Billy Lawless (24 December 1950 – 8 November 2024) was an Irish independent politician and businessman who served as a Senator from 2016 to 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2] Lawless was from Rahoon, County Galway.
Billy Lawless | |
|---|---|
 Lawless in 2016 | |
| Senator | |
| In office 8 June 2016 – 29 June 2020 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Lawless 24 December 1950 Galway, Ireland |
| Died | 8 November 2024 (aged 73) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse |
Anne Lawless (m. 1980) |
| Children | 4 |
In the 1980s, he was chair of Fine Gael in the Galway West constituency and stood unsuccessfully for Galway City Council in 1991.[3][4] He emigrated to Chicago in 1998, having always had plans to open a business in the United States. He made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship to Boston University.[5]
Lawless owned five restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 460 people,[6] and was a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.[6]
Lawless was credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman of Galway in 2015 for these efforts.[6] He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by NUI Galway in June 2015.[7] On 11 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad, making him the first overseas Irish senator.[8]
Lawless had close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform.[9] He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2021 Seanad by-elections. In 2021, Lawless was awarded the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Community Support.[10]
Lawless died in Chicago on 8 November 2024, at the age of 73.[11][12][13]
References
edit- ^ "Billy Lawless". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees". RTÉ News. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Billy Lawless". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016). "New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016). "Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ a b c O'Shea, Jamie (28 May 2016). "Billy Lawless named as first ever emigrant senator by Irish leader". Irish Central. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Honorary Conferrings". Cois Coiribe. Winter 2015. p. 49.
- ^ "Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny". Irish American News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ O'Shea, James (29 May 2016). "New Irish emigrant senator under fire for Fine Gael, Kenny links". Irish Central. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Press Release". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "Death announced of former senator Billy Lawless who built successful pub business in Chicago". The Irish Times. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ "Former senator Billy Lawless has died aged 73". BreakingNews.ie. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ "Billy Lawless funeral hears about great champion of undocumented Irish". The Irish Times. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.