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Catherine Connolly

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For the Wyoming politician, see Cathy Connolly.

Catherine Connolly
TD
Connolly in 2022
Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 July 2020
Ceann ComhairleSeán Ó Fearghaíl
Preceded byPat "the Cope" Gallagher
Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands
In office
4 April 2016 – 15 September 2020
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byNiamh Smyth
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2016
ConstituencyGalway West
Personal details
Born (1957-07-12) 12 July 1957 (age 67)
Galway, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Labour Party (until 2006)
Spouse
Brian McEnery
​
(m. 1992)​
Children2
Alma mater
Websitecatherineconnolly.ie

Catherine Connolly (born 12 July 1957) is an Irish independent politician who has been serving as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann since July 2020. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since 2016. She previously served as Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands from 2016 to 2020 and Mayor of Galway from 2004 to 2005.[1][2]

Connolly is a patron of the People's Movement.[3]

Galway politics

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Connolly was first elected to Galway City Council in the city west local electoral area in June 1999 and then re-elected in the city south local electoral area in 2004.[4] In the same year she was elected Mayor of Galway.

She resigned from the Labour Party in 2006, when she was denied her wish to run alongside now-President Michael D. Higgins in Galway West.[5] She contested the 2007 general election, polling just over 2,000 votes.[5]

Her sister, Colette, a former Galway City Councillor,[6] was co-opted to replace her on Galway City Council when she was elected a TD.[7]

National politics

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Connolly contested the 2011 general election again in Galway West,[8] where she lost out on the last seat to Fine Gael's Seán Kyne by only 17 votes. She sought a full recount,[9] which concluded after a total of four days of counting but did not change the outcome.[10]

She was elected to the Dáil for the Galway West constituency at the 2016 general election.

She voted for Richard Boyd Barrett for Taoiseach, when the 32nd Dáil first met.[11]

At the 32nd Dáil's second meeting on 5 April 2016, she made her maiden speech in which she criticised the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly's handling of Ireland's homelessness crisis.[12]

Connolly sat on the Public Accounts Committee and was Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands.

Connolly contested the 2020 general election. She was re-elected on the 12th count.[13]

Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann

[edit]

Connolly was elected the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann on 23 July 2020, in a surprise victory over Fine Gael candidate Fergus O'Dowd, and is the first woman to hold the position.[14]

In January 2021, Connolly criticised the Government for their handling of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters). Referring to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as the "three unwise men", she was critical of the Government's failure to provide survivors of mother and baby homes the report before it was released to the general public.[15] Connolly stated: "This document I have to hand is what the report looks like. I hold it up to show survivors because they do not have it. It is the executive summary with the recommendations and one or two other things. Not a single survivor has it. I have it since yesterday, when it was put in the pigeonholes of Deputies."[15]

In June 2023 Connolly appeared alongside Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Mairéad Farrell and George Galloway in a "Neutrality forum" hosted by the organisation "Galway Alliance Against War" where the topic for discussion was the Russo-Ukrainian War.[16]

In May 2024, during the campaigning for the 2024 European Parliament election in Ireland, Connolly endorsed Clare Daly in the Dublin constituency.[17]

Personal life

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Originally from Shantalla, Connolly has lived in the Claddagh since 1988, and is married with two children. A barrister by profession, she also previously worked as a Clinical Psychologist, with the Western Health Board in Ballinasloe, Galway and Connemara. She is a Gaeilgeoir.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Catherine Connolly". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Connolly and Pringle join I4C in April 2016". Oireachtas Éireann/Kildarestreet. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  3. ^ Patrons Archived 6 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine The Peoples Movement, www.people.ie
  4. ^ "Catherine Connolly". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  5. ^ a b Siggins, Lorna. "FF vulnerable while Labour exposed as Higgins bows out" Archived 3 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. 3 February 2011. The Irish Times. "The real threat to Nolan will come from dissident Labourites, principally councillor and barrister Catherine Connolly, who resigned in protest in 2006 when she was denied her wish to run alongside Higgins. Connolly subsequently polled just over 2,000 votes in 2007."
  6. ^ "Galway City – Your Council". Galway City Council. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Colette Connolly – profile on WhoismyTD". Who is my TD?. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Galway West". Election 2011. RTÉ. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Connolly granted full recount in Galway West". RTÉ. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  10. ^ Lorna Siggins (2 March 2011). "FG's Kyne wins final seat in Galway". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach: 10 Mar 2016". Dáil debates. KildareStreet.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Galway TD slams Minister Alan Kelly's arrogance over housing crisis". Connacht Tribune. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  13. ^ "General Election Results 2020 for Galway West". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  14. ^ Thomas, Cónal (23 July 2020). "Independent TD Catherine Connolly elected Leas Cheann Comhairle in shock defeat for Government". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 13 Jan 2021". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  16. ^ Gataveckaite, Gabija (1 June 2023). "Senior Sinn Féin TD and Dáil vice chair Catherine Connolly to take part in neutrality forum with MEPs Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and former MP George Galloway". The Irish Independent.
  17. ^ "Working class people 'carrying burden of guilt for rise in right-wing politics'". Limerick Leader. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Galway can lead the State in voting for change this month". Galway Advertiser. 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
[edit]
Civic offices
Preceded by Mayor of Galway
2004–2005 		Succeeded by
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