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Thomas Walsh (Irish politician)

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Thomas Walsh
Minister for Agriculture
In office
13 June 1951 – 2 June 1954
TaoiseachÉamon de Valera
Preceded byJames Dillon
Succeeded byJames Dillon
Teachta Dála
In office
February 1948 – 14 July 1956
ConstituencyCarlow–Kilkenny
Senator
In office
8 September 1943 – 18 August 1944
ConstituencyAgricultural Panel
Personal details
Born(1901-12-08)8 December 1901
Kilkenny, Ireland
Died14 August 1956(1956-08-14) (aged 54)
County Kilkenny, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Mary Lyster
​
(m. 1922)​
Children3
Education
Alma mater

Thomas Walsh (8 December 1901 – 14 July 1956) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Agriculture from 1951 to 1954. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency from 1948 to 1956. He also served as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1943 to 1944.[1]

He was born in Gowran, County Kilkenny, one of two sons and one daughter of James Walsh, a farmer, and Catherine Walsh (née Byrne). After early education at Patrician Brothers College, Mountrath, and Rockwell College, Cashel, County Tipperary, he attended Mountbellew Agricultural College, County Galway, on scholarship. In 1921 he was among the first students enrolled in the newly opened Pallaskenry Agricultural College, Pallaskenry, County Limerick. Raids on the college by the Black and Tans aroused in him strong nationalist sentiments.[2]

Walsh first stood for election at the 1943 general election for the Kilkenny constituency but was not successful.[3] He was subsequently elected to Seanad Éireann as a senator for the Agricultural Panel and served until 1944. He was again an unsuccessful candidate at the 1944 general election but was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1948 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency.[1]

In 1951, he joined the cabinet of Éamon de Valera as Minister for Agriculture. Walsh died suddenly in 1956 in a road traffic accident, while still a member of the Dáil.[2] The subsequent by-election was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Martin Medlar.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Thomas Walsh". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b White, Lawrence William. "Walsh, Thomas". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Thomas Walsh". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture
1951–1954 		Succeeded by
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