Harry Blaney

{{Short description|Irish politician (1928–2013)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| office = Leader of Independent Fianna Fáil

| term_start = 1995

| term_end = 2006

| predecessor = Neil Blaney

| successor = Party dissolved

| office1 = Teachta Dála

| term_start1 = June 1997

| term_end1 = May 2002

| constituency1 = Donegal North-East

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|2|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Fanad, County Donegal, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|4|29|1928|2|18|df=y}}

| death_place = County Donegal, Ireland

| nationality = Irish

| party = Independent Fianna Fáil

| education =

| alma_mater =

| spouse = Margaret Blaney

| children = 7, including Niall

| father = Neal Blaney

| relatives = Neil Blaney (brother)

|}}

File:Harry Blaney Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1322470.jpg

Harry Blaney (18 February 1928 – 29 April 2013) was an Irish Independent Fianna Fáil politician.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/former-donegal-td-harry-blaney-dies-1.1376375|title=Former Donegal TD Harry Blaney dies|work=Irish Times|date=29 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=30 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430013505/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/former-donegal-td-harry-blaney-dies-1.1376375|url-status=live}} He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal North-East constituency.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Harry-Blaney.D.1997-06-26/|title=Harry Blaney|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=14 November 2010|archive-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108144505/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Harry-Blaney.D.1997-06-26|url-status=live}} His father was Neal Blaney, who was a TD from 1927 to 1948.

Blaney was defeated by Cecilia Keaveney of Fianna Fáil at the April 1996 by-election resulting from the 1995 death of his brother, Neil Blaney. He called for a recount but the following day was defeated by 150 votes. In 1997, he was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1997 general election, defeating Paddy Harte. He retired at age 74 at the 2002 general election after serving one term.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=4222|work=ElectionsIreland.org|title=Harry Blaney|access-date=25 April 2012|archive-date=16 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916134818/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=4222|url-status=live}} He was succeeded by his son, Niall Blaney.

His support for the 1997 Ahern government led to the construction of the Harry Blaney Bridge, which opened in 2009 to link the Rosguill and Fanad peninsulas across Mulroy Bay in north County Donegal.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-opens-the-bridge-to-nowhere-1741489.html|title=Taoiseach opens 'the bridge to nowhere'|work=Irish Independent|date=16 May 2009|access-date=14 November 2010|archive-date=19 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519120052/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-opens-the-bridge-to-nowhere-1741489.html|url-status=live}}

He died on 29 April 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0429/387221-harry-blaney-death/|title=Former Donegal TD Harry Blaney has died|work=RTÉ News|date=29 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=30 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530100024/http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0429/387221-harry-blaney-death/|url-status=live}}