Daniel Cassidy was born on 15 September 1945 and is a former Irish Fianna Fail politician who served as Leader of the Seanad from 2007 to 2011.
16 Facts About Donie Cassidy
1.
2.
Donie Cassidy served as a Senator for the Labour Panel from 1982 to 2002 and 2007 to 2011 and a Teachta Dala for the Westmeath constituency from 2002 to 2007.
3.
Donie Cassidy came to prominence in Ireland through the show band scene.
4.
Donie Cassidy was the manager of Foster and Allen, a popular singing duo that enjoyed success inside and outside Ireland.
5.
Donie Cassidy first became involved in politics in 1982 when he was elected as a Fianna Fail Senator for the Labour Panel.
6.
Donie Cassidy was a member of Westmeath County Council from 1985 until 2003 at which point he resigned from the council due to the abolition of the dual mandate.
7.
Donie Cassidy was elected to Dail Eireann for the Westmeath constituency at the 2002 general election, taking the seat of sitting TD and Government Minister Mary O'Rourke.
8.
The fact that Donie Cassidy lost most of his home base of Castlepollard and north Westmeath due to the redrawing of the constituency did not help him.
9.
On 22 June 2007, Donie Cassidy was nominated by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to Seanad Eireann and was appointed Leader of the Seanad for the remaining weeks of the 22nd Seanad's existence.
10.
Donie Cassidy was elected to the Labour Panel at the 2007 Seanad general election and was Leader of the Seanad until March 2011.
11.
Donie Cassidy lost his seat at the 2011 Seanad election.
12.
Donie Cassidy was President of the Oireachtas Golf Society during the "GolfGate" controversy in August 2020, in which 81 prominent figures attended a dinner in Clifden, County Galway during COVID-19 restrictions.
13.
In February 2021, it was announced by the Garda Siochana that Donie Cassidy is to face charges over alleged breaches of Covid-19 regulations by arranging by golf dinner.
14.
Donie Cassidy owns four hotels, including one on the former site of the National Wax Museum as well as The Belvedere Hotel on Great Denmark Street.
15.
Donie Cassidy owns Celtic Note, a specialist Irish music store on Dublin's Nassau Street and since 1984 has had the franchise to sell CDs and DVDs at Dublin Airport.
16.
Donie Cassidy owns the publishing rights to many well known songs such as 'Grace' and 'My Lovely Rose of Clare'.