Mark Clinton

Irish politician (1915–2001)

Mark Clinton
Minister for Agriculture
In office
14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977
TaoiseachLiam Cosgrave
Preceded byJim Gibbons
Succeeded byJim Gibbons
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 1979 – 20 May 1989
ConstituencyLeinster
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1977 – June 1981
ConstituencyDublin County West
In office
June 1969 – June 1977
ConstituencyDublin County North
In office
October 1961 – June 1969
ConstituencyDublin County
Personal details
Born(1915-02-07)7 February 1915
Kells, County Meath, Ireland
Died23 December 2001(2001-12-23) (aged 86)
Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Dorothy Gleeson
(m. 1952)
Children7
Alma mater
  • Salesian Agricultural College
  • Albert Agricultural College

Mark A. Clinton (7 February 1915 – 23 December 2001) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Agriculture from 1973 to 1977. He served as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Leinster constituency from 1979 to 1989. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1961 to 1981.[1]

Clinton was born to a farming family at Moynalty, Kells, County Meath, in February 1915.[2] He was known as an accomplished Gaelic footballer in his youth and played on the Meath county team defeated by Kerry in the 1939 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. He served as a member of Dublin County Council from 1955 and represented various County Dublin constituencies as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) from 1961 until his retirement from Dáil Éireann in 1981.[3]

In 1973 he joined the Irish Government of Liam Cosgrave as Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries in the National Coalition. Clinton is best remembered as the Agriculture Minister who negotiated Ireland's entry into the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy, a development which brought billions of pounds to Irish farming and agri business. He served in government until 1977 and retired from the Dáil in 1981. Clinton also served in the European Parliament for the Leinster constituency from 1979 to 1989 and his political experience was recognised by his election as vice-president of that assembly.

Mark Clinton died in a Dublin nursing home on 23 December 2001.

References

  1. ^ "Mark Clinton". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  2. ^ Clavin, Terry. "Clinton, Mark". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Mark Clinton". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2010.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Jim Gibbons
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
1973–1977
Succeeded by
Jim Gibbons
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Dublin County constituency
This table is transcluded from Dublin County (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
2nd 1921 Michael Derham
(SF)
George Gavan Duffy
(SF)
Séamus Dwyer
(SF)
Desmond FitzGerald
(SF)
Frank Lawless
(SF)
Margaret Pearse
(SF)
6 seats
1921–1923
3rd 1922 Michael Derham
(PT-SF)
George Gavan Duffy
(PT-SF)
Thomas Johnson
(Lab)
Desmond FitzGerald
(PT-SF)
Darrell Figgis
(Ind)
John Rooney
(FP)
4th 1923 Michael Derham
(CnaG)
Bryan Cooper
(Ind)
Desmond FitzGerald
(CnaG)
John Good
(Ind)
Kathleen Lynn
(Rep)
Kevin O'Higgins
(CnaG)
1924 by-election Batt O'Connor
(CnaG)
1926 by-election William Norton
(Lab)
5th 1927 (Jun) Patrick Belton
(FF)
Seán MacEntee
(FF)
1927 by-election Gearóid O'Sullivan
(CnaG)
6th 1927 (Sep) Bryan Cooper
(CnaG)
Joseph Murphy
(Ind)
Seán Brady
(FF)
1930 by-election Thomas Finlay
(CnaG)
7th 1932 Patrick Curran
(Lab)
Henry Dockrell
(CnaG)
8th 1933 John A. Costello
(CnaG)
Margaret Mary Pearse
(FF)
1935 by-election Cecil Lavery
(FG)
9th 1937 Henry Dockrell
(FG)
Gerrard McGowan
(Lab)
Patrick Fogarty
(FF)
5 seats
1937–1948
10th 1938 Patrick Belton
(FG)
Thomas Mullen
(FF)
11th 1943 Liam Cosgrave
(FG)
James Tunney
(Lab)
12th 1944 Patrick Burke
(FF)
1947 by-election Seán MacBride
(CnaP)
13th 1948 Éamon Rooney
(FG)
Seán Dunne
(Lab)
3 seats
1948–1961
14th 1951
15th 1954
16th 1957 Kevin Boland
(FF)
17th 1961 Mark Clinton
(FG)
Seán Dunne
(Ind)
5 seats
1961–1969
18th 1965 Des Foley
(FF)
Seán Dunne
(Lab)
19th 1969 Constituency abolished. See Dublin County North and Dublin County South
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Dublin County North constituency
This table is transcluded from Dublin County North (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
19th 1969 Patrick Burke
(FF)
Des Foley
(FF)
Mark Clinton
(FG)
Justin Keating
(Lab)
20th 1973 Seán Walsh
(FF)
21st 1977 Ray Burke
(FF)
Joe Fox
(FF)
John Boland
(FG)
3 seats
1977–1981
22nd 1981 Constituency abolished. See Dublin North
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Dublin County West constituency
This table is transcluded from Dublin County West (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
21st 1977 Liam Lawlor
(FF)
Brian Lenihan
(FF)
Mark Clinton
(FG)
22nd 1981 Constituency abolished
  • v
  • t
  • e
L. Cosgrave cabinet (1973–1977)
  • v
  • t
  • e
« 1979–1984 «   MEPs for Ireland (1984–1989)   » 1989–1994 »
Connacht–Ulster
Dublin
Leinster
Munster
  1. ^ Substituted by Mark Killilea (FF / EDA) on 23 March 1987
  2. ^ Substituted by Chris O'Malley (FG / EPP) on 3 June 1986
  • v
  • t
  • e
« 1977–1979 «   MEPs for Ireland (1979–1984)   » 1984–1989 »
Connacht–Ulster
Dublin
Leinster
Munster
  1. ^ Substituted by John Horgan[note 1] (LAB / PES) on 21 October 1981
  2. ^ Substituted by Frank Cluskey[note 2] (LAB / PES) on 1 July 1981
  3. ^ Substituted by Séamus Pattison[note 3] (LAB / PES) on 9 July 1981
  4. ^ Substituted by Seán Treacy (LAB / PES) on 9 July 1981
  1. ^ Substituted by Flor O'Mahony (LAB / PES) on 2 March 1983
  2. ^ Substituted by Brendan Halligan (LAB / PES) on 2 March 1983
  3. ^ Substituted by Justin Keating (LAB / PES) on 8 February 1984