17 Facts About Jim Kemmy

James Joseph Oliver Mary Kemmy was an Irish socialist politician from Limerick, who started his political career in the Labour Party.

Jim Kemmy later left Labour, was elected as an independent Teachta Dala, and founded the Democratic Socialist Party, which merged with the Labour Party in the 1990s.

Jim Kemmy worked for many years as bricklayer for Limerick City Council.

In 1963, Jim Kemmy joined the Labour Party and worked as a trade unionist.

Jim Kemmy was a member of the party's National Administrative Council, and its Director of Elections in 1969.

Jim Kemmy resigned from the party in 1972 because of conflict with local Labour TD Stephen Coughlan.

Jim Kemmy stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for Dail Eireann in the Limerick East constituency at the 1977 general election.

At the November 1982 general election, Jim Kemmy lost his seat to Labour's Frank Prendergast.

Jim Kemmy returned to Dail Eireann at the 1987 general election and was re-elected again at the 1989 general election.

Jim Kemmy was re-elected as a Labour Party TD at the 1992 general election and again at the 1997 general election.

Jim Kemmy was twice elected Mayor of Limerick, from 1991 to 1992 and again from 1995 to 1996.

Shortly before his death, Jim Kemmy edited the acclaimed book The Limerick Anthology which featured the work of his admirer, Frank McCourt.

Jim Kemmy died on 25 September 1997, following a short illness.

Jim Kemmy was buried in Mount St Lawrence cemetery, Limerick, after a secular funeral ceremony.

Jim Kemmy was the founder and editor of the Old Limerick Journal, which promoted the study of Limerick history with an emphasis on the neglected area of labour history.

Jim Kemmy edited two collections of Limerick-related prose and poetry, The Limerick anthology and The Limerick compendium, and was joint author of Limerick in old postcards.

The Jim Kemmy Papers are housed at the Glucksman Library, University of Limerick.