Meet the Healy-Raes: Who's who in Kerry's political dynasty?
Kerry's Healy-Rae political dynasty. Picture: Irish Examiner Graphics
The first generation of the Healy-Rae political dynasty in Kerry started with Jackie, a colourful politician whose origins in politics were rooted in Fianna Fáil.
He became involved in politics in the 1960s, working on several Fianna Fáil election campaigns not only in Kerry, but across the country.
In 1973, he was co-opted to Kerry County Council and was re-elected in 1974. He was a councillor until 2003, when new rules were introduced that stopped TDs and Senators from also holding council seats.
He left Fianna Fáil in 1997 as part of a bitter row that saw the party refusing to nominate him to contest the general election for Kerry South.
Jackie Snr won the seat and was a TD for Kerry between 1997 and 2011.
Upon his retirement in 2011, his son Michael won his seat. Jackie Healy-Rae died in 2014 aged 83.
Read More
Michael Healy-Rae was elected at the 2011 general election and has been re-elected in every election since.
A father of five, aged 59, he was first elected to Kerry County Council in 1999. Often branded “Ireland’s wealthiest TD”, he is a postmaster, a petrol station operator, and a plant hire owner.
He is also one of the only TDs in the Dáil to double up as a reality TV star, with his appearance on causing controversy after it emerged that he received over 3,600 votes from a phone in Leinster House.
Following the November 2024 election, Michael was appointed Minister of State for forestry at the Department of Agriculture.
He dramatically resigned during a confidence motion over the Government’s handling of the 2026 fuel protests.
He later criticised his brother, Danny, for calling for Micheál Martin and Simon Harris to be replaced on the day before the vote of confidence.
Michael said his brother's comments had "cost Kerry" a government ministry.
Michael's son Jackie, 31, was first elected to Kerry County Council in 2019.
He was convicted of an assault in 2017, which he denied.
Jackie Jnr served as Michael's special adviser in the department of agriculture from 2025 until he stood down from the Government in April 2026.
At 71, Danny is the older of the two Healy-Rae brothers. He runs a pub in Kilgarvan, named after his late father, and has six children.
Danny first entered politics in 2003, taking Jackie’s seat on Kerry County Council.
He remained on the council until 2016, when he joined Michael in Dáil Éireann. He immediately hit headlines after his election to the Dáil, saying in May 2016 that he “doesn’t agree” with suggestions about climate change because “God above is in charge of the weather”.
He participated in Government formation talks with his brother Michael following the 2024 general election.
However, he was this week accused of “pulling Michael overboard” and out of Government following an explosive interview on the eve of a confidence motion in the Government as he called for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to oust their leaders over their handling of the fuel protests.
Danny's eldest son Johnny, 41, was first elected as a councillor in 2011 and was re-elected in the last local elections.
He took the seat vacated by his uncle Michael when he was elected to the Dáil.
The eldest daughter of Danny, many see Maura Healy-Rae, 35, as the one most likely to become the next Healy-Rae TD.
She was co-opted onto Kerry County Council in 2016 to fill the seat her father vacated when he was elected to the Dáil.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
