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Ted Russell (Irish politician)

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

Born into a prosperous Limerick merchant family, Russell was educated first at Crescent College in Limerick and for a short time Mount St Benedict's near Gorey at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.[2] 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.[3] He lost his seat at the 1961 general election.[4] 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.[4]

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, 55), and Fine Gael (1960, 67, 74, 79).[5] He served as Mayor of Limerick on five occasions (1954-57, 1967-68 and 1976-77). He was made a Freeman of the city in 1995.[6] and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick in 2002.[7]

He was the President of the Limerick Chamber from 1948-1950.[8]

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.[9]

He was married to Derry (née Gleeson of Nenagh) and had three daughters, Mary, Margaret, Derry and a son George.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Seanad Éireann - Volume 178 - 2 December 2004 - Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy". Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b "Public-spirited Limerick merchant prince". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Mr. George Russell". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  4. ^ a b "George Russell". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  5. ^ Cusack, John; Hanley, Liam; Lee, David; Jacobs, Debbie. "Limerick Municipal Elections 1841–2009" (MS Word). Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  6. ^ Eugene Hogan (5 December 2004). "Ted Russell". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  7. ^ "JP McManus receives honorary doctorate". RTÉ News. 25 November 2002. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  8. ^ Potter, Matthew; Slater, Sharon (2015). Limerick's Merchants, Traders and Shakers. Limerick: Limerick Chamber. ISBN 9780953835416.
  9. ^ Pat Kearney (1990). "Towards a University for Limerick 1934 – 1972" (PDF). Old Limerick Journal (27): 45–56.