Joseph Blowick (13 March 1903 – 12 August 1970) was an Irish

Clann na Talmhan Clann na Talmhan (, "Family/Children of the land"; formally known as the ''National Agricultural Party'') was an Irish agrarian political party active between 1939 and 1965. Formation and growth Clann na Talmhan was founded on 29 June 1939 in ...

politician who served as Minister for Lands from 1948 to 1951 and 1954 to 1957 and Leader of Clann na Talmhan from 1944 to 1965. He served as 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) for the Mayo South constituency from 1943 to 1965.

Family

Blowick was born in

Belcarra, County Mayo Belcarra () is a village in County Mayo, Ireland about south-east of the county town of Castlebar. There are a number of shops in the village, including one general store, two bars (one open, one currently for sale), a hardware store and a butc ...

, on 13 March 1903, the son of John Blowick (a farmer) and Honoria "Norah" (née Madden) Blowick. He had two sisters, and four brothers, three of whom became priests: Stephen Blowick,

John Blowick Rev John Blowick (1888–1972) was an Irish missionary priest and theologian. He was one of the founders of the Maynooth Mission to China which was later known as the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Life John Blowick was born 26 October 188 ...

and Peter Blowick. He attended the local national school and later worked on his father's large farm, going on to inherit it, as his other brothers were all in

Holy orders In certain Christian denominations, holy orders are the ordination, ordained ministries of bishop, priest (presbyter), and deacon, and the sacrament or rite by which candidates are ordained to those orders. Churches recognizing these orders inclu ...

. In January 1956, aged 53, Blowick married nineteen-year-old Teresa O'Malley of Castleburke, County Mayo. They had four sons and three daughters.

Political career

Blowock's first political office was as a member of

Mayo County Council Mayo County Council () is the local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housin ...

. He was first elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

in 1943 as a

TD for Mayo South, one of ten seats the party took across the state and one of the two seats in County Mayo. He succeeded Michael Donnellan as leader of the party in 1944. The party's representation dropped to seven seats after the 1948 general election but it was strong enough to be part of a coalition arrangement and Blowick was appointed to the Cabinet in the two Inter-Party governments (1948–1951, 1954–1957), serving under

John A. Costello John Aloysius Costello (20 June 1891 – 5 January 1976) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957. He was leader of the opposition from 1951 to 1954 and from 1957 to 1959 and attorney gene ...

as Minister for Lands on both occasions. Blowick was re-elected to the Dáil at every election until 1965 when he retired from politics. He died on 12 August 1970 in a Dublin hospital, leaving an estate valued at £9,771.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blowick, Joseph 1903 births 1970 deaths Clann na Talmhan TDs Members of the 11th Dáil Members of the 12th Dáil Members of the 13th Dáil Members of the 14th Dáil Members of the 15th Dáil Members of the 16th Dáil Members of the 17th Dáil 20th-century Irish farmers Presidential appointees to the Council of State (Ireland)