Early Political Career
O'Malley was born into a highly politicised family who supported Cumann na nGaedheal until a falling out with the party in the early 1930s. O'Malley first became involved in local politics as a member of Limerick Corporation. He became Mayor of his native city in 1961, the third O'Malley brother to hold the office. Desmond O'Malley was Mayor from 1941 to 1943 and Michael O'Malley held the office from 1948 to 1949.
O'Malley was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Limerick East at the 1954 general election; Fianna Fáil were not returned to government on that occasion. The new Dáil deputy spent the rest of the decade on the backbenches, however, his party was returned to power in 1957. Two years later Seán Lemass took over from Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach and the modernising process began. Lemass introduced younger cabinet ministers as the old guard, who had served the party since its foundation in 1926, began to retire. In 1961 O'Malley joined the government as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance, one of the most senior junior ministerial positions. O'Malley was part of a newer, brasher style of politician that was emerging in the 1960s. He was a colourful and charming character and his heavy drinking exploits with fellow ministers Charles Haughey and Brian Lenihan have become part of Irish political folklore. On one occasion O'Malley was reputed to have destroyed a chip shop causing £500 worth of damage. Another incident attributed to O'Malley involved him driving the wrong way down O'Connell Street in Dublin.
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