Ted Russell (Irish politician)

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

For the Canadian politician and writer, see Ted Russell (Canadian politician).

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, 1955), and Fine Gael (1960, 1967, 1974, 1979).[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 to 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 children.[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.
  2. "Public-spirited Limerick merchant prince". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  3. "George E. Russell". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  4. "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.
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