Shane McEntee (politician)

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Shane McEntee
McEntee in 2010
Minister of State
2011–2012Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Teachta Dála
In office
May 2007 – 21 December 2012
ConstituencyMeath East
In office
March 2005 – May 2007
ConstituencyMeath
Personal details
Born(1956-12-19)19 December 1956
Nobber, County Meath, Ireland
Died21 December 2012(2012-12-21) (aged 56)
Castletown-Kilpatrick, County Meath, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
SpouseKathleen McEntee
Children4, including Helen
Relatives
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Shane McEntee (19 December 1956 – 21 December 2012) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2011 to 2012. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2005 to 2012.[1]

Early life and family[edit]

McEntee was born in the village of Nobber in County Meath. He had seven siblings. His father Tony died in March 2011 at the age of 86, while his mother Madge outlived him.[2]

He became an active member of Fine Gael when he joined the party at the age of 15. Before being elected, he worked as a farmer and agricultural sales representative. He ran the "Dee Local Bar".[3]

McEntee was also very involved in the GAA, both as trainer and player (until an injury ended his promising career).[citation needed] He played at the back with Nobber, and won the 1983 Feis Cup, managed the Meath minor team during the 1990s, and led three clubs (Ballinlough, Syddan, and Castletown) to finals of the Meath Intermediate Football Championship, with two wins from the three.[4] His brother Gerry is a renowned surgeon, who won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Meath in 1987 and 1988.[4] Another brother, Andy went on to manage Meath, while Andy's son Shane also played for Meath, both after the death of their brother and uncle respectively.[5][6]

He was married with three daughters and a son.[7] His daughter Helen succeeded him as TD for Meath East after his death.

Politics[edit]

A close friend of Taoiseach Enda Kenny,[8] McEntee's election candidacy began in 2004 when he was selected as the Fine Gael candidate in the Meath by-election, which was triggered by the resignation from the Dáil of former leader Fine Gael, John Bruton. Polling was on 11 March 2005, and McEntee narrowly beat the Fianna Fáil candidate Shane Cassells, and was elected to the 29th Dáil.

McEntee was re-elected at the 2007 and 2011 general elections.[9] He was the Fine Gael deputy spokesperson on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with special responsibility for Food and Fisheries from 2007 to 2011. McEntee gave an impassioned speech in defence of party leader Enda Kenny during the 2010 Fine Gael leadership challenge.[4] McEntee was also a successful campaigner on behalf of families in counties Dublin, Meath and Kildare whose homes had been damaged by pyrite in stone used in the foundations.

On 10 March 2011, he was appointed as the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety.[10][11]

Death[edit]

McEntee died by suicide on 21 December 2012, two days after his 56th birthday.[12][13][14] McEntee had been feeling under pressure because of criticism of a number of Government budgetary decisions.[2] His funeral took place on 24 December 2012. An inquest later returned a verdict of "asphyxiation by ligature".[15]

The by-election for his seat was held on 27 March 2013, and was won by his daughter Helen.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Shane McEntee". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Political world is rocked by tragic death of junior minister". Irish Independent. 22 December 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Meath man whose loyalty to his community matched that to Fine Gael and the GAA". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Sheahan, Fionnan; Kelly, Fiach (22 December 2012). "A rousing speech that helped to save Kenny's leadership". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  5. ^ O'Brien, Kevin (25 March 2019). "'Everyone who knows my dad knows the amount of work and effort he puts into it': Shane McEntee and his father, manager Andy, have helped Meath back into the top flight of the league". The42.ie. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. ^ O'Toole, Fintan (8 August 2016). "Meath appoint All-Ireland club winning boss McEntee as their new manager – And he'll be joined in the backroom by his brother Gerry". The42.ie. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Death announced of Minister of State Shane McEntee". RTÉ News. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  8. ^ Sheahan, Fionnan; Telford, Lyndsey (21 December 2012). "Taoiseach in shock as Junior Minister Shane McEntee dies suddenly". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Shane McEntee". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2011 (23): 402–403. 22 March 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  11. ^ Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 283 of 2011). Signed on 14 June 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 7 April 2021.
  12. ^ Minihan, Mary (22 December 2012). "Tributes paid to late junior minister Shane McEntee". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  13. ^ "Minister of State Shane McEntee dies suddenly". Irish Examiner. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  14. ^ "Funeral arrangements for Minister Shane McEntee". Meath Chronicle. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  15. ^ "Inquest held into death of politician Shane McEntee". The Irish Times. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Helen McEntee wins Meath East by-election after third count". RTÉ News. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
Political offices
Preceded byas Ministers of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
2011–2012 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Gerry Cooney
 Meath Minor Football manager
2000–2001 		Succeeded by
Benny Reddy
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