Dr. Thomas F. O'Higgins was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann for Laois Offaly in 1932 as a Cumann na nGaedheal TD, and later as a Fine Gael Deputy. He was the founder of the Army Comrades Association, commonly referred to as the Blueshirts, Irelands quasi-fascist organisation. He became parliamentary leader of Fine Gael in 1944, while the former leader, Richard Mulcahy, was attempting to get elected to Seanad Éireann and retain his position. The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. ... The Laois-Offaly parliamentary constituency spans the entire area of both the Leinster counties, taking in Tullamore, Birr, Portarlington and Portlaoise. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) is a leap year starting on Friday. ... Cumann na nGaedheal (League of the Gaels) was an Irish language name given to two Irish political parties. ... A TD or Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas (pronounced orr-och-tas) or National Parliament. ... Fine Gael (IPA , though often mispronounced (approximate English translation: Family of the Irish) is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Army Comrades Association (ACA), better known by its nickname The Blueshirts, was an Irish organisation set up by former police commissioner and army General Eoin ODuffy in the 1930s. ... Fine Gael (IPA , though often mispronounced (approximate English translation: Family of the Irish) is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Richard Mulcahy General Richard Mulcahy (1886 - 1971) was an Irish politician, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister. ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ...

In 1948 he joined the Cabinet of John A. Costello as Minister for Defence. His sons, Tom O'Higgins and Michael O'Higgins, were also members of the Dáil, the former serving in the government and was twice defeated for the position of President of Ireland. Dr. O'Higgins died in 1953. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Government (Irish: Rialtas) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. ... John Aloysius Costello (20 June 1891 - 5 January 1976), a successful barrister, was one of the main legal advisors to the government of the Irish Free State after independence, Attorney-General of Ireland from 1926-1932 and Taoiseach from 1948-1951 and 1954-1957. ... Tom OHiggins (July 23, 1916 - February 25, 2003), was an Irish Fine Gael politician, a barrister, and a judge. ... Michael J. OHiggins was an Irish politician. ... The President of Ireland (Irish: Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...