Gerard Craughwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerard Craughwell
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Craughwell in 2020
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| Senator | |
| Assumed office 8 June 2016 |
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| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| In office 10 October 2014 – 8 June 2016 |
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| Constituency | Cultural and Educational Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 November 1953 Galway, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Helen Craughwell
(m. 1978) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Limerick Senior College |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |
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| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit |
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Gerard Patrick Craughwell (born 22 November 1953) is an independent politician from Ireland. He is a Senator, which means he is a member of the upper house of the Irish parliament. He has served as a Senator for the Labour Panel since April 2016. Before that, he was a Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel from 2014 to 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Gerard Craughwell was born in Galway, Ireland, and grew up in a place called Salthill. When he was 16, he moved to London in the United Kingdom. He worked in a pub for a while before joining the British Army. He was part of a group called the Royal Irish Rangers.
After five years, he returned to Ireland. He then joined the Irish Army and served in the first infantry battalion. He became a sergeant before leaving the army in 1980.
From Business to Teaching
After his time in the army, Mr. Craughwell took over his father's business, which fixed gas appliances. However, the business did not succeed.
When he was 35, he decided to go back to school. He studied at Limerick Senior College and earned a degree in economics. In 1995, he started teaching at Dún Laoghaire Senior College and later became an assistant principal. He also became involved with the Teachers' Union of Ireland, a group that supports teachers. He was even the president of this union from 2012 to 2014.
Mr. Craughwell is married and has two children. He used to be a member of a political party called Fine Gael, but he is now an independent politician.
Political Journey
Gerard Craughwell first became a Senator in 2014. There was a special election for a spot on the Cultural and Educational Panel. He won this election on 10 October 2014.
Joining Political Groups
After becoming a Senator, Mr. Craughwell tried to join an independent group of Senators, but they did not accept him. He later joined another group called the Independent Alliance. However, he left this group in 2016 during talks about forming the government.
Key Issues and Campaigns
As a Senator, Mr. Craughwell has spoken about different topics. For example, he talked about the HPV vaccine in the Seanad. He later clarified that he was not against vaccines.
In 2018, he considered running for President of Ireland but decided not to. He felt that the main political parties were making it difficult for other candidates to run.
In 2021, Mr. Craughwell and other retired members of the Irish Defence Forces took a case to the Irish High Court. They were seeking justice for Irish troops who served during the Siege of Jadotville in the Congo. These soldiers had bravely defended their position but were not properly recognized for a long time. The veterans later received an apology from the State, and a review board was set up to award medals.
In August 2023, Senator Craughwell shared his views on the Gender Recognition Act 2015. He believes that gender is not separate from biological sex.
Gerard Craughwell was re-elected as a Senator in the 2020 and 2025 elections.
