‘My only regret is not having courage to come out while in politics’

During a political career that spanned almost a quarter of a century, Pat Carey served as a local councillor, minister, government chief whip and, most recently, as director of the upcoming election for Fianna Fáil.

However, it was his involvement in the Marriage Equality Bill that drew public attention and praise when he came out as a gay man. At the time, he said it had taken him 65 years to “pluck up the courage and confidence” to speak about his sexuality.

Born in 1947, he grew up on a 14-acre mountain-side farm in the parish of Keel, Co Kerry. Having received an education from the Presentation Brothers in Milltown, Co Kerry, he moved to Dublin to study. He went on to work as a national teacher and a deputy principal.