Thomas Foran

Irish trade unionist and politician (1883–1951)

Thomas Foran
Foran in August 1918

Senator
In office 18 August 1944 – 21 April 1948
Constituency	Nominated by the Taoiseach
In office 7 September 1938 – 18 August 1944
Constituency	Labour Panel
Senator
In office 28 November 1923 – 29 May 1936

Personal details
Born	(1883-01-26)26 January 1883 Dublin, Ireland
Died	18 April 1951(1951-04-18) (aged 68) Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Labour Party

Thomas Foran (26 January 1883 – 18 March 1951) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade union official. He was a member of Seanad Éireann from 1923 to 1936, and from 1938 to 1948.^[1]

He was a member of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union and served as the president of the Irish Trades Union Congress in 1921.^[2] He was first elected to the Free State Seanad at a by-election on 28 November 1923 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Thomas MacPartlin.^[1] He was re-elected for a 12-year term at the 1925 Seanad election and served until the Free State Seanad was abolished in 1936.

At the 1938 and 1943 elections, he was elected by the Labour Panel. In 1944 he was nominated by the Taoiseach.^[1] He did not contest the 1948 Seanad election.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Thomas Foran". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
^ Murphy, Angela. "Foran, Thomas". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 26 December 2023.

Trade union offices
Preceded by T. Boyle	Secretary of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions 1918	Succeeded by E. O'Carroll
Preceded by Thomas Farren	President of the Irish Trades Union Congress 1921	Succeeded by Cathal O'Shannon

« 1922 Seanad « Members of the 1922 Seanad (1922–1925) » 1925 Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Lord Glenavy (Ind)

Elected in 1922

3 years	Henry Barniville (CnaG) Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG) Richard A. Butler (Ind) John Counihan (Ind) Peter de Loughry (CnaG) Cornelius Irwin (CnaG) Thomas Linehan (FP) Joseph Clayton Love (CnaG) Edward MacEvoy (CnaG) Edward MacLysaght (Ind) Eamonn Mansfield (Ind) George Nesbitt (Ind) Michael O'Dea (CnaG) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) James Parkinson (CnaG)
9 years	William Barrington (Ind) Eileen Costello (Ind) James G. Douglas (Ind) Michael Duffy (Lab) Thomas Farren (Lab) Alice Stopford Green (Ind) Sir John Griffith (Ind) Patrick W. Kenny (CnaG) James J. MacKean (CnaG) John MacLoughlin (Ind) Thomas MacPartlin (Lab) William Molloy (Ind) Maurice George Moore (Ind) Brian O'Rourke (CnaG) William O'Sullivan (CnaG)

Nominated by the President

6 years	John Philip Bagwell (Ind) Henry Givens Burgess (Ind) Lord Glenavy (Ind) Sir Nugent Everard (Ind) Edmund W. Eyre (Ind) Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG) James Perry Goodbody (Ind) Henry Greer (Ind) Benjamin Haughton (Ind) Earl of Wicklow (Ind) Arthur Jackson (Ind) Andrew Jameson (Ind) Sir Bryan Mahon (Ind) Marquess of Headfort (Ind) W. B. Yeats (Ind)
12 years	Earl of Mayo (Ind) Countess of Desart (Ind) James Charles Dowdall (Ind) Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind) Martin Fitzgerald (Ind) Earl of Granard (Ind) Henry Guinness (Ind) Sir John Keane (Ind) James Moran (Ind) Earl of Kerry (Ind) Sir Horace Plunkett (Ind) Sir Hutcheson Poë (Ind) George Sigerson (Ind) Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl (Ind) Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

Elected or appointed later

Feb. 1923 William Cummins (Lab)
Nov. 1923 Thomas Foran (Lab)
Dec. 1923 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
1925 Douglas Hyde (Ind)
John O'Neill (CnaG)

CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
FP: Farmers' Party
Lab: Labour Party
Ind: Independent

« 1922 Seanad « Members of the 1925 Seanad (1925–1928) » 1928 Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Lord Glenavy (Ind)

Elected in 1925

6 years	John Counihan (CnaG)
9 years	Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG) Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind) Francis McGuinness (CnaG)
12 years	Henry Barniville (CnaG) Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind) William Cummins (Lab) James Dillon (FP) Michael Fanning (CnaG) Thomas Foran (Lab) Sir William Hickie (Ind) Cornelius Kennedy (CnaG) Thomas Linehan (FP) Joseph O'Connor (CnaG) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) Michael F. O'Hanlon (FP) Stephen O'Mara (CnaG) James Parkinson (CnaG) Thomas Toal (CnaG)

Elected in 1922

9 years	William Barrington (Ind) Eileen Costello (Ind) James G. Douglas (Ind) Michael Duffy (Lab) Thomas Farren (Lab) Alice Stopford Green (Ind) Sir John Griffith (Ind) Patrick W. Kenny (CnaG) James J. MacKean (CnaG) John MacLoughlin (Ind) William Molloy (Ind) Maurice George Moore (Ind) Brian O'Rourke (CnaG) William O'Sullivan (CnaG)

Nominated by the President in 1922

6 years	John Philip Bagwell (Ind) Henry Givens Burgess (Ind) Lord Glenavy (Ind) Sir Nugent Everard (Ind) Edmund W. Eyre (Ind) Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG) James Perry Goodbody (Ind) Henry Greer (Ind) Benjamin Haughton (Ind) Earl of Wicklow (Ind) Arthur Jackson (Ind) Andrew Jameson (Ind) Sir Bryan Mahon (Ind) Marquess of Headfort (Ind) W. B. Yeats (Ind)
12 years	Earl of Mayo (Ind) Countess of Desart (Ind) James Charles Dowdall (Ind) Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind) Martin Fitzgerald (Ind) Earl of Granard (Ind) Henry Guinness (Ind) Sir John Keane (Ind) James Moran (Ind) Earl of Kerry (Ind) Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl (Ind) Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

Elected or appointed later

Feb. 1926 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
Jan. 1927 P. J. Brady (Ind)
Mar. 1927 Patrick Hooper (Ind)
Mar. 1928 Sir Walter Nugent (Ind)

CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
FP: Farmers' Party
Lab: Labour Party
Ind: Independent

« 1925 Seanad « Members of the 1928 Seanad (1928–1931) » 1931 Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG)

Elected in 1928

3 years	Michael Comyn (FF) Seán MacEllin (FF) Ross McGillycuddy (Ind) Sir Walter Nugent (Ind)
6 years	John Philip Bagwell (Ind) Alfie Byrne (Ind) Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG) Andrew Jameson (Ind) Thomas Johnson (Lab) Sir Bryan Mahon (Ind) Richard Wilson (CnaG)
9 years	Kathleen Clarke (FF) Joseph Connolly (FF) Seán Milroy (CnaG) Joseph O'Doherty (FF) Séumas Robinson (FF) William Sears (CnaG)

Elected in 1925

6 years	John Counihan (CnaG)
9 years	Thomas Westropp Bennett (CnaG) Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind) Francis McGuinness (CnaG)
12 years	Henry Barniville (CnaG) Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind) William Cummins (Lab) James Dillon (CnaG) Michael Fanning (CnaG) Thomas Foran (Lab) Sir William Hickie (Ind) Cornelius Kennedy (CnaG) Thomas Linehan (Ind) Joseph O'Connor (CnaG) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) Michael F. O'Hanlon (CnaG) James Parkinson (CnaG) Thomas Toal (CnaG)

Elected in 1922

9 years	William Barrington (Ind) Eileen Costello (Ind) James G. Douglas (Ind) Michael Duffy (Lab) Thomas Farren (Lab) Alice Stopford Green (Ind) Sir John Griffith (Ind) Patrick W. Kenny (CnaG) James J. MacKean (CnaG) John MacLoughlin (Ind) William Molloy (Ind) Maurice George Moore (FF) Brian O'Rourke (CnaG) William O'Sullivan (CnaG)

Nominated by the President in 1922

12 years	Countess of Desart (Ind) James Charles Dowdall (FF) Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind) Earl of Granard (Ind) Henry Guinness (Ind) Sir John Keane (Ind) James Moran (Ind) Marquess of Lansdowne (Ind) Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

Elected at by-elections

Feb. 1926 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
Mar. 1927 Patrick Hooper (Ind)
Apr. 1929 Sir Nugent Everard (Ind)
Jun. 1929 Kathleen Browne (CnaG)
Laurence O'Neill (Ind)
Oct. 1929 Richard A. Butler (Ind)
Dec. 1930 Michael Staines (CnaG)
May 1931 Arthur Vincent (Ind)
Nov. 1931 George Crosbie (CnaG)

CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
FF: Fianna Fáil
Lab: Labour Party
Ind: Independent

« 1928 Seanad « Members of the 1931 Seanad (1931–1934) » 1934 Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (Ind)

Elected in 1931

3 years	Kathleen Browne (CnaG) Eileen Costello (Ind)
6 years	William O'Sullivan (CnaG)
9 years	Michael Comyn (FF) John Counihan (CnaG) James G. Douglas (Ind) Michael Duffy (Lab) Thomas Farren (Lab) Hugh Garahan (CnaG) Sir John Griffith (Ind) Seán MacEllin (FF) Ross McGillycuddy (Ind) James J. MacKean (CnaG) John MacLoughlin (CnaG) Daniel MacParland (FF) Maurice George Moore (FF) Laurence O'Neill (Ind) Brian O'Rourke (CnaG) William Quirke (FF) David Robinson (FF) Séamus Ryan (FF) Michael Staines (CnaG) Arthur Vincent (Ind)

Elected in 1928

6 years	John Philip Bagwell (Ind) Alfie Byrne (Ind) Oliver St. John Gogarty (CnaG) Andrew Jameson (Ind) Thomas Johnson (Lab) Richard Wilson (CnaG)
9 years	Kathleen Clarke (FF) Joseph Connolly (FF) Seán Milroy (CnaG) Joseph O'Doherty (FF) Séumas Robinson (FF)

Elected in 1925

9 years	Thomas Westropp Bennett (Ind) Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind) Francis McGuinness (CnaG)
12 years	Henry Barniville (CnaG) Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind) William Cummins (Lab) James Dillon (CnaG) Michael Fanning (CnaG) Thomas Foran (Lab) Sir William Hickie (Ind) Cornelius Kennedy (CnaG) Thomas Linehan (Ind) Joseph O'Connor (CnaG) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) Michael F. O'Hanlon (CnaG) James Parkinson (CnaG) Thomas Toal (CnaG)

Nominated by the President in 1922

12 years	Countess of Desart (Ind) James Charles Dowdall (FF) Sir Thomas Esmonde (Ind) Earl of Granard (Ind) Henry Guinness (Ind) Sir John Keane (Ind) James Moran (Ind) Jennie Wyse Power (Ind)

Elected at by-elections

Feb. 1926 Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind)
Jan. 1932 George Crosbie (CnaG)
Apr. 1933 Eamonn Duggan (CnaG)
Jan. 1934 Ernest Blythe (CnaG)
Raphael Keyes (FF)
Sep. 1934 Patrick Lynch (FF)

CnaG: Cumann na nGaedheal
FF: Fianna Fáil
Lab: Labour Party
Ind: Independent

« 1931 Seanad « Members of the 1934 Seanad (1934–1936) » 2nd Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Thomas Westropp Bennett (FG)

Elected in 1934

3 years	Sir Edward Coey Bigger (Ind)
6 years	John Philip Bagwell (Ind)
9 years	Patrick Baxter (FG) Thomas Westropp Bennett (FG) Ernest Blythe (FG) James Boyle (FF) Samuel Lombard Brown (Ind) Kathleen Browne (FG) James Charles Dowdall (FF) Eamonn Duggan (FG) Séamus Fitzgerald (FF) Oliver St. John Gogarty (FG) Denis Healy (FF) T. V. Honan (FF) Andrew Jameson (Ind) Thomas Johnson (Lab) Thomas Kennedy (Lab) Raphael Keyes (FF) Patrick Lynch (FF) Pádraic Ó Máille (FF) Thomas Ruane (FF) Richard Wilson (FG) Jennie Wyse Power (FF)

Elected in 1931

6 years

William O'Sullivan (FG)

9 years

Michael Comyn (FF)
John Counihan (FG)
James G. Douglas (Ind)
Michael Duffy (Lab)
Thomas Farren (Lab)
Hugh Garahan (FG)
Sir John Griffith (Ind)
Seán MacEllin (FF)
Ross McGillycuddy (Ind)
James J. MacKean (FG)
John MacLoughlin (FG)
Daniel MacParland (FF)
Maurice George Moore (FF)
Laurence O'Neill (Ind)
Brian O'Rourke (FG)
William Quirke (FF)
David Robinson (FF)
Michael Staines (FG)

Elected in 1928

9 years	Kathleen Clarke (FF) Joseph Connolly (FF) Seán Milroy (FG) Séumas Robinson (FF)

Elected in 1925

12 years	Henry Barniville (FG) Sir Edward Bellingham (Ind) William Cummins (Lab) James Dillon (FG) Michael Fanning (FG) Thomas Foran (Lab) Sir William Hickie (Ind) Cornelius Kennedy (FG) Thomas Linehan (Ind) Joseph O'Connor (FG) J. T. O'Farrell (Lab) Michael F. O'Hanlon (FG) James Parkinson (FG) Thomas Toal (FG)

FF: Fianna Fáil
FG: Fine Gael
Lab: Labour
Ind: Independent

v t e « 2nd Seanad « Members of the 3rd Seanad (1938–1943) » 4th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Seán Gibbons (FF) Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)
Administrative Panel	Christopher Byrne (FF) Desmond FitzGerald (FG) Michael Hayes (FG) Denis Healy (FF) James McGee (Ind) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Thomas Ruane (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Neal Blaney (FF) Michael Colbert (FF) John Counihan (Ind) Seán Gibbons (FF) Patrick Kehoe (FF) Dominick MacCabe (Ind) Ross McGillycuddy (Ind) William O'Callaghan (FG) Martin O'Dwyer (Ind) William Quirke (FF)
Cultural and Educational Panel	James Crosbie (FG) Thomas Delany (Ind) Patrick Doyle (FG) Seán O'Donovan (FF) James Parkinson (FG)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Joseph Brennan (Ind) Martin Conlon (FG) Daniel Corkery (FF) James G. Douglas (Ind) Seán Goulding (FF) Peter Trainor Kelly (Ind) Seán MacEllin (FF) John MacLoughlin (FG) David Madden (FG)
Labour Panel	John Butler (FG) Seán Campbell (Lab) William Cummins (Lab) Thomas Foran (Lab) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Seán Hayes (FF) Patrick Hogan (Lab) James Johnston (Ind) Eamonn Lynch (Lab) Peter Lynch (Ind) James Tunney (Lab)
Dublin University	Ernest Alton (Ind) Joseph Johnston (Ind) Robert Rowlette (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) Michael Tierney (FG)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Robert Farnan (FF) T. V. Honan (FF) Sir John Keane (Ind) Margaret L. Kennedy (FF) Patrick Keohane (Ind) Peadar Toner Mac Fhionnlaoich (Ind) William Magennis (Ind) Frank MacDermot (FF) Maurice George Moore (FF) Pádraic Ó Máille (FF) David Robinson (FF) Matthew Stafford (FF)
Elected or nominated later	1939 Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) 1940 Laurence O'Neill (Ind) 1941 Thomas J. O'Connell (Lab)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 3rd Seanad « Members of the 4th Seanad (1943–1944)» 5th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Seán Goulding (FF) Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)
Administrative Panel	Joseph Hannigan (Ind) Michael Hayes (FG) Denis Healy (FF) Michael Hearne (FF) James McGee (Ind) Edward Monahan (FG) Richard Walsh (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) Michael Colbert (FF) John Counihan (Ind) Seán Gibbons (FF) Daniel Hogan (FF) Patrick Kehoe (FF) Peter Lynch (Ind) Dominick MacCabe (Ind) William Quirke (FF) Gerard Sweetman (FG) Thomas Walsh (FF)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Patrick Doyle (FG) Thomas J. O'Connell (Lab) Seán O'Donovan (FF) Donal O'Sullivan (Ind) James Parkinson (FG)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Joseph Brennan (Ind) Daniel Corkery (FF) James Crosbie (FG) Seán Goulding (FF) Peter Trainor Kelly (Ind) David Madden (FG) John Maguire (Ind) Frank O'Beirne (FF) Frank J. Hugh O'Donnell (Ind)
Labour Panel	John Butler (FG) Michael Colgan (Ind) Thomas Foran (Lab) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Thomas Hayden (Lab) James Johnston (Ind) Thomas Kennedy (Lab) Sam Kyle (Lab) Richard Mulcahy (FG) Seán Ruane (Ind) Michael Smyth (Ind)
Dublin University	William Fearon (Ind) T. C. Kingsmill Moore (Ind) Robert Rowlette (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) Michael Tierney (FG)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Seán Campbell (Lab) Robert Farnan (FF) T. V. Honan (FF) Sir John Keane (Ind) Margaret L. Kennedy (FF) William Magennis (Ind) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Pádraic Ó Máille (FF) Peter O'Loghlen (FF) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Matthew Stafford (FF)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

v t e « 4th Seanad « Members of the 5th Seanad (1944–1948) » 6th Seanad »
Cathaoirleach Seán Goulding (FF) Leader of the Seanad William Quirke (FF)
Administrative Panel	Andrew Clarkin (FF) Seán Goulding (FF) Michael Hayes (FG) Denis Healy (FF) Michael Hearne (FF) James McGee (Ind) Thomas Ruane (FF)
Agricultural Panel	Patrick Baxter (CnaT) John Counihan (Ind) Daniel Hogan (FF) Edmund Horan (CnaT) Patrick Kehoe (FF) Dominick MacCabe (Ind) William O'Callaghan (FG) Timothy O'Donovan (FG) Patrick O'Reilly (FF) William Quirke (FF) Gerard Sweetman (FG)
Cultural and Educational Panel	Patrick Doyle (FG) Louis O'Dea (FF) Seán O'Donovan (FF) Patrick J. O'Reilly (Ind) James Parkinson (FG)
Industrial and Commercial Panel	Thomas Condon (Ind) Daniel Corkery (FF) James Crosbie (FG) Tadhg Crowley (FF) James G. Douglas (Ind) Luke Duffy (Lab) Peter Trainor Kelly (Ind) Seán MacEllin (FF) David Madden (FG)
Labour Panel	John Butler (FG) Thomas Hayden (Lab) James Johnston (Ind) John Thomas Keane (Ind) Thomas Kennedy (Lab) Sam Kyle (Lab) Peter Lynch (Ind) John Meighan (CnaT) Seán Ruane (Ind) Michael Smyth (Ind) James Tunney (Lab)
Dublin University	William Fearon (Ind) Joseph Johnston (Ind) T. C. Kingsmill Moore (Ind)
National University	Henry Barniville (FG) Helena Concannon (FF) Michael J. Ryan (Ind)
Nominated by the Taoiseach	Seán Campbell (Lab) Robert Farnan (FF) Thomas Foran (Lab) T. V. Honan (FF) Sir John Keane (Ind) Margaret L. Kennedy (FF) William Magennis (Ind) Liam Ó Buachalla (FF) Pádraic Ó Máille (FF) Margaret Mary Pearse (FF) Matthew Stafford (FF)
Elected or nominated later	1945 Frederick Summerfield (Ind) 1946 Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha (Ind) Frederick Hawkins (Ind) Edward Pakenham (Ind) 1947 Joseph Warwick Bigger (Ind)
FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael CnaT: Clann na Talmhan Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent