List of longest-serving members of Dáil Éireann

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The First Dáil Éireann consisted of the Sinn Féin MPs who were elected in the Dec 14, 1918 UK General Election. They refused to attend the British House of Commons and instead assembled for the first time on January 21, 1919 in the Mansion House, Dublin as the revolutionary unicameral Dáil Éireann.

Since then, 1118 Teachtaí Dála have served in the Dáil[1].

The title "Father of the Dáil" is usually and unofficially conferred on the longest-serving member.

1 Longest-serving former TDs
2 All time shortest-serving TDs
3 Longest-serving current TDs
4 See also

[edit] Longest-serving former TDs

This is a list of former TDs who have served at least 33 years in the Dáil.

	Party	Took Office	Left Office	Yrs/Mnths	Notes
Paddy Smith	Fianna Fáil	August 27, 1923	July 5, 1977	53y 11m	Former cabinet minister
Frank Aiken	Fianna Fáil	August 27, 1923	February 28, 1973	49y 6m	Longest-serving cabinet minister (1932–1948,1951–1954,1957–1969)
Neil Blaney	Independent Fianna Fáil	December 7, 1948	October 8, 1995	46y 10m	Died in office
Thomas McEllistrim	Fianna Fáil	August 27, 1923	June 18, 1969	45y 10m
Seán MacEntee	Fianna Fáil	December 14, 1918	June 18, 1969	45y 6m	Did not serve from June 16, 1922 until June 9, 1927
James Ryan	Fianna Fáil	December 14, 1918	April 7, 1965	45y 2m	Long-serving cabinet minister. Did not serve June 16, 1922 to Aug 27, 1923 (1y 2m)
Seán Lemass	Fianna Fáil	November 18, 1924	June 18, 1969	44y 7m	Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966
James Everett	Labour Party	August 27, 1923	December 1967	44y 4m	Cabinet minister on a number of occasions
Oliver J. Flanagan	Fine Gael	June 23, 1943	February 17, 1987	43y 8m	Former Minister for Defence
Patrick McGilligan	Fine Gael	November 3, 1923	April 7, 1965	41y 5m	Attorney-General from 1954 until 1957
Richard Mulcahy	Fine Gael	December 14, 1918	October 4, 1961	41y	Did not serve between July 1, 1937 and June 17, 1938, and again between June 23, 1943 and May 30, 1944
Éamon de Valera	Fianna Fáil	December 14, 1918	June 23, 1959	40y 6m	Former Taoiseach and President of Ireland
Cormac Breslin	Fianna Fáil	July 1, 1937	July 5, 1977	40y	Ceann Comhairle from 1967 until 1973
Patrick Hogan	Labour Party	August 27, 1923	January 24, 1969	39y 8m	Did not serve between June 17, 1938 and June 23, 1943, and again between May 30, 1944 and February 4, 1948
Gerald Boland	Fianna Fáil	August 27, 1923	October 4, 1961	38y 2m	Long-serving cabinet minister
Liam Cosgrave	Fine Gael	June 23, 1943	June 11, 1981	38y	Taoiseach from 1973 until 1977
Dan Spring	Labour Party	June 23, 1943	June 11, 1981	38y
Bob Briscoe	Fianna Fáil	September 15, 1927	April 7, 1965	37y 7m
James Dillon	Fine Gael	February 16, 1932	June 18, 1969	37y 4m	Leader of Fine Gael from 1959 until 1965
Ben Briscoe	Fianna Fáil	April 7, 1965	May 17, 2002	37y 1m
David Andrews	Fianna Fáil	April 7, 1965	May 17, 2002	37y 1m
Bobby Molloy	Fianna Fáil	April 7, 1965	May 17, 2002	37y 1m
Brendan Corish	Labour Party	December 4, 1945	February 18, 1982	36y 2m	Tánaiste from 1973 until 1977
Dan Breen	Fianna Fáil	August 27, 1923	April 7, 1965	35y 11m	Did not serve between June 9, 1927 and February 16, 1932
Paddy Harte	Fine Gael	October 4, 1961	June 6, 1997	35y 8m	Father of the Dáil
Charles Haughey	Fianna Fáil	March 5, 1957	November 25, 1992	35y 8m	Taoiseach on three occasions
Seán Treacy	Labour Party	October 4, 1961	June 6, 1997	35y 8m	Ceann Comhairle from 1987 until 1997
Vivion de Valera	Fianna Fáil	December 4, 1945	June 11, 1981	35y 7m	Son of Éamon de Valera
John A. Costello	Fine Gael	January 24, 1933	June 18, 1969	35y 7m	Did not serve from June 23, 1943 until May 30, 1944, Taoiseach on two occasions
John Bruton	Fine Gael	June 18, 1969	October 31, 2004	35y 4m	Taoiseach from 1994 until 1997
Erskine H. Childers	Fianna Fáil	June 17, 1938	June 23, 1973	35y	Former Tánaiste and President of Ireland
Frank Fahy	Fianna Fáil	December 14, 1918	July 14, 1953	34y 10m	Former Ceann Comhairle
Micheál Ó Móráin	Fianna Fáil	June 17, 1938	February 28, 1973	34y 8m	Cabinet minister on several occasions
Maurice E. Dockrell	Fine Gael	June 23, 1943	July 5, 1977	34y 1m
Desmond O'Malley	Progressive Democrats	May 22, 1968	May 17, 2002	34y	Founder of the Progressive Democrats
Daniel Morrissey	Fine Gael	August 27, 1923	March 5, 1957	33y 7m	Cabinet minister on one occasion
Jack Lynch	Fianna Fáil	February 4, 1948	June 11, 1981	33y 4m	Taoiseach on two occasions
Gerald Bartley	Fianna Fáil	February 16, 1932	April 7, 1965	33y 2m	Former cabinet minister
Seán Mac Eoin	Fine Gael	February 16, 1932	April 7, 1965	33y 2m	Cabinet minister on a number of occasions

All former Taoisigh served long enough to be included in this list, except Garret FitzGerald who served 23 years, 6 months from June 18, 1969 to November 25, 1992.

[edit] All time shortest-serving TDs

	Party	Took Office	Left Office	Yrs/Mnths
Patrick Gaffney	Farmers' Party	June 16, 1922	September, 1922	3m
Carrie Acheson	Fianna Fáil	June 11, 1981	February 18, 1982	9m
Gerry Brady	Fianna Fáil	February 18, 1982	November 24, 1982	10m

[edit] Longest-serving current TDs

As of February 3, 2007:

	Party	Took Office	Yrs/Mnths	Notes
Séamus Pattison	Labour Party	October 4, 1961	45y 4m	Current "Father of the Dáil", Current Leas Cheann-Comhairle
Noel Davern	Fianna Fáil	June 18, 1969	32y 0m	Did not serve June 11, 1981 to February 17, 1987 (5y 8m)
Enda Kenny	Fine Gael	November 12, 1975	31y 3m	Current Leader of the Opposition
Bertie Ahern	Fianna Fáil	June 16, 1977	29y 8m	Current Taoiseach
Rory O'Hanlon	Fianna Fáil	June 16, 1977	29y 8m	Current Ceann Comhairle
Michael Woods	Fianna Fáil	June 16, 1977	29y 8m
Liam Aylward	Fianna Fáil	June 16, 1977	29y 8m
Jim O'Keeffe	Fine Gael	June 16, 1977	29y 8m
Ruairi Quinn	Labour Party	June 16, 1977	29y 1m	Did not serve June 11, 1981 to February 18, 1982
Michael Smith	Fianna Fáil	June 18, 1969	27y 1m	Did not serve February 28, 1973 to July 5, 1977, and again February 18, 1982 to February 17, 1987
Mary Harney	Progressive Democrats	June 11, 1981	25y 8m	Former Tánaiste and longest-serving female TD
Bernard Allen	Fine Gael	June 11, 1981	25y 8m
Séamus Brennan	Fianna Fáil	June 11, 1981	25y 8m
Paul Connaughton	Fine Gael	June 11, 1981	25y 8m
Gay Mitchell	Fine Gael	June 11, 1981	25y 8m
Michael Noonan	Fine Gael	June 11, 1981	25y 8m