Obituary: Seán Sherwin, former Fianna Fáil TD and chief party organiser who was also a successful businessman

Irish Independent

11-05-2025

Seán's father was a bricklayer and his mother took up a part-time job to assist her son's education. After attending De La Salle secondary school he studied social science at University College Dublin, believing it might help in developing a political career.
However, his father became a building contractor and Seán switched over to Bolton Street College of Technology where he studied quantity surveying.
He was still a student at Bolton Street when he stood as a Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin South-West in the 1969 general election.
Making a speech in the local ­district of Drimnagh on June 3, 1969, he said the fact that he was perhaps the youngest candidate in the entire ­contest was proof Fianna Fáil meant business when it declared the young men and women of tomorrow should have their voices heard.
He wasn't elected on that occasion but polled a quite impressive 1,623 first preferences, getting eliminated on the fifth count. Fianna Fáil and Labour each won two of the four Dáil seats in the constituency.
However, Labour's Seán Dunne died just seven days after the general election at the age of 50 and Sherwin was selected by Fianna Fáil as its candidate in the subsequent by-election.
Labour chose trade union official Matt Merrigan over a number of alternative candidates including Seán Dunne's widow Cora who stood instead as Independent Labour.
The by-election was held on March 4, 1970, and Sherwin won on the fourth count by 262 votes — a significant achievement in a constituency with a strong Labour presence.
A week later, he arrived at Leinster House to take his seat, where he was greeted by government chief whip at the time, Des O'Malley. Interestingly, Charlie Haughey came into the Dáil chamber to observe the new TD making his first speech.
Eighteen months later, in September 1971, Sherwin announced his resignation from Fianna Fáil and joined Aontacht Éireann, a new party headed by his friend and former minister Kevin Boland who favoured a strong interventionist approach by the government to the Troubles. ­
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Sherwin was also unhappy with ­taoiseach Jack Lynch's approach to the North and to social welfare issues.
In the February 1973 general election, all 13 of the Aontacht Éireann candidates, including Boland, were unsuccessful.
Sherwin was the only one to retain his £100 deposit but his seat was won by Declan Costello of Fine Gael whose party formed a coalition government with Labour.
Sherwin went on to become very successful in the business sphere, with substantial interests in the ­Middle East and North Africa, especially Libya. He also became executive director of the Mater Hospital Foundation in July 1984.
After Haughey became leader of ­Fianna Fáil in December 1979, ­Sherwin rejoined the party and ran unsuccessfully as a candidate in Dublin West in the November 1982 general election.
In October 1985 he was appointed as Fianna Fáil's national organiser, in succession to Joe O'Neill who had died the previous year.
In December 2001, he was awarded £250 in damages at the High Court in a libel action against the Sunday ­Independent but the case involved very substantial costs.
Seán Sherwin passed away peacefully at home in Rooskey, Co Roscommon, on April 30. He was predeceased by his wife, Betty Sherwin, his sister Margaret, his brother-in-law Bernie and recently-deceased cousin Pat.
He is sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his children John, Liz and Marc, and their spouses Caríosa, Tom and Dorcas, his grandchildren Seán, Tom and David, his brother Kevin and sister-in-law Catherine as well as nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbours.
Following repose at his residence in Rooskey he was taken to Stafford's Funeral Home in the Dublin district of Ballyfermot.
His funeral mass took place at the local Our Lady of the Assumption Church on Monday May 5, followed by burial at Saggart Cemetery. A video of the funeral mass is currently available on the church's website.