Father, husband, and GAA man rose through FG ranks

Shane McEntee was a politician, a husband and father, and a Meath GAA man who rose to the higher ranks of Fine Gael after a crucial by election seat victory for the party.

He was born in the town of Nobber.

He joined Fine Gael at the age of 15 while attending St Finian’s College in Mullingar.

Before being elected to Dáil Éireann, he worked as a farmer, as well as an agricultural sales representative.

Mr McEntee also ran the Dee Local Bar for nine years.

The 56-year-old had a history of being involved in voluntary organisations, and had a strong interest in GAA.

He trained numerous football teams over the last 20 years, including the Meath minors.

His brother, Gerry, is an All Ireland-winning Meath footballer.

The road to Dáil Éireann began in 2004 when he was selected as the Fine Gael candidate in the Meath by-election, which resulted from the resignation of the party’s former leader John Bruton after his appointment to the post of EU ambassador in Washington.

During the election in early 2005, Mr McEntee narrowly beat Fianna Fáil candidate Shane Cassells, and was elected to the 29th Dáil.

Mr McEntee polled 17,000 first preferences — some 34% of the vote — and it was the first time since 1927 that a Fianna Fáil candidate had not topped the poll in a Dáil contest in Meath.

The win for Fine Gael was seen as being important for the party at the time, with Enda Kenny calling it a “very sweet victory”.

He went on to be re-elected in 2007 and 2011. During periods while Fine Gael was in opposition, he was deputy spokesman for transport for the party and later became deputy spokesman for agriculture. When Fine Gael entered Government, Mr McEntee was appointed minister of state at the Department of Agriculture with special responsibilities for food, food safety, and horticulture, in March 2011.

Mr McEntee lived in Castletown, Co Meath with his wife Kathleen and their children Vincent, Helen, and Sally.

He had celebrated his birthday earlier this week.