Billy Lawless
Billy Lawless | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator | |
| In office 11 May 2016 – 27 March 2020 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Gordon Lawless 4 July 1951 Galway, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Kate Lawless (m. 1980) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
Billy Lawless (born 4 July 1951) is an Irish former Independent politician and businessman who served as a Senator from 2016 to 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2]
Lawless is a native of Rahoon, County Galway. In the 1980s, he was Chair of Fine Gael in the Galway West constituency and stood unsuccessfully for Galway City Council in 1991.[3][4]
He emigrated to Chicago in 1998, having always harboured plans to open a business in the U.S. he made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship to Boston University.[5]
He owns four restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 260 people.[6]
He is a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.[6]
Lawless has been credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman of Galway in 2015 for these efforts.[6] He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by NUI Galway in June 2015.[7]
On 11 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad, making him the first overseas Irish Senator.[8]
Lawless had close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform.[9]
References
- ^ "Billy Lawless". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees". RTÉ News. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Billy Lawless". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016). "New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016). "Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ a b c O'Shea, Jamie (28 May 2016). "Billy Lawless named as first ever emigrant senator by Irish leader". Irish Central. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Honorary Conferrings". Cois Coiribe. Winter 2015. p. 49.
- ^ "Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny". Irish American News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ O'Shea, James (29 May 2016). "New Irish emigrant senator under fire for Fine Gael, Kenny links". Irish Central. Retrieved 22 June 2020.