Richard Hourigan

Richard V. Hourigan (1 April 1939 – 9 November 2002) was a Fine Gael politician from County Limerick in Ireland.^[1] He was a senator for most of the years from 1982 to 1987, and from 1989 to 1993.

Richard Hourigan
Senator
In office 1 November 1989 – 17 February 1993
In office 13 May 1982 – 25 April 1987
Constituency	Agricultural Panel
Personal details
Born	(1939-04-01)1 April 1939 County Limerick, Ireland
Died	9 November 2002(2002-11-09) (aged 63) County Limerick, Ireland
Party	Fine Gael
Education	St Munchin's College
Alma mater	University College Dublin

Background

Richard Hourigan was born at the demesne The Orchards, Annagh, Lisnagry, County Limerick, Ireland, in April 1939.^[2][3] He was the second son of Mona Lane and James Hourigan, both originating from influential farming families in County Clare and County Limerick.^[4][5] He is also a first cousin of MEP Paddy Lane and cousin of TD Neasa Hourigan.^[6][7][8]

He was educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick, and later at University College Dublin (UCD). Hourigan had a reputation as a formidable speaker, winning the president's gold medal for oratory while at UCD. Jim Farrelly's Who's Who in Irish Politics, 1990–1991, described Hourigan as "an able, witty speaker who is extremely knowledgeable on farming and on farmer politics".^[9]

Political career

Hourigan stood unsuccessfully as a Fine Gael candidate for Dáil Éireann in the Limerick East constituency at the 1981 general election. In 1982, he was elected to the 16th Seanad on the Agricultural Panel, and was re-elected in 1983 to the 17th Seanad, serving until the 1987 elections. He was re-elected at the 1989 election to the 19th Seanad, but was defeated at the 1993 Seanad elections, and failed to regain the seat when he stood again in 1997.^[10][11] He died in County Limerick on 9 November 2002.^[12][13] He was buried in Abington graveyard.^[14]