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Roddy Connolly




Connolly joined the Irish Labour Party in 1928 and in 1934 participated in the last socialist initiative of Inter-War Ireland, the Irish Republican Congress. Imprisoned twice in 1935. In 1943, Connolly was elected to the Dail as a Labour TD for Louth. He lost his seat in 1944, but was re-elected in 1948, before losing once more in 1951. Connolly was also Financial Secretary of the party between 1941-49.

Connolly entered something of a semi-retirement between the mid-1950s--mid-1960s, but in the late 1960s, he began a comeback. He was elected as party chairman in 1971 and held this position until 1978. Connolly also sat in the Irish Senate between 1975-77. He was a strong supporter of the Labour/Fine Gael coalition government that was in power between 1973-77. Connolly died in St Michael's hospital, Dun Laoighre, in December 1980. He had both pneumonia and a stomach cancer. Connolly is buried in Glasnevin Cemetry, Dublin.