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About Denis Gallagher
- Denis Gallagher (23 November 1922 – 3 November 2001) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.
- He served as Minister for the Gaeltacht on two occasions. Denis Gallagher was born in Currane, by Clew Bay, facing Achill Island, County Mayo in 1922.
- He was educated locally and at Coláiste Éinde in Salthill.
- He qualified as a national school teacher having graduated from St Patrick's College in Drumcondra, Dublin.
- He taught in Drimnagh in Dublin for several years before returning to Mayo in 1946 to take up a teaching post.
- Gallagher stood as a Clann na Poblachta candidate at the 1954 general election for Mayo North but was not elected. In the 1960s Gallagher changed allegiance and became a member of Fianna Fáil.
- He was elected to Mayo County Council in 1967 and was elected to Dáil Éireann on his third attempt at the 1973 general election for the Mayo West constituency.
- Gallagher did not remain on the backbenches for very long.
- He joined the Fianna Fáil front bench in 1974 as spokesperson on Fisheries.
- He remained in that position until 1977 when the party returned to power and Gallagher was appointed Minister for the Gaeltacht.
- He was an active Minister with an interest in Irish language affairs. During the 1979 leadership contest Gallagher supported George Colley.
- However, Charles Haughey became party leader and Taoiseach.
- Because of this Gallagher was demoted to the position of Minister of State.
- In October 1982, following the resignations of Martin O'Donoghue and Desmond O'Malley from the Cabinet, after they supported Charlie McCreevy's motion of no confidence, Gallagher returned as Minister for the Gaeltacht.
- He remained in that post until December when Fianna Fáil went into opposition. Following the 1987 general election there was no place in the cabinet for Gallagher.
- He was however made Minister of State at the Department of the Gaeltacht.
- As a result, he retired from politics at the following general election in 1989.
- After his retirement, he worked to advance the Irish language cause and also served as chairman of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Mayo.
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