Patrick Beegan

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Patrick Beegan

| image =

| office = Parliamentary Secretary

| suboffice = Finance

| subterm = 1957–1958

| suboffice1 = Finance

| subterm1 = 1951–1954

| office2 = Teachta Dála

| term_start2 = February 1948

| term_end2 = 2 February 1958

| constituency2 = Galway South

| term_start3 = July 1937

| term_end3 = February 1948

| constituency3 = Galway East

| term_start4 = February 1932

| term_end4 = July 1937

| constituency4 = Galway

| birth_date = {{birth date|1895|5|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cappataggle, County Galway, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1958|2|2|1895|5|26|df=y}}

| death_place = County Galway, Ireland

| nationality = Irish

| party = Fianna Fáil

| spouse =

| children =

| education = Garbally College

| alma_mater =

| relatives = Anthony Millar (nephew)

}}

Patrick Beegan (26 May 1895 – 2 February 1958) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Patrick-Beegan.D.1932-03-09/|title=Patrick Beegan|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=2 July 2012}}

Early life and revolutionary period

He was born in the townland of Oatfield, Cappataggle, County Galway, to John Beegan, a herdsman, and Mary Stephenson.{{Cite web|url=https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/05a9f20332142|title=General Registrar's Office|last=|first=|date=|website=IrishGenealogy.ie|publisher=|access-date=1 February 2017}} Beegan claims that he was active with the Aughrim Company, Ballinasloe Battalion, Galway Brigade, Irish Volunteers from 1917. See Beegan's successful application for a military service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. Available online at Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection - http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/search.aspx?formtype=advanced. Reference number MSP34REF11932 During the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), Beegan took part in general IRA activity and claims that he was Battalion Adjutant, Battalion Vice Commandant and Battalion Commandant of 3 Battalion, 1 Brigade (Galway), 1 Western Division, IRA during the Truce period (1921-1922). Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War (1922-1923), Beegan took part in several armed operations against National Army troops. He was captured in August 1922, interned by the Free State government, took part in a 14 days hunger strike in October 1923 and was released in November 1923. Beegan unsuccessfully applied to the Irish government for a military service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 but was awarded a Service (1917-1921) Medal in 1944. Irish Military Archives, Military Service (1916-1923) Pension Collection, Patrick Beegan, MSP34REF11932

Politics

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1932 general election when Fianna Fáil first came to power. He was re-elected for various Galway constituencies a further nine occasions.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=1780|title=Patrick Beegan|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=2 July 2012}} In 1951 he was appointed to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance by Éamon de Valera's government. He served in that position until 1954, and was re-appointed in 1957 when Fianna Fáil returned to power. Beegan served in that post until his death on 2 February 1958.{{Cite web|url=https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/6b3c768076405|title=General Registrar's Office|last=|first=|date=|website=IrishGenealogy.ie|publisher=|access-date=1 February 2017}}

The subsequent by-election to fill Beegan's seat in the Galway South constituency was won by his nephew, Anthony Millar, whose mother, Mary, was Beegan's sister.{{fact|date=June 2020}}