Michael Fitzpatrick (12 October 1942 – 14 October 2011) was an Irish

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

politician. He was elected as

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 Kildare North constituency at the 2007 general election, and served until 2011. He was a member of

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

for the

Clane Clane (; ) is a town in County Kildare, Ireland, from Dublin. With a population of 8,152 in 2022, it is the ninth largest town in Kildare and the 66th largest in Ireland. The town is on the River Liffey. Clane gives its name to the associate ...

electoral area from 1999 to 2007. He was a member of the ' from 1961 to 1972. He was the constituency manager in Kildare for former Minister for Finance and European Commissioner

Charlie McCreevy Charles McCreevy (born 30 September 1949) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004 to 2010, Minister for Finance from 1997 to 2004, Minister for Tourism and Trad ...

from 1992 to 2007. He also was a Kildare mayor. In 2010, he was diagnosed with

motor neurone disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...

. In an interview with ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'' on 12 March 2010, he said he intended to keep working as a TD. Fitzpatrick said he had "compared notes" with Brian Lenihan. "We are both on a journey. We talk and chat to one another about our illnesses". He gave a presentation on his condition to the Irish Motor Neurone Research Foundation. He lost his seat at the February 2011 general election and died that October. Fianna Fáil cancelled its Wolfe Tone commemoration at Bodenstown, County Kildare as a mark of respect. His funeral was in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Allenwood, County Kildare.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzpatrick, Michael 1942 births 2011 deaths Deaths from motor neuron disease Neurological disease deaths in the Republic of Ireland Fianna Fáil TDs Garda Síochána officers Irish auctioneers Members of Kildare County Council Mayors of places in the Republic of Ireland Members of the 30th Dáil Politicians from County Cavan People from Cootehill Police officers from County Kildare Police officers from County Cavan