John O'Donoghue

John O'Donoghue (born 28 May 1956) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 2007 to 2009, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism from 2002 to 2007, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 1997 to 2002 and Minister of State at the Department of Finance from 1991 to 1992. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kerry South constituency from 1987 to 2011. Early and private life O'Donoghue was born in Cork in 1956, but is a native of Cahersiveen, County Kerry. He was educated locally at Cahersiveen CBS and later attended University College Cork (UCC) where he studied law. He graduated from UCC in 1976 with a BCL (Hons) and in 1977 with a LLB (Hons). O'Donoghue later attended the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland from where he graduated as a solicitor in 1978. Once qualified he practised as a solicitor in his home town of Cahersiveen before entering political life. O'Donoghue is married to Kate Ann Murphy and they have two sons and one daughter. His father-in-law Michael Pat Murphy was a Labour Party TD for Cork South-West from 1951 until 1981. Early political career O'Donoghue first became involved in politics in the early 1980s. He first ran for the Dáil as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 1981 general election, however, in spite of polling over 3,700 he failed to be elected. O'Donoghue contested both the February and November general elections in 1982 but, although he increased his vote, he still failed to be elected. Building on his electoral profile O'Donoghue was elected to Kerry County Council following the 1985 local elections. Both his mother and his father had served on the council before him. He served on that authority until 1997 and was elected chairman in 1990.