Billy Lawless

Billy Lawless (born 24 December 1950) is an Irish former Independent politician and businessman who served as a Senator from 2016 to 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2] Lawless is a native of Rahoon, County Galway. In the 1980s, he was Chair of Fine Gael in the Galway West constituency and stood unsuccessfully for Galway City Council in 1991.[3][4] He emigrated to Chicago in 1998, having always harboured plans to open a business in the U.S. He made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship to Boston University.[5]

Billy Lawless
Senator
In office
11 May 2016 – 27 March 2020
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born
William Lawless

(1950-12-24) 24 December 1950
Galway, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
SpouseAnne Lawless (m. 1980)
Children4

Family currently owns five restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 460 people,[6] and is a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.[6]

Lawless has been credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman of Galway in 2015 for these efforts.[6] He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by NUI Galway in June 2015.[7] On 11 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad, making him the first overseas Irish Senator.[8]

Lawless had close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform.[9] He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2021 Seanad by-elections. In 2021, Lawless was awarded the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Community Support.[10]

References
  1. "Billy Lawless". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  2. "Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees". RTÉ News. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  3. "Billy Lawless". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  4. Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016). "New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  5. Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016). "Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  6. O'Shea, Jamie (28 May 2016). "Billy Lawless named as first ever emigrant senator by Irish leader". Irish Central. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  7. "Honorary Conferrings". Cois Coiribe. Winter 2015. p. 49.
  8. "Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny". Irish American News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  9. O'Shea, James (29 May 2016). "New Irish emigrant senator under fire for Fine Gael, Kenny links". Irish Central. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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