Former Fine Gael TD Seymour Crawford dies aged 74

Seymour Crawford, the former Fine Gael TD and promoter of British-Irish political ties, has died aged 74.

Mr Crawford, who held a seat for Fine Gael in the Cavan Monaghan constituency from 1992 until 2011, was a backbench TD who was active in the British-Irish Parliamentary Body, a group of politicians from parliaments and assemblies in Ireland and the UK who meet twice yearly for discussions of mutual interest. He served as vice-chairman of the group for a time.

“I believe I had some role in helping to build relations both between Dublin and Westminster and the Northern Ireland Assembly,” he said of his activities with the group.

President Michael D. Higgins said Mr Crawford “was a staunch representative of Monaghan values, of its culture and traditions”.

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“He was an early voice for cross-border co-operation. All the traditions that he represented were an important contribution to Irish life and to those of us who served with him in the Oireachtas,” he said.

“To his family and many, many friends, Sabina and I offer our sincere sympathies at this time.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar led tributes to Mr Crawford saying he had “served his constituency of Cavan-Monaghan and his country in the Dáil for nearly 20 years”.

“Seymour played a crucial role in the work of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body during one of the most important periods of the Peace Process, bringing his unique perspective to the table as the only Ulster Protestant member of the Oireachtas delegation,” Mr Varadkar said.

‘Understanding’

Former taoiseach and Fine Gael leader John Bruton said Mr Crawford, as a Presbyterian from a Border constituency, “helped in many practical and undemonstrative ways to bridge gaps in mutual understanding that grew up between the communities on this island”.

A farmer from Drumkeen, Aghabog, Co Monaghan, Mr Crawford also served as a Monaghan county councillor and held senior positions in the Irish Farmers’ Association.

During his time in the Dáil, Mr Crawford held several positions within Fine Gael party dealing with agriculture and food, social and family affairs, environment and health.

He was widely liked and respected around Leinster House, where he was regarded as an old-style backbencher – content to serve in that role and not constantly seeking promotion to ministerial ranks.

Minister for Business Heather Humphreys, a current Fine Gael TD in Cavan-Monaghan, said Mr Crawford was “an extremely hardworking TD” who had served the constituency with great distinction.

“I will always be extremely grateful to Seymour for introducing me to politics when I was co-opted on to Monaghan County Council in his place following the end of the dual mandate in 2003,” she said. “Seymour never lost an election and that is perhaps the greatest compliment any politician can receive.”

Cavan Fine Gael Senator Joe O’Reilly said Seymour Crawford was an “absolute gentleman” who had devoted most of his life to public service”.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin extended his sympathies to the Crawford family and said the late TD “had a wry sense of humor, a great sense of decency and a very deep understanding of agricultural issues”.