James "Jim" Gibbons (1924 – December 20, 1997) was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected in 1957 as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) for Carlow-Kilkenny. He held his seat until 1982. Gibbons also served as Minister for Defence (1969-1970) and Minister for Agriculture (1970-1973 and 1977-1979). 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... Carlow Kilkenny is a constituency used in elections to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of parliament in the Republic of Ireland. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jim Gibbons was born in County Kilkenny in 1924. He came from a family that had a strong Fianna Fáil background, with Gibbons joining the party in his youth. He entered local politics in 1954 when he was elected to Kikenny County Council, an authority that he served on until 1967. Gibbons was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the first time at the 1957 General Election. Following Seán Lemass's re-election as Taoiseach in 1965, Gibbons was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance, Jack Lynch. County Kilkenny (Contae Chill Chainnigh in Irish) is located in the south east of Ireland in the province of Leinster. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... The Irish general election of 1957 was held on March 5, 1957, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on February 4. ... Seán Francis Lemass (July 15, 1899 - May 11, 1971) was Taoiseach of Ireland and served as the second leader of Fianna Fáil from 1959 until 1966. ... The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) or, more formally, An Taoiseach, is the head of government of the Republic of Ireland and the leader of the Irish cabinet. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to appoint parliamentary secretaries (in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, parliamentary assistants) from their caucus to assist cabinet ministers with their work. ... The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. ... John (Jack) Mary Lynch (15 August 1917—20 October 1999), was the fourth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. ...

Four years later in 1969 Lynch was Taoiseach and Gibbons joined the Cabinet as Minister for Defence. In 1970 the Arms Crisis broke when Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney were sacked by Lynch as he believed they were involved in a plot to import arms into Northern Ireland. At the subsequent Arms Trial Gibbons would be the chief prosecutorial witness and his evidence would contradict Haughey's. Haughey was found not guilty, therefore Gibbons was alleged to have been the dishonest one, an allegation that affected him deeply. Years later when Haughey returned to the Fianna Fáil front bench Gibbons hoped for a 'rapprochment' with Haughey. This never happened. Following the whole episode Gibbons was appointed Minister for Agriculture. In his new role Gibbons played a key role in the agricultural negotiations concerning entry into the European Economic Community and in the amalgamation of creameries in the country. 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Arms Crisis was a political scandal in the Republic of Ireland, in which two government ministers from the Fianna Fáil political party were accused of attempting to illegally import £100,000 worth of weapons for the Provisional Irish Republican Army. ... Charles Haughey (Irish name Cathal Ó hEochaidh; born on September 16, 1925), was the sixth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving three terms in office; 1979 to 1981, March 1982 to December 1982 and 1987 to 1992. ... Neil Blaney (October 1, 1922 - November 8, 1995), was a senior Irish politician. ... Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French for God and my right)4 Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages none English is the most widely used language; Irish has official recognition. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ...

A general election victory for Fianna Fáil in 1979 saw Haughey and Gibbons back in the Cabinet together. In 1979 Gibbons voted against a "Family Planning Bill" introduced by Haughey that legalised the sale of contraceptives. He was the first Minister in the history of the state to do this yet the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, took no action against him. In December of that year Haughey replaced Lynch as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach. Subsequently Gibbons lost his place at Cabinet. Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) or, more formally, An Taoiseach, is the head of government of the Republic of Ireland and the leader of the Irish cabinet. ... John (Jack) Mary Lynch (15 August 1917—20 October 1999), was the fourth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland but more often translated - inaccurately - as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ...

After he lost his seat at the 1981 General Election he called for a change of leadership within the party. He regained his seat at the February 1982 General Election and voted against Haughey in the leadership challenge that was proposed by Charlie McCreevy. Leaving the Dáil after the vote he was attacked by a number of drunken Fianna Fáil supporters and forced to the ground. A friend of his saw off the attackers. In the aftermath, new swivel doors were erected to prevent mobs pushing their way into the parliament building. The incident is recounted by Desmond O'Malley in the RTÉ documentary series Seven Ages, although O'Malley does not mention Gibbons by name. After his death over a decade later, Gibbons' son revealed that his father had never fully recovered from the physical assault on him. The Irish general election of 1981 was held on June 11, 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on May 21. ... The Irish general election of February 1982 was held on February 18, 1982, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on January 27. ... Charlie McCreevy Charles (Charlie) McCreevy, (born September 1949) is a senior Irish politician. ... Desmond Joseph (Dessie) OMalley (born February 2, 1939), was a senior Fianna Fáil politician, the founder of the Progressive Democrats and the partys first leader (1985-1993). ... Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ; Irish for Radio and Television of Ireland) is the national publicly-funded broadcaster of Ireland. ... Seven Ages is a historical documentary series that was produced by Araby Productions, in association with The OReilly Foundation, for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland. ...

A few weeks after this he suffered a heart attack and was unable to vote for Haughey later that year in a no-confidence motion at which point the government fell. He lost his seat at the November 1982 General Election and retired from politics. He suffered from ill health during the last years of his life and suffered a number of heart attacks and strokes. The Irish general election of November 1982 was held on November 24, 1982, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on November 4. ...

Jim Gibbons died on the December 20, 1997 aged 73. December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Ministerial Career