David Molony (23 August 1950 – 4 September 2002) was an Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

politician who served as both a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

and a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD). Born in

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arch ...

County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...

, he was educated at CBS Thurles, Coláiste na Rinne in Waterford, Copsewood College in Limerick,

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

and the Law School of the Incorporated Law Society. He qualified as a lawyer and in the 1970s he worked with the Free Legal Aid Centres (FLAC), a voluntary group providing free legal aid, eventually became the chairman of FLAC. In 1977 he was elected to the

14th Seanad The 14th Seanad was in office from 1977 to 1981. An election to 43 of the 60 seats in Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) took place in August 1977, following the 1977 general election to the 21st Dáil. The remaini ...

on the

Cultural and Educational Panel Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, attitudes, and habits of the individuals in these gr ...

. At the 1981 general election he was returned to the

22nd Dáil The 22nd Dáil was elected at the 1981 Irish general election, 1981 general election on 11 June 1981 and met on 30 June 1981. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature), of Republic of Ireland, I ...

as a TD for the Tipperary North constituency, where during the selection of candidates he had beaten future TD and Minister

Michael Lowry Michael Lowry may refer to: * Michael Lowry (politician) Michael Lowry (born 13 March 1953) is an Irish independent politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) since 1987, currently for the Tipperary North constituency. He previously se ...

for the Fine Gael nomination. He was re-elected at the February 1982 and November 1982 general elections. He supported the 1986 referendum to amend the

Constitution of Ireland The Constitution of Ireland (, ) is the constitution, fundamental law of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. It guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected non-executi ...

to remove the prohibition on divorce, and was denounced by priests in his constituency. Molony did not contest the 1987 general election, and retired from political office to continue his law practice and to run his family's business in Thurles. However he remained involved in politics and was a director of elections for local Fine Gael candidates at the 2002 general election.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Molony, David 1950 births 2002 deaths Fine Gael TDs Members of the 14th Seanad Members of the 22nd Dáil Members of the 23rd Dáil Members of the 24th Dáil Irish solicitors People from Thurles Alumni of University College Dublin Fine Gael senators Cultural and Educational Panel senators