Ireland

Timeline: Life and times of TK Whitaker

Taoiseach Jack Lynch and party at Dublin Airport leaving for Italy in 1967. From left: J Dargan, Aer Lingus; Paolo Canali, Italian ambassador; Charles Haughey, minister for finance, Dr T. Whitaker, secretary, Department of Finance. Photograph: Photograph: Jack McManus

Tue Jan 10 2017 - 00:53

1916: Thomas Kenneth Whitaker is born in Rostrevor, Co Down on December 8th

Education: Christian Brothers, Drogheda, Co Louth. BA in Maths, Latin and Celtic studies, and MSc Econ, from University of London

1934: Awarded first place in civil service clerical officer exams

1941: Marries Nora Fogarty, with whom he will have six children

READ MORE

1956: Aged 39, he is appointed secretary of the Department of Finance. He assembles a team to research and draft the document Economic Development, a bold new plan for a more open Irish economy

1958: This becomes the First Programme for Economic Expansion and is published under Whitaker’s name as a White Paper

1965: Helps organise a historic meeting between taoiseach Seán Lemass and prime minister of Northern Ireland Terence O’Neill

1969: Becomes governor of the Central Bank

1976: Begins a 20-year term as chancellor of the National University of Ireland

1977: Nominated to Seanad Eireann

1994: Nora Whitaker dies

2001: Voted “Irishman of the 20th Century” by an RTÉ programme

2005: Marries Mary Moore

2008: Mary Whitaker dies

2016: December 8th – Celebrates 100th birthday

2017: January 9th – Death announced

LATEST STORIES