Vivion de Valera

Vivion Laurence de Valera (13 December 1910 – 16 February 1982) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, businessman and lawyer who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1945 to 1981.^[1]

Vivion de Valera
Teachta Dála
In office June 1977 – June 1981
Constituency	Dublin Cabra
In office June 1969 – June 1977
Constituency	Dublin Central
In office February 1948 – June 1969
Constituency	Dublin North-Central
In office December 1945 – February 1948
Constituency	Dublin North-West
Personal details
Born	(1910-12-13)13 December 1910 Dublin, Ireland
Died	16 February 1982(1982-02-16) (aged 71) Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Resting place	Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Spouses	Bride Hearne ​ (m. 1942⁠–⁠1951)​ Vera Rock ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	2
Parents	Éamon de Valera (father) Sinéad de Valera (mother)
Relatives	Catherine Coll (grandmother) Rúaidhrí de Valera (brother) Máirin de Valéra (sister)
Education	Blackrock College
Alma mater	University College Dublin King's Inns
Military service
Allegiance	Ireland
Branch/service	Army Reserve
Years of service	1939–1946
Rank	Major
Unit	Cavalry Corps
Battles/wars	The Emergency
Awards	Service Medal

He was the eldest child of Éamon de Valera and Sinéad de Valera.^[2] He was named after his paternal grandfather, Juan Vivion de Valera.

Born in Dublin in 1910, Vivion de Valera was educated at Blackrock College, University College Dublin (MSc, PhD) and King's Inns. While at UCD, he was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society. He was called to the Bar in 1937. After military service in the Cavalry Corps of the Army Reserve during The Emergency, de Valera retired from the army with the rank of Major.^[3] For this reason he was often referred to as Major de Valera, including in the Dáil reports.^[4]

In 1945, he embarked on a political career, being elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North-West at a by-election following the resignation of Fianna Fáil TD Seán T. O'Kelly on his election as President of Ireland. He served in Dáil Éireann until 1981.^[5] He was a director of The Irish Press from 1932 until 1982 and managing director from 1951 until 1982.^[2]

Vivion de Valera died in Bray in 1982. He was also the uncle of former ministers and TDs Síle de Valera and Éamon Ó Cuív.^[2]

References

1. "Vivion de Valera". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
2. Dempsey, Pauric J.; Boylan, Shaun. "De Valera, Vivion Laurence". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
3. "Frank Aiken, de Valera and Major Vivion de Valera walking across the tarmac at Dublin Airport". UCD School of History and Archives. 13 September 1958. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
4. Dáil reports, as published on www.oireachtas.ie
5. "Vivion de Valera". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.