Des Hanafin

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = Irish

| office = Senator

| term_start = 17 September 1997

| term_end = 12 September 2002

| term_start1 = 5 November 1969

| term_end1 = 17 February 1993

| constituency1 = Labour Panel

| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|9|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|6|22|1930|9|9|df=y}}

| death_place = County Tipperary, Ireland

| party = Fianna Fáil

| spouse = {{marriage|Mona Brady|1958}}

| children = 2, John and Mary

}}

Desmond A. Hanafin (9 September 1930 – 22 June 2017) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served for over 30 years as a member of Seanad Éireann{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Des-Hanafin.S.1969-11-05/|title=Des Hanafin|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=23 October 2015}} (1969–93 and 1997–2002). He opposed social liberalisation, particularly the legalisation of abortion, divorce and same-sex marriage, and was one of the founders of the anti-abortion advocacy group, Pro Life Campaign.

Personal life

Hanafin was born in Thurles, County Tipperary, in 1930, son of John Hanafin (1890–1953), a draper and newsagent who served for many years as a Fianna Fáil councillor for North Tipperary County Council and previously was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and an elected Sinn Féin councillor.Interview with Des and Mary Hanafin, [http://www.rte.ie/radio1/miriammeets/ Miriam Meets], 18 April 2010.{{cite web|title=John Hanafin MCC|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=NGD%2F1953%2F07%2F25&id=Ar00506&sk=686BC697|publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 25 July 1953; Page: 5}}

He married Mona Brady, daughter of J. P. Brady, on 28 August 1958 in Clonmel, Tipperary.{{cite web|title=People and Places|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=IPR%2F1958%2F08%2F19&id=Ar00621&sk=5FB84408|work=Irish Press, Tuesday, 19 August 1958; Page: 6}} The wedding was followed by a reception at the Galtee Hotel, Cahir, which was attended by various notables including Rev. Father J. J. Hampson, President of Blackrock College.{{cite web|title=Clonmel Commentary|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=MEX%2F1958%2F09%2F05&id=Ar00302&sk=D539C1A4|publisher=Munster Express, Friday, 5 September 1958; Page: 3}} Their first child, Mary Hanafin, was born in June 1959, followed by John Hanafin in September 1960. Mary Hanafin is a former Fianna Fáil TD and government minister,{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Mary-Hanafin.D.1997-06-26/|title=Mary Hanafin|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=18 September 2009}} and John Hanafin is a former Fianna Fáil senator.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/John-Gerard-Hanafin.S.2002-09-12/|title=John Hanafin|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=27 February 2010}}

Hanafin operated the Anner Hotel, located in Thurles during the 1960s. Initially successful,{{cite web|title=Desies Ballad Sessions|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=NGD%2F1964%2F12%2F05&id=Ar00418&sk=3A15A231|publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 5 December 1964; Page: 4}} the business failed in 1967,{{cite web|title=Notice to Creditors|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=IPR%2F1967%2F06%2F08&id=Ar01621&sk=B37CDB78|publisher=Irish Press, Thursday, 8 June 1967; Page: 16}} which Mary Hanafin later blamed on her father's excess drinking.{{cite web|title=Hanafin tells of father's drinking|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hanafin-tells-of-fathers-drinking-26411658.html#sthash.2flczES0.dpuf|work=Irish Independent|date=6 May 2006 }} Subsequently, Hanafin was a director of the Transinternational Oil Company.{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/des-hanafin-26209170.html |title=Des Hanafin |last=Ross |first=Shane |access-date=23 June 2017 |work=Irish Independent |date=5 June 2005}}

Political career

Hanafin's first attempt to be elected to public office proved unsuccessful. In 1953, Hanafin sought to be co-opted to fill the vacancy on North Tipperary County Council created by the death of his father, John Hanafin. In the event councillors co-opted a Labour Party nominee, Michael Treacy, by eleven votes to seven.{{cite web|title=Labour Candidate Co-Opted To Tipperary Council|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=IEX%2F1953%2F11%2F21&id=Ar00840&sk=C7D7E372|publisher=Irish Examiner, Saturday, 21 November 1953; Page: 8}}

He was elected a member of North Tipperary County Council in 1955, polling 934 first preference votes.{{cite web|title=The Coming Elections – Parties Select Candidates|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=NGD%2F1960%2F05%2F14&id=Ar00603&sk=1B743205|publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 14 May 1960; Page: 6}} Subsequently, in 1956, drawing support from the Clann na Poblachta representatives, he was elected Chairman of the County Council.{{cite web|title=Surprise in Election of Chairman, Desmond Hanafin Elected on Vote|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=NGD%2F1956%2F07%2F07&id=Ar00111&sk=0DB1B878|publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 7 July 1956; Section: Front page, Page: 1}}

In 1957, he conducted a three-month tour of the United States, during which he was commissioned a Kentucky colonel, by then Kentucky Governor Happy Chandler. He was also awarded the freedom of Louisville, Kentucky, and received by Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago.{{cite web|title=Commissioned as Kentucky Colonel|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=IEX%2F1958%2F02%2F10&id=Ar00440&sk=D89B966F|publisher=Irish Examiner, Monday, 10 February 1958; Page: 4}}

Hanafin was re-elected to North Tipperary County Council in 1960, polling 797 first preference votes.{{citation|title=Full Returns in County Council Elections |publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 9 July 1960; Page 4 }} In 1961, he voted against the Fianna Fáil nominee for Chair of the County Council, Thomas F. Meagher, and in favour of the Clann na Poblachta nominee, Michael F. Cronin, who was elected by 10 votes to 9.{{citation|title=Close Vote for County Council Chairmanship |publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 1 July 1961; Page 1 }} In 1964, he controversially voted in favour of Jeremiah Mockler, "a former school mate", who was elected by 10 votes to 9 to the office of Rate Collector for Borrisokane.{{cite web|title=Councillor's Dilemma In Local Appointment|url=http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/apa/ina.edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=NGD%2F1964%2F08%2F22&id=Ar00904&sk=0C6A1EBA|publisher=Nenagh Guardian, Saturday, 22 August 1964; Page: 9}}

He held the seat until 1985. He was first elected to Seanad Éireann in 1969 and retained his seat until the 1993 Seanad election at which he lost his seat by one vote.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3215|title=Des Hanafin|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=23 October 2015}} He regained his seat in the 1997 elections, and in 2002 announced his retirement from politics.{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/obituary-des-hanafin-35857383.html |title=Obituary: Des Hanafin |last=Sheehy |first=Clodagh |access-date=23 June 2017 |work=Irish Independent |date=23 June 2017}} He unsuccessfully contested the 1977 and 1981 Dáil elections for the Tipperary North constituency. He was a chief fundraiser of the Fianna Fáil party for many years.

=Social issues=

==Same-sex marriage==

In May 2015, he accused Yes campaigners in the same-sex marriage referendum of spreading a "palpable climate of fear", and called for a No vote.{{cite news|title=Yes camp has spread 'palpable climate of fear' says Hanafin|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/referendum/yes-camp-has-spread-palpable-climate-of-fear-says-hanafin-31227218.html|work=Irish Independent|date=16 May 2015}}

==Divorce==

He opposed the legalisation of divorce, which was introduced in 1995, and attempted to overturn the referendum result in the Supreme Court, but was refused by the court.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/irelands-oldest-practicing-barrister-has-passed-away-at-100-years-of-age-35187819.html|title=Ireland's oldest practicing barrister has passed away at 100 years of age|first=Amy|last=Molly|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=4 November 2016|access-date=4 November 2016}}

==Abortion==

An opponent of abortion, Hanafin was one of the promoters of the constitutional amendment that enshrined the legal ban on abortion in the Constitution of Ireland.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} He was co-founder, chairman{{Cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/pro-life-campaign-rejects-proposal-to-introduce-abortion-legislation-1.64382 |title=Pro-Life Campaign rejects proposal to introduce abortion legislation |access-date=23 June 2017 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=5 July 1996}} and later honorary president of the Pro Life Campaign.{{Cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/former-fianna-f%C3%A1il-senator-des-hanafin-has-died-aged-86-1.3129495 |title=Former Fianna Fáil Senator Des Hanafin has died aged 86 |last=Minihan |first=Mary |access-date=23 June 2017 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=22 July 2017}}