Kevin Boland
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Kevin Boland (left) pictured with the legendary commander of the IRA, Tom Barry, at the Crossbarry commemoration in 1973. |
Kevin Boland (
Irish:
CaoimhĂn Ă" Beolláin) (
15 October,
1917 –
23 September 2001), was a senior
Irish politician. He was first elected to
Dáil Éireann in 1957 as a
Fianna Fáil TD. He served as
Minister for Defence (1957-1961),
Minister for Social Welfare (1961-1965) and
Minister for Local Government (1965-1970). He holds the distinction of being one of only five TDs to be
appointed Minister on their first day in the Dáil.
Born in
Dublin in 1917, Kevin Boland was the son of
Gerald Boland, a founder-member of
Fianna Fáil. Despite this, the young Boland failed to get elected to
Dáil Éireann on his first two attempts, standing in the
Dublin County constituency at the
1951 general election and again at the
1954 election. It was third time lucky at the
1957 general election, when he was not only elected to the
16th Dáil but was appointed to the
cabinet as
Minister for Defence on his very first day in the Dáil. This was due to the retirement of his father who had served in every
Fianna Fáil government since
1932.
The Defence portfolio was not the most politically demanding at the time, so Boland made only a small impact. As a minister he proudly displayed a
fáinne (gold ring) on the lapel of his jacket, which indicated that he was able and willing to speak the
Irish language. He frequently conducted his governmental business through the national language, although his command of it was poor. In
1961 he was moved from Defence to the Department of Social Welfare. He remained there until the retirement in
1966 of the
Taoiseach,
Seán Lemass, when Fianna Fáil faced the
first leadership contest in its history.
The leadership race immediately erupted as a two-hose battle between
Charles Haughey and
George Colley. Both of these men epitomised the new kind of professional politician of the
1960s. Things changed when
Neil Blaney indicated his interest in running. Boland supported him in his campaign, as both men hailed from the
nationalist wing of the party. There was talk at one point of Boland himself entering the leadership race. In the end
Jack Lynch was settled on as a compromise, and he became the new
Taoiseach. Boland was made Minister for Local Government in the new cabinet.
In
1970 events in
Northern Ireland caused political chaos over the border in the
Republic of Ireland. It was the start of "the
troubles" in Northern Ireland and Fianna Fáil's policy with regard to the North was coming into question. One crisis meeting was held after another, in which decisive action was needed. The "hawks" in the cabinet urged a symbolic invasion of Northern Ireland to protect nationalists near the border, and to draw international attention, while the "doves", who ultimately prevailed, urged caution. The cabinet meetings were heated events. On one occasion Boland was alleged to have been so angry that he resigned, not only his cabinet position, but also his Dáil seat and went home to his farm in
County Dublin to make hay. The resignations were rejected by the Taoiseach after a calming down period. In what became known as the "
Arms Crisis" two Ministers,
Charles Haughey and
Neil Blaney were sacked from the government for gun-running for the
Provisional IRA in May of 1970. Boland resigned in solidarity with them and in protest to the government's position on the North. Later that year his criticism of the
Taoiseach,
Jack Lynch, led to his expulsion from the Fianna Fáil party.
One of Boland's most famous incidents took place at the
Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis (party conference) in
1971. Just before
Jack Lynch's speech Boland stormed a nearby podium, interrupting
Dr. Patrick Hillery in the middle of his speech. Boland openly defied the party leadership and his opponents, holding his arms wide open and shouting to the crowd, "Come on up and put me down." While there was a lot of booing and clapping in an effort to drown him out, many of his supporters started cheering and chanting "We want Boland." At this point an enraged Patrick Hillery grabbed his microphone and famously replied, "If you want a fight you can have it…You can have Boland, but you can't have Fianna Fáil." At this point the government supporters went ecstatic with cheering and Boland was carried out of the hall.
After this episode Boland founded his own political party,
Aontacht Éireann (Unity of Ireland). It won very little support and was soon abandoned. Boland himself failed to be elected to the Dáil in
1973, which effectively ended his political career. He continued to remain an outspoken critic of the Republic's Northern Ireland policy, particularly the
Sunningdale Agreement. He made one last attempt to reclaim a Dáil seat, standing unsuccessfully in the
Dublin South West constituency at
1981 general election. He then retired from public life completely.
Kevin Boland died in Dublin on
September 23,
2001.
*
Families in the Oireachtas*
Arms Crisis*
Kevin Boland's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)
