a public vote on whether to keep the Seanad (Ireland's upper house of parliament).
In December 2011, Kenny gave a televised speech to the nation. He warned that the 2012 budget would be "tough." He said it was needed to get Ireland's finances back on track. This was only the sixth time a Taoiseach had addressed the nation in this way.
Time Magazine Cover
In October 2012, Kenny was featured on the cover of Time magazine. The article was called "The Celtic Comeback." It praised Kenny's work as Taoiseach. It said he was "underestimated" by the Irish public.
Magdalene Laundries Apology
In February 2013, Kenny apologised in Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament). He apologised on behalf of the State to the survivors of the Magdalene laundries. These were institutions where women and girls were forced to work. The government also promised a compensation plan for the survivors.
End of Bailout
In December 2013, Kenny gave another national address. This was to mark the end of Ireland's financial bailout. He said the country was moving in the right direction. He also said the economy was starting to get better.
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Second Term (2016–2017)
On 3 February 2016, Kenny announced a general election for 26 February. Fine Gael won 50 seats, not enough for a majority. After two months of talks, an agreement was reached with Fianna Fáil. This allowed a Fine Gael-led minority government to be formed.
On 6 May 2016, Kenny was elected Taoiseach again. He became the first Fine Gael leader to be re-elected as Taoiseach. He also took on the role of Minister for Defence.
Brexit and Northern Ireland
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Kenny spoke about the Brexit vote. He said Britain leaving the European Union would cause "serious difficulty" for peace in Northern Ireland. He wanted Britain to stay in the EU.
In January 2017, Kenny met with British Prime Minister Theresa May. They discussed how Brexit would affect Northern Ireland and Ireland.
St. Patrick's Day Speech in the US
In March 2017, Kenny gave a speech in front of US President Donald Trump. This was during a St. Patrick's Day event. Kenny spoke about the importance of immigrants. He said Saint Patrick himself was an immigrant.
His speech was widely shared online. Many people saw it as a subtle criticism of Trump's policies on immigration. Kenny said, "Four decades before Lady Liberty lifted her lamp, we were the wretched refuse on the teeming shore. We believed in the shelter of America, in the compassion of America, in the opportunity of America. We came and became Americans." A video of his speech got over 30 million views in two days.
United Ireland Clause
During the Brexit talks in 2017, Enda Kenny pushed for a special clause. This clause stated that if Northern Ireland ever voted to unite with Ireland, it would automatically rejoin the European Union. This was a very important achievement for Kenny. It showed his strong commitment to Ireland's future.
Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence
Enda Kenny played a key role in making the world's largest sports air dome possible. This dome is located near Knock, County Mayo. He suggested building an air dome, similar to one at his local tennis club.
The dome is 26 meters high, 150 meters long, and 100 meters wide. It cost €3.1 million to build. It can host sports events and also concerts for up to 10,000 people. It is a major facility for the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
Retirement from Leadership
On 17 May 2017, Kenny announced he would step down as Fine Gael leader. He asked the party to choose his successor by 2 June. Leo Varadkar was elected the new leader.
On 13 June 2017, Kenny officially resigned as Taoiseach. The next day, he nominated Varadkar to take his place. Kenny gave a farewell speech to the Dáil. He quoted US President Theodore Roosevelt: "Far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is a chance to work hard at work worth doing." He then submitted his resignation to President Michael D. Higgins.
After Being Taoiseach (2017–2020)
After stepping down, Kenny continued to serve as a TD for Mayo until 2020. In June 2018, he was named 'Irish European of the Year'. This was for his work in promoting Ireland's place in Europe during challenging times like Brexit.
Post-Political Activities
Iarnród Enda (2021)
In 2021, Enda Kenny presented a six-part TV series called Iarnród Enda. It was about old Irish railway routes. The show was in the Irish language and aired on RTÉ One.
Other Work
Since leaving politics, Kenny has joined several company boards. In 2019, he became chairman of the global advisory board for Venturewave Capital. In 2021, he joined the board of Heneghan Strategic Communications, a public relations company. He also joined the board of Carbon Collect, a company that makes "mechanical trees" to capture carbon.
Personal Life
Enda Kenny married Fionnuala O'Kelly in 1992. She worked as a press officer for another political party and later for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). They have three children: Aoibhinn, Ferdia, and Naoise. Fionnuala is a cousin of Seán Kelly, a Fine Gael politician and former president of the GAA.
Kenny enjoys outdoor activities. He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and completed the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle. He is a big fan of his home county's Mayo GAA football team. He played Gaelic football for his local club, Islandeady GAA, where he is now the club president. His father, Henry, won an All-Ireland medal with the Mayo team in 1936.
In February 2023, it was announced that Kenny had been diagnosed with cancer. He underwent treatment and was expected to make a full recovery.
See also
- Families in the Oireachtas
