Photograph of President Hillery on the Set of The Great Train Robbery, July 1978
Dr Patrick Hillery was born in Miltown Malbay, County Clare on 2 May 1923. In 1939, he entered UCD to study medicine graduating in 1947 with first class honours.
In 1951 Hillery was nominated as a Fianna Fáil candidate for the Clare constituency winning the third seat to become a TD in the 14th Dáil Éireann. Initially Hillery continued to practice medicine combining this career with his constituency and Dáil commitments.
In 1959 Hillery was appointed Minister for Education where he was responsible for developing and facilitating a number of initiatives including the formation of comprehensive schools outside the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church; the OECD Pilot Study on Investment in Education; and the establishment of the Belfield campus by University College Dublin.
In 1965 Seán Lemass appointed him as Minister for Industry and Commerce and a short while later to a new Ministry for Labour. Here he faced considerable challenges involving the trade unions, strikes and industrial relations.
Following the general election in June 1969 Hillery was appointed as Minister for External Affairs, later Foreign Affairs. Within weeks of his appointment Hillery found himself facing a worsening security situation in Northern Ireland. He travelled to the UN in an attempt to gain agreement for a peacekeeping force in the North, a move strongly resisted by Britain and the US. Hillery was involved in strenuous lobbying in diplomatic circles to further Ireland’s wish to become a member of the EEC. He led the negotiations for Irish accession, and the successful constitutional referendum resulting in the signing of the Treaty in January 1972.
In 1972 Hillery was offered, and accepted, the position of Ireland’s first Commissioner to the EEC. He resigned his Dáil seat in January 1973 to take up his new post as Vice President of the Commission and Commissioner for Social Affairs.
Following the resignation of Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh as President in October 1976, Hillery accepted the Fianna Fáil nomination. The government parties had already announced that they would not contest an election and Hillery was declared elected as Ireland’s sixth President on 9 November 1976. He went on to serve a second term as President, re-elected unopposed in November 1983.
Hillery retired from office in November 1990 marking the end of an extraordinary public career as government minister, European Commissioner and President of Ireland. Hillery died on 12 April 2008, a few weeks before his eighty-fifth birthday.
The Dr P.J. Hillery Papers held in UCD Archives cover his long career in public office. They include a large number of photographs covering all aspects of his public career as government minister, European Commissioner and President of Ireland 1961–90 as well as photographs of his family and early career as an intern and doctor, 1920s– 40s.
File P205/186 includes black and white photographs of Hillery visiting the set of the film The Great Train Robbery in the Phoenix Park in July 1978. Also photographed are Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco who were visiting Ireland at the time as well as the actor Sean Connery, the director of the film Michael Crichton and the Managing Director of Ardmore Studios Sheamus Smith.
UCDA P205/186 Papers of Patrick Hillery. Black and white photographs of President Hillery on the Set of The Great Train Robbery, July 1978.
L-R Prince Rainier of Monaco, Sheamus Smith (Managing Director of Ardmore Studios), President Patrick Hillery, Michael Crichton (author and director), Princess Grace of Monaco.
L-R Unidentified, Sean Connery (actor), Sheamus Smith (Managing Director of Ardmore Studios), President Patrick Hillery