Politics

Member of Fianna Fáil ‘gang of five’ Jackie Fahey dies aged 91

Former TD and Haughey loyalist represented both Tipperary South and Waterford

Former Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Fahey, who has died aged 91. Photograph: Irish Examiner

Conor Kane
Mon Mar 18 2019 - 12:45

The death has taken place of former Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Fahey, who held a Dáil seat for the party in two different constituencies.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin led tributes to the 91-year-old native of Clonmel in Co Tipperary, saying he "lived a life of public service" and represented the people at both a local and national level.

“He served with great commitment and diligence through many turbulent times,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Fahey died early on Monday.

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Educated at the CBS in Clonmel, he went into politics at the age of 21 when he was elected to Waterford County Council.

He served with great commitment and diligence through many turbulent times

He was elected to the Dáil at the 1965 general election for the Tipperary South constituency and moved to the Waterford constituency in 1977, holding a seat there until 1990.

He also sat on Waterford County Council for a total of 45 years.

‘Testament’

“This record alone is testament to the work he undertook across the community, and the respect in which he was held by the people,” Mr Martin said.

“He served with great commitment and diligence through many turbulent times.”

Mr Fahey was one of the famous "gang of five" who planned in the late 1970s to depose Jack Lynch as Fianna Fáil leader in favour of Charlie Haughey, along with Albert Reynolds, Tom McEllistrim, Mark Killilea, and Seán Doherty.

Following Mr Haughey’s election as taoiseach, he appointed Mr Fahey as minister of state at the department of the environment, a post the Waterford TD held from 1979 to 1981.

Mr Fahey lost the party whip when he voted against the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition in 1989 but regained it the following year, but lost his Dáil seat at the 1992 general election.

He remained involved in local politics until 1999.

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