Billy Lawless
Billy Lawless | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator | |
| In office 11 May 2016 – 27 March 2020 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Lawless 24 December 1950 Galway,Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Anne Lawless(m. 1980) |
| Children | 4 |
Billy Lawless(born 24 December 1950) is an Irish formerIndependentpolitician and businessman who served as aSenatorfrom 2016 to 2020, after beingnominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2]Lawless is a native of Rahoon,County Galway.In the 1980s, he was Chair ofFine Gaelin theGalway West constituencyand stood unsuccessfully forGalway City Councilin 1991.[3][4]He emigrated toChicagoin 1998, having always harboured plans to open a business in theU.S.He made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship toBoston University.[5]
Family currently owns five restaurants in theChicagoarea, employing 460 people,[6]and is a board member and co-founder of theIllinoisBusiness Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.[6]
Lawless has been credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman ofGalwayin 2015 for these efforts.[6]He was conferred with anHonorary DoctoratebyNUI Galwayin June 2015.[7]On 11 May 2016,TaoiseachEnda Kennyappointed Lawless to the25th Seanad,making him the first overseas Irish Senator.[8]
Lawless had close ties to theObama administrationand was chosen to introduce thePresidentwhen he announced his plans for immigration reform.[9]He was an unsuccessful candidate at the2021 Seanad by-elections.In 2021, Lawless was awarded the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Community Support.[10]
References[edit]
- ^"Billy Lawless".Oireachtas Members Database.Archivedfrom the original on 6 August 2019.Retrieved6 August2019.
- ^"Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees".RTÉ News.27 May 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 27 May 2016.Retrieved27 May2016.
- ^"Billy Lawless".ElectionsIreland.org.Archivedfrom the original on 22 February 2011.Retrieved22 February2010.
- ^Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016)."New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'".Irish Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 30 May 2016.Retrieved30 May2016.
- ^Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016)."Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'".The Irish Times.Archivedfrom the original on 30 May 2016.Retrieved30 May2016.
- ^abcO'Shea, Jamie (28 May 2016)."Billy Lawless named as first ever emigrant senator by Irish leader".Irish Central.Archivedfrom the original on 29 May 2016.Retrieved30 May2016.
- ^"Honorary Conferrings".Cois Coiribe.Winter 2015. p. 49.
- ^"Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny".Irish American News.Archived fromthe originalon 17 June 2016.Retrieved30 May2016.
- ^O'Shea, James (29 May 2016)."New Irish emigrant senator under fire for Fine Gael, Kenny links".Irish Central.Archivedfrom the original on 4 July 2016.Retrieved22 June2020.
- ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 12 December 2021.Retrieved12 December2021.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)