Jackie Healy-Rae - Early and Private Life

Early and Private Life

Born John Patrick Healy just outside Kilgarvan, County Kerry, he was the first of six children born to Daniel and Mary Healy, and he grew up on the family farm. The Rae part of his surname derives from the local townland where he was born, Reacaisleach. He was educated at the local national school in Kilgarvan. He emigrated to the United States in 1953, but quickly returned in Ireland. He played for the local hurling and football teams in Kilgarvan, where he won two senior county hurling titles with the club in 1956 and 1958.

He was also a musician with the Kilgarvan Dance Band (a saxophone player). By the 1960s he was well established in the plant hire business in south Kerry. In 1969, he became a publican when he purchased an old premises that had been closed for some time in Kilgarvan. The family pub is now run by his son, Danny.

Healy-Rae was married to Julie Healy, but separated in 1977. Two sons, Danny and Michael are members of Kerry County Council for the Killarney and Killorglin electoral areas respectively. His eldest daughter Joan (Mrs. Larkin) teaches in a Catholic school in New York. His other daughter, Rosemary, is a barrister-at-law. She holds a Government appointed paid position on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal since 2007. She was re-appointed, for 3 further years, by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern on 11 November 2010. A son, Denis, runs his own business, and another son, John Healy (he does not use Rae), is a full-time official with and former President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA).