Patrick McKee

Patrick McKee (born 15 June 1988[1]) is an Irish former politician. He is a member of Fianna Fáil, and was formerly a member of Renua and was their candidate in the 2015 Carlow-Kilkenny Dáil by-election.[2][3][4]

Patrick McKee
Kilkenny County Councillor
In office
23 May 2014 – 24 May 2019
ConstituencyKilkenny City West
Personal details
NationalityIrish
Political partyFianna Fáil
(until 2015, since 2018)
Other political
affiliations		Renua (2015–16)
Independent (2016–18)
Alma materUniversity College Cork
Websitewww.patrickmckee.ie

Background

McKee was born in June 1988. He attended secondary school at St Kieran's College until 2006, going on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Business from Waterford Institute of Technology in 2010.[5] In 2011 he received a Bachelor of Laws degree from University College Cork.[6] Since 2012 McKee has worked as a trainee solicitor at W.A. Smithwick & Son, Solicitors in Kilkenny.[7] McKee publicly came out as a gay man in 2011 during an interview on local radio.[8][9][10]

Political career

McKee joined Ógra Fianna Fáil in 2006 and established the Thomas Francis Meagher Cumann during his time in WIT. During his time in Waterford he worked closely with former Minister for Transport Martin Cullen TD.

McKee moved through the ranks of Fianna Fáil's youth wing, holding positions both locally and nationally. He was elected Leinster representative on Ógra Fianna Fáil's National Youth Committee in 2011.

During 2010 McKee worked as an intern in Seanad Éireann for Senator Mark Daly.

In 2013 he declared his candidacy for Kilkenny County Council in the forthcoming elections and in May 2014 was elected in the Kilkenny City West constituency as a member of Fianna Fáil. McKee is currently the youngest member of the Council. He was elected chairman of the Joint Policing Committee and leas-cathaoirleach of the Council. In March 2015 McKee left Fianna Fáil amid rumors of homophobic bullying and joined the newly formed Renua party. [11][6][12] In December 2016, McKee left Renua Ireland and became an independent. He returned to Fianna Fail in 2018 [13]

References
  1. "Patrick McKee - Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  2. "Renua Ireland unveil Patrick McKee as new candidate". utv.ie. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  3. "Fianna Fail still using Patrick McKee's image on campaign literature despite party exit - Independent.ie". independent.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  4. "Carlow-Kilkenny byelection: Renua policies closest to FG". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  5. "Blow for Fianna Fáil as rising star defects to Lucinda's party - Independent.ie". independent.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  6. "Confirmed: McKee leaves FF for Renua". kilkennypeople.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. Says, theraggedwagon (31 March 2015). "Leaflet from Patrick McKee -Renua Ireland – 2015 Carlow Kilkenny By-Election". irishelectionliterature.com. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  8. Kane, Conor (31 March 2015). "Patrick McKee joins Renua, denies approaching Sinn Féin". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  9. Mullen, Aoife. "'It was upsetting for my kids' – candidates criticise defacement of local election posters". thejournal.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  10. Brophy, Daragh. ""This is about fear…": Renua candidate's poster defaced with anti-gay slurs". thejournal.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  11. O'Connell, Hugh. "'I never said that': Renua's latest recruit denies trying to join Sinn Féin". thejournal.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  12. "Kilkenny Cllr Patrick McKee leaves Fianna Fail for Renua". kclr96fm.com. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  13. Vaughan, MarryAnn. "Patrick McKee trades in his (Re)nua party for old". kclr96fm.com. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
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