30 Facts About Dick Spring

Dick Spring was a Labour Party Teachta Dala for the Kerry North from 1981 to 2002.

Dick Spring became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997.

Dick Spring was educated at Cistercian College in Roscrea, County Tipperary, and at Trinity College Dublin, and qualified as a barrister at King's Inns.

Dick Spring is a descendant of the Anglo-Irish Spring family that settled in County Kerry in the late 16th century.

Dick Spring played Gaelic football and hurling for Kerry during the 1970s.

Dick Spring played his club football with the Kerins O'Rahilly's club in Tralee and hurling with Crotta O'Neill's, he played underage hurling with Austin Stacks and won a minor county championship in 1967.

Dick Spring then won rugby union caps for Munster, and lined out for London Irish in the UK.

Dick Spring was capped for Ireland three times during the 1979 Five Nations Championship, debuting against France on 20 January 1979 at Lansdowne Road, and receiving his last international cap on 17 February 1979 against England at Lansdowne Road.

Dick Spring replaced his father Dan Spring TD on Kerry County Council that year.

Dick Spring senior had been a TD for Kerry North since 1943, mostly representing Labour, but he was briefly a member of National Labour.

Dick Spring was first elected to Dail Eireann in the general election of 1981 for the constituency of Kerry North, the seat previously held by his father Dan.

Dick Spring easily defeated Barry Desmond and Michael D Higgins, but inherited the leadership of a deeply divided party.

Dick Spring was a strong opponent of anti-coalition politics and systematically removed Trotskyist activists from the party.

Dick Spring was closely involved in the negotiations which led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.

Dick Spring was appointed Tanaiste for the second time, and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dick Spring insisted on a formalised system of programme managers, and state-paid advisers to push the new Government's policy platform.

Dick Spring had reservations about Whelehan being suitable, owing to the alleged laxity of his handling of a particular child abuse criminal case, involving a disgraced Catholic priest.

Dick Spring withdrew with his ministers from the cabinet meeting which proceeded to recommend Mr Whelehan's appointment to the President.

Dick Spring entered into negotiations with Reynolds' new successor, Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Finance.

Dick Spring broke off negotiations with Fianna Fail, and instead pursued negotiations to form a coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left.

Dick Spring returned to his positions as Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dick Spring remained a TD, being appointed a director in the formerly state owned recently privatized telecommunications company Eircom in 1999.

Dick Spring lost his seat in a shock result at the 2002 general election.

Dick Spring devoted considerable energy and resources towards increasing Ireland's international influence and diplomatic ties in UN, in the post Cold War world.

Dick Spring got even harsher criticism, for using the Government Jet to reduce journey times between his home in Tralee and his office in Dublin.

Dick Spring brought the Irish Labour Party unprecedented exposure and power in government, at a time when the two significantly larger right-of-centre political blocs had precedence in every election.

Dick Spring later became involved in the Cyprus dispute as a United Nations envoy.

Dick Spring received a directorship appointment to the Irish state telecom enterprise, Eircom, in advance of the scheduled privatisation.

Dick Spring continues to hold a directorship, with the Financial Services firm FEXCO, based in Killorglin, County Kerry.

Dick Spring is a member of Ballybunion Golf Club, and has invited former US President Bill Clinton, amongst others, to visit there.