Patrick Kennedy (Limerick politician) facts for kids

Patrick Kennedy (born November 23, 1941 – died January 21, 2020) was an important person from Limerick city in Ireland. He was a barrister (a type of lawyer) and a Fine Gael politician. Fine Gael is one of the main political parties in Ireland. Patrick Kennedy worked hard for his community and his country for many years.

Patrick Kennedy's Life and Work

Patrick Kennedy was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1941. He passed away in 2020. Throughout his life, he had several important jobs. He was a lawyer, a teacher, and a politician. He was known for his dedication to public service.

Serving Limerick City

Patrick Kennedy started his political career in his hometown. In 1967, at the age of 29, he was first elected to the Limerick City Council. This council helps make decisions for the city. When he was elected, he also became an Alderman, which is a senior member of the council.

He was re-elected many times over the years. He served on the city council until 2014. Patrick Kennedy also held the important role of Mayor of Limerick twice. He was Mayor from 1974 to 1975 and again from 1985 to 1986. The Mayor is the leader of the city council.

Around the year 2000, he left the Fine Gael party for a while. He ran for the city council as an Independent candidate in 2004 and 2009. This means he didn't belong to any political party at that time. Later, in September 2009, he re-joined the Fine Gael party.

Working in National Politics

Patrick Kennedy also tried to become a member of Dáil Éireann. This is the main parliament in Ireland, where laws are made. He ran as a Fine Gael candidate for the Limerick East area several times in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, but he was not elected. He also ran as an independent candidate in 2002.

He was more successful in the Seanad Éireann, which is like a second house of parliament in Ireland. In 1981, he was elected to the Seanad. He served there until 1982. He was elected again in 1983 and held his seat until 1993. He tried to get elected to the Seanad again in 1997 but was not successful.

Other Contributions

Besides his political work, Patrick Kennedy also worked as a school teacher. He taught at the Christian Brothers School (CBS) in Limerick.

In 2015, Patrick Kennedy also became an author. He wrote two biographies. One book was about a Chief Justice named Hugh Kennedy, who was not related to him. The other book was about Liam Cosgrave, who was a former leader of Fine Gael and a Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland. He also planned to write more books, including one about Irish barristers who died in World War I.

Patrick Kennedy passed away in Limerick in January 2020 after a short illness. He is buried in Mount Saint Oliver's Cemetery in Limerick.