Hillery, Patrick John ‘Paddy’ (1923–2008)

Irish centre-left politician, president 1976–90. As minister of foreign affairs, he successfully negotiated Ireland's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC, now the European Union) in 1973. Thereupon he became Ireland's first EEC Commissioner, serving until 1976, when he was appointed Ireland's president. Hillery served as president for two terms until 1990.

Born in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Hillery studied chemistry and medicine at University College Dublin, and then worked as a doctor. He entered the Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament) for the centre-left Fianna Fáil in 1951, representing the Clare constituency, and served various governments as minister for education (1959–65), industry and commerce (1965–66), labour (1966–69), and foreign affairs (1969–73).