Mary Ann O'Brien

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by BrownHairedGirl (talk | contribs) at 02:52, 26 April 2020 (Removing from Category:21st-century Irish women politicians per WP:SUBCAT using Cat-a-lot). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Mary Ann O'Brien
Senator
In office
May 2011 – April 2016
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born (1960-09-08) 8 September 1960 (age 63)
County Waterford, Ireland
Political partyRenua Ireland (since March 2015)
Other political
affiliations		Independent
SpouseJonathan Irwin (m. 1991)
ChildrenThree sons (two deceased); two daughters

Mary Ann O'Brien (born 8 September 1960) is an Irish businesswoman and politician.[1] She is the founder and chairman of Lily O'Brien's Chocolates[2] and in 1997, she founded the Jack and Jill Foundation with her husband Jonathan Irwin, to provide home health care to severely sick babies. It was set up as a direct response to their experience of caring at home for their son Jack, born with severe brain damage in 1996.

O'Brien's family background is in horse racing - her father Phonsie O'Brien and uncle Vincent O'Brien were both notable racehorse trainers.[3]

In May 2011, she was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the 24th Seanad.[4][5]

At the launch of Renua Ireland in March 2015, O'Brien was announced as a party candidate.[6] The Sunday Times and the Irish Daily Mail reported that she was not a party member.[7] O'Brien clarified that she would remain independent while a Senator and join Renua to stand at the 2016 general election.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Mary Ann O'Brien". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  2. ^ "About us". Lily O'Brien's. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  3. ^ Smith, Andrea (12 June 2013). "'I'd pretend it was all fine at work, then go home and start sobbing with stress'". Herald.ie.
  4. ^ Edwards, Elaine (20 May 2011). "McAleese appointed to Seanad". The Irish Times.
  5. ^ "Mary Ann O'Brien". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  6. ^ O'Connell, Hugh (13 March 2015). "Here's everything we know about Renua Ireland (and its policies)". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  7. ^ "A Renua senator? Me? I'm not even a member!". Irish Daily Mail. 14 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Kildare Senator To Join Renua Ireland". Kfm. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
Stub icon

This article about an independent politician in Ireland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This business-related Irish biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a member of Seanad Éireann is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Ann_O%27Brien&oldid=953180876"