Eddie Bohan

Edward Joseph Bohan(23 November 1932 – 21 July 2019)was anIrishpolitician and member of theFianna Fáilparty. He was anauctioneerandpublican,a President of theVintners' Federation of Ireland,and a chairman ofDublinLicensed Vintners. He was elected to the 18thSeanadin 1987 by theIndustrial and Commercial Panel,and was returned to theSeanadin subsequent elections until he retired in 2007.

Bohan was born on a small farm near the village of Drumlish,County Longfordon 23 November 1932 the third of seven children to James and Bridget Bohan. At age 15 he left for Dublin to join his two older brothers and started working in a grocers shop in the city. As he learned the retail trade he became involved in the confectionery business and by age 19 had a few vans on the road and a small factory producing sweets and fancy goods.

At aged 23 he married Elizabeth Lambert fromRathminesand in the 1950s they decided to emigrate to North America, and spent about 6 years living inLos Angeleswhere he became involved with the motor trade, starting off working for Chevron in a gas station and progressing to owning 3 stations of his own.

On returning to Dublin, he entered into a new career path by buying his first licensed premises, Bohans of Meath Street. He would go on to buy and run a number of well known Dublin pubs over the years. During this period he became Chairman of the Licensed Vintners Association who nominated him to run for election on the Industrial and Commercial Panel in the 1987 Seanad elections where he won the first of his 5 election campaigns holding a seat for 20 years.

In September 2007, his name was published in theRevenue Commissioners'list of tax defaultersafter he made a settlement of €2,032,714.