Galway politics has had three Frank Fahys. There is the Fianna Fáil TD Frank Fahey, the Fine Gael candidate Frank Fahy in last year’s local elections, and an important but often overlooked Frank Fahy who was a TD for almost 35 years.
It is this latter Frank Fahy who will be the subject of a public lecture in Oranmore next week. The Family History of Frank Fahy TD - First Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann will be given by Áine Kelly in the Oranmore Lodge Hotel on Wednesday March 10 at 8.15pm. The meeting is organise by The Western Family History Association.
Francis Patrick (Frank ) Fahy was born in Kilchreest, Co Galway on January 12 1880. He later studied at University College Galway and from 1906 to 1921 taught Latin, Irish and Science at Castleknock College (St Vincent’s College ), Dublin.
He was first elected as the Sinn Féin MP for South Galway in 1918 but refused to take his seat in Westminster, instead opting for the new Dáil Éireann which met in the Mansion House in Dublin in 1919. He was returned as TD for Galway in 1921 but again did not take his seat owing to his opposition to the Treaty.
He joined Fianna Fáil in 1926 and took his seat in the 5th Dáil on August 12 1927. When Fianna Fáil won the 1932 General Election, Mr Fahy was appointed Ceann Comhairle and served in that post for the next 19 years - the longest serving Ceann Comhairle in the history of the State.
