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{{Short description|Irish politician (1926–2002)}}
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'''Sylvester A. Barrett''' (18 May 1926 – 8 May 2002) was an Irish [[Fianna Fáil]] politician.<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web|url=http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=18&MemberID=28&ConstID=26|title=Mr Sylvester Barrett|work=Oireachtas Members Database|accessdate=20 October 2008}}</ref> He served under [[Jack Lynch]] and [[Charles Haughey]] as [[Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government|Minister for the Environment]] (1977–1980) and [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] (1980–1981).
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Sylvester Barrett, 1979 (cropped).png
| caption = Barrett in 1979
| office = [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
| term_start = 15 October 1980
| term_end = 30 June 1981
| predecessor = [[Pádraig Faulkner]]
| successor = [[James Tully (Irish politician)|James Tully]]
| office1 = [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment]]
| term_start1 = 5 July 1977
| term_end1 = 15 October 1980
| predecessor1 = [[James Tully (Irish politician)|James Tully]]
| successor1 = [[Ray Burke (Irish politician)|Ray Burke]]
| office2 = [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
| suboffice2 = [[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Finance]]
| subterm2 = Mar.–Dec. 1982
| office4 = [[Teachta Dála]]
| term_start4 = [[1968 Clare by-election|March 1968]]
| term_end4 = [[1987 Irish general election|February 1987]]
| constituency4 = [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| office5 = [[Member of European Parliament]]
| term_start5 = [[1984 European Parliament election in Ireland|June 1984]]
| term_end5 = [[1989 European Parliament election in Ireland|June 1989]]
| constituency5 = [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|5|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[County Clare]], Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|5|8|1926|5|18|df=y}}
| death_place = County Clare, Ireland
| nationality = [[Irish people|Irish]]
| party = [[Fianna Fáil]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Tubridy|1952}}
| children = 4
| education = [[St Flannan's College]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Galway|University College Galway]]<br />(did not finish)
| allegiance = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| branch = [[Irish Army]]
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[Cadet]]
}}


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'''Sylvester Aidan Barrett''' (18 May 1926 – 8 May 2002) was an Irish [[Fianna Fáil]] politician.<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Sylvester-Barrett.D.1968-03-14/ |title=Sylvester Barrett |work=Oireachtas Members Database |access-date=23 May 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410205848/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Sylvester-Barrett.D.1968-03-14 |url-status=live}}</ref> He served under [[Jack Lynch]] and [[Charles Haughey]] as [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment]] (1977–1980) and [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] (1980–1981).
Sylvester Barrett was born in Darragh, near [[Ennis]], [[County Clare]] in 1926. His father, who was a founder-member of the [[Fianna Fáil]] party, died while Barrett was still very young. As a result, he was raised by an uncle and aunt. Barrett was educated at Ballyea National School and St. Flannan's College in Ennis. He studied engineering at [[National University of Ireland, Galway|University College Galway]] though did not complete his studies. He was a cadet in the [[Irish Army]] and later worked as a rate collector and an auctioneer.


==Biography==
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He was first elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] on 14 March 1968 at the [[Clare by-election, 1968|Clare by-election]] in the [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare constituency]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2821|title=Sylvester Barrett|work=ElectionsIreland.org|accessdate=20 October 2008}}</ref> held following the death of [[Fine Gael]] TD [[William Murphy (Irish politician)|William Murphy]]. Barrett topped the poll at the [[Irish general election, 1969|general election the following year]]. At the [[Irish general election, 1973|1973 general election]] [[Fianna Fáil]] lost power to a [[Fine Gael]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] coalition government under [[Liam Cosgrave]], and Barrett was appointed to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Transport and Power. After Fianna Fáil's landslide victory at the [[Irish general election, 1977|1977 general election]] he was appointed to the [[Government of Ireland|Cabinet]] as [[Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government|Minister for the Environment]].
Sylvester Barrett was born in Darragh, near [[Ennis]], [[County Clare]], in 1926.<ref name=dib>{{cite web|url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/barrett-sylvester-aidan-sylvie-a0414|title=Barrett, Sylvester Aidan|work=[[Dictionary of Irish Biography]]|last=McElroy|first=Gerry|access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref> His father Frank, who was a founder-member of [[Fianna Fáil]], and his mother Delia Costello, both died in 1931. As a result, he was raised by an uncle and aunt.<ref name=dib/> His brother Fergus (Patrick) Barrett OFM, became a Franciscan priest, and founding rector of St John Vianney Seminary, Pretoria, South Africa. Barrett was educated at Ballyea National School and [[St Flannan's College]] in Ennis. He studied engineering at [[University of Galway|University College Galway]], though did not complete his studies.<ref name=dib/> He was a cadet in the [[Irish Army]] and later worked as a rate collector and an auctioneer.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/popular-figure-in-domestic-and-european-politics-1.1056940 |title=Popular figure in domestic and European politics |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=11 May 2002 |access-date=17 November 2018 |archive-date=24 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424131204/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/popular-figure-in-domestic-and-european-politics-1.1056940 |url-status=live }}</ref>


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He was elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] on 14 March 1968 at the [[1968 Clare by-election|by-election]] in the [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare constituency]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2821 |title=Sylvester Barrett |work=ElectionsIreland.org |access-date=20 October 2008 |archive-date=30 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330205418/https://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2821 |url-status=live }}</ref> held following the death of [[Fine Gael]] TD [[William Murphy (Irish politician)|William Murphy]]. Barrett topped the poll at the [[1969 Irish general election|general election the following year]]. At the [[1973 Irish general election|1973 general election]] Fianna Fáil lost office to a Fine Gael–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] coalition government under [[Liam Cosgrave]], and Barrett was appointed to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Transport and Power. After Fianna Fáil's landslide victory at the [[1977 Irish general election|1977 general election]] he was appointed to the [[Government of Ireland|cabinet]] as [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment]].
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In 1979 Barrett supported [[George Colley]] in the [[Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1979|Fianna Fáil leadership election]]. [[Charles Haughey]] was the eventual victor, but Barrett was retained in the cabinet in the Environment position. Following a reshuffle in 1980 he was appointed [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]. After the [[Irish general election, February 1982|February 1982 general election]] Fianna Fáil were returned to power but Barrett was not appointed to the Cabinet. However, several weeks later he was appointed a [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]] at the [[Department of Finance (Ireland)|Department of Finance]].


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Barrett supported [[George Colley]] in the [[1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election]]. Charles Haughey was the eventual victor, but Barrett was retained in the cabinet in the Environment position. Following a reshuffle in 1980 he was appointed [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]. After the [[February 1982 Irish general election|February 1982 general election]] Fianna Fáil were returned to office, but Barrett was not appointed to cabinet. However, he was appointed a [[Minister of State at the Department of Finance]].
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In October 1982, when [[Charlie McCreevy]] put down a [[motion of no confidence]] in Haughey's leadership, Barrett was the only Minister of State to support it. Haughey survived, and while Barrett was a member of the so-called "[[Gang of 22]]" he was not sacked from his office. Indeed, the following month he topped the poll at the [[Irish general election, November 1982|November 1982 general election]].


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In October 1982, when [[Charlie McCreevy]] put down a [[motion of no confidence]] in Haughey's leadership, Barrett was the only Minister of State among the so-called [[Gang of 22]] who supported it; Haughey survived, and did not dismiss Barrett from office.<ref name=dib/>
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[[Fianna Fáil]] were out of power again and Barrett was appointed to the front bench as spokesperson on Defence. He remained there until 1984 when he won a seat in the [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]] constituency at the [[European Parliament election, 1984 (Ireland)|1984 European Parliament election]] and was replaced on the Front Bench by [[Noel Treacy]]. He decided not to contest either the [[Irish general election, 1987|1987 general election]] or the [[European Parliament election, 1989 (Ireland)|1989 European Parliament election]], and retired from politics. He died in 2002.

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The following month he topped the poll at the [[November 1982 Irish general election|November 1982 general election]]. Fianna Fáil were out of government again, and Barrett was appointed to the front bench as spokesperson on Defence. He remained there until 1984, when he won a seat in the [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]] constituency at the [[1984 European Parliament election in Ireland|European Parliament election]] and was replaced on the front bench by [[Noel Treacy]]. He did not contest either the [[1987 Irish general election|1987 general election]] or the [[1989 European Parliament election in Ireland|1989 European Parliament election]], and retired from politics.<ref name=dib/> He died on 8 May 2002.


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{MEP|1824|Sylvester Barrett}}
*[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parlArchives/mepArch/term2/view.do?language=EN&id=1824 European Parliament profile]


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{{s-bef|before = [[James Tully (Irish politician)|James Tully]]}}
{{s-bef|before = [[James Tully (Irish politician)|James Tully]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government|Minister for the Environment]]
{{s-ttl|title = [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment]]
|years = 1977–1980}}
|years = 1977–1980}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Ray Burke (Irish politician)|Ray Burke]]}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Ray Burke (Irish politician)|Ray Burke]]}}
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{{s-aft|after = [[Joseph Bermingham]]}}
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{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1984–1989)}}
{{15th Government of Ireland}}
{{15th Government of Ireland}}
{{16th Government of Ireland}}
{{16th Government of Ireland}}
{{Ministers for Defence of Ireland}}
{{Ministers for Defence of Ireland}}
{{Ministers for the Environment of Ireland}}
{{Ministers for the Environment of Ireland}}
{{Clare (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
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{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1984-1989)}}
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[[Category:Fianna Fáil TDs]]
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[[Category:Irish Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Irish auctioneers]]
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[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1984–1989]]
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[[Category:Ministers for the environment of Ireland]]
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[[Category:People educated at St Flannan's College]]
[[Category:Politicians from County Clare]]
[[Category:Politicians from County Clare]]
[[Category:Fianna Fáil MEPs]]
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[[Category:Ministers for Defence (Ireland)]]
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[[Category:Ministers for the Environment (Ireland)]]

Latest revision as of 22:50, 5 December 2024

Sylvester Barrett
Barrett in 1979
Minister for Defence
In office
15 October 1980 – 30 June 1981
Preceded byPádraig Faulkner
Succeeded byJames Tully
Minister for the Environment
In office
5 July 1977 – 15 October 1980
Preceded byJames Tully
Succeeded byRay Burke
Minister of State
Mar.–Dec. 1982Finance
Teachta Dála
In office
March 1968 – February 1987
ConstituencyClare
Member of European Parliament
In office
June 1984 – June 1989
ConstituencyMunster
Personal details
Born(1926-05-18)18 May 1926
County Clare, Ireland
Died8 May 2002(2002-05-08) (aged 75)
County Clare, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Mary Tubridy
​
(m. 1952)​
Children4
EducationSt Flannan's College
Alma materUniversity College Galway
(did not finish)
Military service
AllegianceIreland
Branch/serviceIrish Army
RankCadet

Sylvester Aidan Barrett (18 May 1926 – 8 May 2002) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.[1] He served under Jack Lynch and Charles Haughey as Minister for the Environment (1977–1980) and Minister for Defence (1980–1981).

Biography

[edit]

Sylvester Barrett was born in Darragh, near Ennis, County Clare, in 1926.[2] His father Frank, who was a founder-member of Fianna Fáil, and his mother Delia Costello, both died in 1931. As a result, he was raised by an uncle and aunt.[2] His brother Fergus (Patrick) Barrett OFM, became a Franciscan priest, and founding rector of St John Vianney Seminary, Pretoria, South Africa. Barrett was educated at Ballyea National School and St Flannan's College in Ennis. He studied engineering at University College Galway, though did not complete his studies.[2] He was a cadet in the Irish Army and later worked as a rate collector and an auctioneer.[3]

He was elected to Dáil Éireann on 14 March 1968 at the by-election in the Clare constituency,[4] held following the death of Fine Gael TD William Murphy. Barrett topped the poll at the general election the following year. At the 1973 general election Fianna Fáil lost office to a Fine Gael–Labour Party coalition government under Liam Cosgrave, and Barrett was appointed to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Transport and Power. After Fianna Fáil's landslide victory at the 1977 general election he was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for the Environment.

Barrett supported George Colley in the 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election. Charles Haughey was the eventual victor, but Barrett was retained in the cabinet in the Environment position. Following a reshuffle in 1980 he was appointed Minister for Defence. After the February 1982 general election Fianna Fáil were returned to office, but Barrett was not appointed to cabinet. However, he was appointed a Minister of State at the Department of Finance.

In October 1982, when Charlie McCreevy put down a motion of no confidence in Haughey's leadership, Barrett was the only Minister of State among the so-called Gang of 22 who supported it; Haughey survived, and did not dismiss Barrett from office.[2]

The following month he topped the poll at the November 1982 general election. Fianna Fáil were out of government again, and Barrett was appointed to the front bench as spokesperson on Defence. He remained there until 1984, when he won a seat in the Munster constituency at the European Parliament election and was replaced on the front bench by Noel Treacy. He did not contest either the 1987 general election or the 1989 European Parliament election, and retired from politics.[2] He died on 8 May 2002.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sylvester Barrett". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e McElroy, Gerry. "Barrett, Sylvester Aidan". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Popular figure in domestic and European politics". The Irish Times. 11 May 2002. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Sylvester Barrett". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for the Environment
1977–1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Defence
1980–1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Finance
Mar. 1982–Dec. 1982 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Sylvester_Barrett&oldid=1261404178"