Phelim Alfred Calleary (3 October 1895 – 4 January 1974) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Mayo North constituency from 1952 to 1969.^[1]

Revolutionary period

Calleary joined the Irish Volunteers in 1914 and was attached to 1 Battalion, North Mayo Brigade, IRA during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).^[2] He took part in several raids and ambushes of British forces before transferring to Cavan Town Battalion, IRA in 1920. Returning to County Mayo, Calleary took the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War (1922-23) and had engagements against National Forces in County Mayo and County Sligo. He managed to evade arrest/capture and remained 'on the run' until 1924. Calleary later applied to the Irish government for a service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 and was awarded 5 and 17/24 years service in 1939 at Grade C for his service with the Irish Volunteers and the IRA. ^[3]

Politics

He was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Mayo North constituency at the June 1952 by-election, caused by the death of P. J. Ruttledge. He was re-elected at each subsequent general election until retiring at the 1969 general election.^[4]

His son Seán Calleary was a Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo East from 1973 to 1992 and served as a Minister of State in a number of government departments. His grandson Dara Calleary was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Mayo constituency at the 2007 general election.^[5]

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References