Kevin Boland dies aged 84
Sunday, 23 September 2001 22:42
The former Fianna Fáil Minister Kevin Boland has died at the age of 84. Born in Dublin in 1917, Mr Boland was elected to the Dáil in 1957.
The son of founding Fianna Fáil member, Gerry Boland, he became Minister for Defence on his first day in the Dáil under Taoiseach Eamonn de Valera. He went on to serve as Minister for Socal Welfare and Local Government.
He resigned from his position as minister in May, 1970, in sympathy with the dismissed ministers Neil Blaney and Charles Haughey. They were both sacked by Taoiseach Jack Lynch amid allegations that they had conspired to illegally import arms for supply to Republicans in Northern Ireland.
Later that year, he was expelled from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party. He went on to resign entirely from the Fianna Fáil organisation and gave up his seat in the Dáil.
He formed his own party, Aontacht Éireann, which failed to win any electoral support. In 1973, he led an unsuccessful challenge in the Supreme Court to the Sunningdale agreement on Northern Ireland.
The Taoiseach has said that he was saddened to learn of Mr Boland's death. Bertie Ahern said that Mr Boland came from a family which gave much service to this state and was a very effective government minister. Mr Ahern extended deepest sympathy to his widow, Sis, and to his family.
