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Patrick McKee

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Patrick McKee
Kilkenny County Councillor
In office
23 May 2014 – 24 May 2019
ConstituencyKilkenny City West
Personal details
NationalityIrish
Political partyFianna Fáil
(until 2015, since 2018)
Other political
affiliations
Alma materUniversity College Cork

Patrick McKee(born 15 June 1988[1]) is an Irish former politician. He is a member ofFianna Fáil,and was formerly a member ofRenuaand was their candidate in the2015 Carlow-Kilkenny Dáil by-election.[2][3][4]

Background[edit]

McKee was born in June 1988. He attended secondary school atSt Kieran's Collegeuntil 2006, going on to graduate with aBachelor of Artsin Law and Business fromWaterford Institute of Technologyin 2010.[5]In 2011 he received aBachelor of Lawsdegree fromUniversity College Cork.[6]In 2012 McKee began work as atrainee solicitorat W.A. Smithwick & Son, Solicitors, inKilkenny.[7]McKee publicly came out as a gay man in 2011 during an interview on local radio.[8][9][10]

Political career[edit]

In 2006, McKee joinedÓgra Fianna Fáil,theyouth wingofFianna Fáil,and established the Thomas Francis Meagher Cumann during his time in WIT. During his time inWaterfordhe worked closely with former Minister for TransportMartin CullenTD.[citation needed]McKee held positions both locally and nationally in Ógra Fianna Fáil. He was electedLeinsterrepresentative on Ógra Fianna Fáil's National Youth Committee in 2011.[citation needed]During 2010 McKee worked as an intern inSeanad Éireannfor Senator Mark Daly.[citation needed]

In 2013 he declared his candidacy forKilkenny County Councilin the forthcoming elections and in May 2014 was elected in thelocal electoral areaof Kilkenny City for Fianna Fáil.[11]He was elected chairman of the Joint Policing Committee andleas-cathaoirleachof the council. In March 2015 McKee left Fianna Fáil amid rumors of homophobic bullying and joined the newly formed Renua party.[12][6][13]His departure prompted criticism from a number of high-profile Fianna Fáil colleagues, includingMichael McGrathandTimmy Dooley.He later stated that before joining Renua, he had considered joiningSinn Féin.[14]

McKee was the Renua candidate for theCarlow–Kilkenny constituencyat both the2015 by-electionand the2016 general election.He won only 0.2% of thefirst-preferencevotes on each occasion, and was not elected.[15]

In December 2016, McKee left Renua Ireland and became an independent.[16]He returned to Fianna Fáil in 2017, which was met with criticism from some members of the party and prompted comment fromMicheál Martinand a number of board members of the party to resign.[17]

In February 2018, he garnered criticism over comments he made aboutRuth Coppingeron Twitter for which later apologised.[18]In November 2018, McKee announced that he would not be standing for re-election.[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Patrick McKee".Facebook.Retrieved3 December2016.
  2. ^"Renua Ireland unveil Patrick McKee as new candidate".UTV.Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved3 December2016.
  3. ^"Fianna Fail still using Patrick McKee's image on campaign literature despite party exit".Irish Independent.10 April 2015.Retrieved3 December2016.
  4. ^"Carlow-Kilkenny byelection: Renua policies closest to FG".The Irish Times.Retrieved3 December2016.
  5. ^"Blow for Fianna Fáil as rising star defects to Lucinda's party".Irish Independent.31 March 2015.Retrieved3 December2016.
  6. ^ab"Confirmed: McKee leaves FF for Renua".Kilkenny People.Retrieved3 December2016.
  7. ^"Leaflet from Patrick McKee - Renua Ireland – 2015 Carlow Kilkenny By-Election".Irish Election Literature.31 March 2015.Retrieved3 December2016.
  8. ^Kane, Conor (31 March 2015)."Patrick McKee joins Renua, denies approaching Sinn Féin".The Irish Times.Retrieved23 October2020.
  9. ^Mullen, Aoife (3 May 2014)."'It was upsetting for my kids' – candidates criticise defacement of local election posters ".TheJournal.ie.Retrieved3 December2016.
  10. ^Brophy, Daragh (13 May 2015).""This is about fear...": Renua candidate's poster defaced with anti-gay slurs ".TheJournal.ie.Retrieved3 December2016.
  11. ^Edwards, Elaine."Renua spent some €30,000 on byelection, Sipo says".The Irish Times.Retrieved14 March2021.
  12. ^O'Connell, Hugh (31 March 2015)."'I never said that': Renua's latest recruit denies trying to join Sinn Féin ".TheJournal.ie.Retrieved3 December2016.
  13. ^"Kilkenny Cllr Patrick McKee leaves Fianna Fail for Renua".KCLR 96fm.31 March 2015.Retrieved3 December2016.
  14. ^Cionnaith, Fiachra Ó (1 April 2015)."Renua's newest candidate recently considered joining Sinn Féin".Irish Examiner.Retrieved11 March2021.
  15. ^"Patrick McKee".ElectionsIreland.org.Retrieved22 July2023.
  16. ^Vaughan, MarryAnn (5 December 2016)."Patrick McKee trades in his (Re)nua party for old".kclr96fm.Retrieved15 December2016.
  17. ^Ryan, Philip (28 May 2017)."Fianna Fail board resigns after ex-Renua councillor rejoins".Irish Independent.Retrieved11 March2021.
  18. ^Bardon, Sarah (6 February 2018)."FF councillor apologises over Coppinger clothes tweet".The Irish Times.Retrieved11 March2021.
  19. ^"Kilkenny Councillor Patrick McKee announces he won't be seeking re-election".KCLR 96FM.19 November 2018.Retrieved11 March2021.
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