Shane McEntee (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Shane McEntee.jpg

| caption = McEntee in 2010

| office = Minister of State

| suboffice = Agriculture, Food and the Marine

| subterm = 2011–2012

| office1 = Teachta Dála

| term_start1 = May 2007

| term_end1 = 21 December 2012

| constituency1 = Meath East

| term_start2 = March 2005

| term_end2 = May 2007

| constituency2 = Meath

| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|12|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nobber, County Meath, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|12|21|1956|12|19|df=y}}

| death_place = Castletown-Kilpatrick, County Meath, Ireland

| party = Fine Gael

| spouse = Kathleen McEntee

| children = 4, including Helen

| relatives = {{ubl|Andy McEntee (brother)|Gerry McEntee (brother)}}

| alma_mater = University College Dublin

}}

Shane McEntee (19 December 1956 – 21 December 2012) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2011 to 2012. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2005 to 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Shane-McEntee.D.2005-03-11/|title=Shane McEntee|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=29 September 2009|archive-date=14 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814130017/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Shane-McEntee.D.2005-03-11/|url-status=live}}

Early life and family

McEntee was born in the village of Nobber in County Meath. He had seven siblings. His father Tony died in March 2011 at the age of 86, while his mother Madge outlived him.

He became an active member of Fine Gael when he joined the party at the age of 15. Before being elected, he worked as a farmer and agricultural sales representative. He ran the "Dee Local Bar".{{Cite news |title=Meath man whose loyalty to his community matched that to Fine Gael and the GAA |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/meath-man-whose-loyalty-to-his-community-matched-that-to-fine-gael-and-the-gaa-1.4443 |access-date=14 January 2023|newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}

McEntee was also very involved in the GAA, both as trainer and player (until an injury ended his promising career).{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} He played at the back with Nobber, and won the 1983 Feis Cup, managed the Meath minor team during the 1990s, and led three clubs (Ballinlough, Syddan, and Castletown) to finals of the Meath Intermediate Football Championship, with two wins from the three. His brother Gerry is a renowned surgeon, who won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Meath in 1987 and 1988. Another brother, Andy went on to manage Meath, while Andy's son Shane also played for Meath, both after the death of their brother and uncle respectively.{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=O'Brien|url=https://www.the42.ie/shane-mcentee-andy-meath-promotion-4560027-Mar2019/|title='Everyone who knows my dad knows the amount of work and effort he puts into it': Shane McEntee and his father, manager Andy, have helped Meath back into the top flight of the league|work=The42.ie|date=25 March 2019|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726035513/https://www.the42.ie/shane-mcentee-andy-meath-promotion-4560027-Mar2019/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first=Fintan|last=O'Toole|url=https://www.the42.ie/andy-mcentee-meath-2916319-Aug2016/|title=Meath appoint All-Ireland club winning boss McEntee as their new manager – And he'll be joined in the backroom by his brother Gerry|work=The42.ie|date=8 August 2016|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726060042/https://www.the42.ie/andy-mcentee-meath-2916319-Aug2016/|url-status=live}}

He was married with three daughters and a son.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1221/shane-mcentee-td.html|title=Death announced of Minister of State Shane McEntee|date=21 December 2012|work=RTÉ News|access-date=21 December 2012|archive-date=21 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221175147/http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1221/shane-mcentee-td.html|url-status=live}} His daughter Helen succeeded him as TD for Meath East after his death.

Politics

A close friend of Taoiseach Enda Kenny,{{cite news|first1=Fionnan|last1=Sheahan|first2=Lyndsey|last2=Telford|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-in-shock-as-junior-minister-shane-mcentee-dies-suddenly-3333654.html|title=Taoiseach in shock as Junior Minister Shane McEntee dies suddenly|date=21 December 2012|newspaper=Irish Independent|access-date=21 December 2012|archive-date=30 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230182945/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-in-shock-as-junior-minister-shane-mcentee-dies-suddenly-3333654.html|url-status=live}} McEntee's election candidacy began in 2004 when he was selected as the Fine Gael candidate in the Meath by-election, which was triggered by the resignation from the Dáil of former leader Fine Gael, John Bruton. Polling was on 11 March 2005, and McEntee narrowly beat the Fianna Fáil candidate Shane Cassells, and was elected to the 29th Dáil.

McEntee was re-elected at the 2007 and 2011 general elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6731|title=Shane McEntee|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=29 September 2009|archive-date=20 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520083308/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=6731|url-status=live}} He was the Fine Gael deputy spokesperson on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with special responsibility for Food and Fisheries from 2007 to 2011. McEntee gave an impassioned speech in defence of party leader Enda Kenny during the 2010 Fine Gael leadership challenge.{{cite news|first1=Fionnan|last1=Sheahan|first2=Fiach|last2=Kelly|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/a-rousing-speech-that-helped-to-save-kennys-leadership-3334028.html|title=A rousing speech that helped to save Kenny's leadership|date=22 December 2012|newspaper=Irish Independent|access-date=22 December 2012|archive-date=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101054531/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/a-rousing-speech-that-helped-to-save-kennys-leadership-3334028.html|url-status=live}} McEntee was also a successful campaigner on behalf of families in counties Dublin, Meath and Kildare whose homes had been damaged by pyrite in stone used in the foundations.

On 10 March 2011, he was appointed as the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety.{{cite journal|title=Appointment of Ministers of State|date=22 March 2011|journal=Iris Oifigiúil|url=https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2011/march/Ir220311.pdf|issue=23|volume=2011|pages=402–403|access-date=10 August 2021|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901071907/https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2011/march/Ir220311.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite Irish legislation|year=2011|type=si|number=283|name=Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011|date=14 June 2011|access-date=7 April 2021}}

Death

McEntee died by suicide on 21 December 2012, two days after his 56th birthday.{{cite news|first=Mary|last=Minihan|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1222/1224328122232.html|title=Tributes paid to late junior minister Shane McEntee|date=22 December 2012|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=22 December 2012|archive-date=22 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222125412/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1222/1224328122232.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/minister-of-state-shane-mcentee-dies-suddenly-578643.html|title=Minister of State Shane McEntee dies suddenly|date=21 December 2012|newspaper=Irish Examiner|access-date=21 December 2012|archive-date=30 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230204739/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/minister-of-state-shane-mcentee-dies-suddenly-578643.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/12/21/4013805-funeral-arrangements-for-minister-shane-mcentee/|title=Funeral arrangements for Minister Shane McEntee|date=21 December 2012|newspaper=Meath Chronicle|access-date=21 December 2012|archive-date=22 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222040032/http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/12/21/4013805-funeral-arrangements-for-minister-shane-mcentee/|url-status=live}} McEntee had been feeling under pressure because of criticism of a number of Government budgetary decisions.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/political-world-is-rocked-by-tragic-death-of-junior-minister-3334005.html|title=Political world is rocked by tragic death of junior minister|date=22 December 2012|newspaper=Irish Independent|access-date=22 December 2012|archive-date=22 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222232211/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/political-world-is-rocked-by-tragic-death-of-junior-minister-3334005.html|url-status=live}} His funeral took place on 24 December 2012. An inquest later returned a verdict of "asphyxiation by ligature".{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/inquest-held-into-death-of-politician-shane-mcentee-1.1541530|title=Inquest held into death of politician Shane McEntee|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=27 September 2013|access-date=6 December 2023}}

The by-election for his seat was held on 27 March 2013, and was won by his daughter Helen.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0328/378747-meath-east-by-election/|title=Helen McEntee wins Meath East by-election after third count|work=RTÉ News|date=28 March 2013|access-date=28 March 2013|archive-date=12 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312012103/http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0328/378747-meath-east-by-election/|url-status=live}}