LI-BFHO-0352

Record Date: 
28 April 2022
Graveyard: 
St. John the Baptist
Exact wording of epitaph: 

A M D G

THOMAS  G  ( TOM )  O'DONNELL

Ballysheedy, County Limerick

30th Aug 1926  -  8th Oct 2020

Teachta Dala 1961-1987

Minister for The Gaeltacht 1973 - 1977

Member Of The  European Parliament 1979 - 1989

Go nDeanna Dia Trocaire ar a Anam Dilis

O' D O N N E L L

Memorial Type: 
Headstone
Grave location
County: 
Limerick
Latitude: 
52.476055555556
Longitude: 
-8.4328888888889
Additional details
Inscription legible: 
Yes
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Name: 
Thomas G ( Tom )
Surname: 
O'Donnell
Date of birth - day: 
30
Date of birth - month: 
August
Date of birth - year: 
1926
Date of death - day: 
8
Date of death - month: 
October
Date of death - year: 
2020
Age: 
94
Address: 
Ballysheedy, County Limerick
Notes: 

The death has taken place of former Fine Gael TD, Minister and MEP Tom O’Donnell (94). He is survived by his wife Helen, nee O’Connor, son Thomas, brothers Frank, PJ and sisters Bernadette Boner and Millie Boyle, nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his sister Alicia and brothers Mark and Martin.

The eldest of eight children of Patrick and Josephine O’Donnell, ( nee ) O’Connell and a native of Bulgaden, Kilmallock and later Cappamore and Dromin, Tom O’Donnell died suddenly and peacefully on the 8th Oct 2020 at his residence at Ballysheedy West, Co. Limerick.

His mother, Josephine O’Connell, came from a strong republican family of Caherconlish, Co. Limerick; her brother Dick O’Connell was Commandant of the Mid-Limerick Flying Column in the war of Independence and was a Cumann na nGaedhael TD for Limerick from 1924-1932.

He was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1961 for Fine Gael and remained a full-time public representative until his retirement in 1989, having been elected in eight General Elections and two European Elections.

He was promoted to the Fine Gael front bench as Transport, Power and Tourism Spokesman following the 1969 General Election, when he became the first Fine Gael candidate to head the poll since the establishment of the Limerick East constituency. He was appointed Minister for the Gaeltacht following the 1973 General Election by then Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave T.D.

He was elected a Member of the European Parliament for Munster in 1979 and retained his seat in the 1984 election with a substantially increased vote. Prior to that, under the dual mandate system, he had been recalled to the front bench in Dáil Éireann by Garret Fitzgerald in 1980 and was selected as a candidate for the 1981 General Election, heading the poll with a sufficient surplus to help elect Michael Noonan, thereby giving Fine Gael two seats for the first time ever in a General Election in the East Limerick Constituency.   He was re-elected in the two snap elections of 1982.

He retired ahead of the 1989 European General Election, bringing an end to a sterling political career across three decades.

He was married to Helen O’Connor in 1984, a moment he described as the most important and happiest event in his life.