Ted Russell (Irish politician) explained

Office:Senator
Term Start:5 November 1969
Term End:27 October 1977
Constituency:Industrial and Commercial Panel
Office1:Teachta Dála
Term Start1:March 1957
Term End1:October 1961
Constituency1:Limerick East
Birth Name:George Edward Russell
Birth Date:9 April 1912
Birth Place:Limerick, Ireland
Death Place:Limerick, Ireland
Children:4

George Edward Russell (9 April 1912 – 28 November 2004) was an Irish politician and company director.[1]

Early life

He was born 9 April 1912 in the family home at 4 Moyola Terrace, Limerick, the eldest of two sons and a daughter of Matthew John Russell and his wife Mary (née Rohan). His grandfather George established a bakery in Limerick in 1870 and represented Irishtown ward on Limerick City Council. His father continued the business and in the 1920s acquired control of Dan O'Connor Ltd, a corn and provisions merchant founded in 1848 by Ted's granduncle.[2]

Russell was educated first at Crescent College in Limerick, and for a short time Mount St Benedict's near Gorey; and at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.[3]

From 1930 he played rugby for Bohemians RFC as a second‑row forward, being captain for two seasons (1935–1937), and maintained a lifelong association with Bohemians, serving as club president in 1967–1968. He was selected for Munster Rugby during 1936–1938. In 1938 he had a final trial for Ireland and might have achieved international honours but for the outbreak of World War II, though he believed that he was too lightweight.[2]

Politics

Russell first stood for election as a Clann na Poblachta candidate at the 1948 general election but was not elected. He was also an unsuccessful candidate at the 1951 general election and the 1952 Limerick East by-election. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as an Independent Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick East constituency at the 1957 general election.[4] He lost his seat at the 1961 general election.[5] He was elected to the 12th Seanad in 1969 on the Industrial and Commercial Panel and was re-elected to the 13th Seanad in 1973. He was defeated at the 1977 Seanad election. He unsuccessfully contested the 1965 general election as a Fine Gael candidate.[5]

He was a longtime member of Limerick Corporation, elected first as an independent (1942) and later as a member of Gluais Linn (1945), Clann na Poblachta (1950, 1955), and Fine Gael (1960, 1967, 1974, 1979).[6] He served as Mayor of Limerick on five occasions (1954–1957, 1967–1968 and 1976–1977). He was made a Freeman of the city in 1995.[7] and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick in 2002.[8]

He was the President of the Limerick Chamber from 1948 to 1950.[9]

Later life

Russell was active in the campaign for the establishment of a university in Limerick, which led to the establishment of the National Institute for Higher Education (later the University of Limerick) in 1972.[10]

In 1938, he married Dervilla Gleeson of Nenagh, and they had four children.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seanad Éireann - Volume 178 - 2 December 2004 - Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy . Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas . 5 September 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607135704/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/S/0178/S.0178.200412020004.html . 7 June 2011.
  2. Web site: Russell, George Edward (Ted). Dictionary of Irish Biography. Clavin. Terry. 7 January 2023.
  3. News: Public-spirited Limerick merchant prince. The Irish Times. 1 September 2018.
  4. Web site: George E. Russell. Oireachtas Members Database. 20 March 2009.
  5. Web site: George Russell. ElectionsIreland.org. 20 March 2009.
  6. Web site: Limerick Municipal Elections 1841–2009. MS Word. Cusack. John. Liam . Hanley . David . Lee . Debbie . Jacobs. 15 April 2016.
  7. Web site: Ted Russell. 5 December 2004. 10 July 2011. Eugene Hogan. Irish Independent.
  8. Web site: JP McManus receives honorary doctorate. 25 November 2002. 10 July 2011. RTÉ News.
  9. Book: Limerick's Merchants, Traders and Shakers. Potter. Matthew. Slater. Sharon. Limerick Chamber. 2015. 9780953835416. Limerick.
  10. Pat Kearney. Towards a University for Limerick 1934–1972. Old Limerick Journal. 45–56. 1990. 27.