Irish politician (1950–2024)
William Noel Lawless Sr. (24 December 1950 – 8 November 2024)[1] was an Irish independent politician and businessman who served as a Senator from 2016 to 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[2][3] Lawless was from Rahoon, County Galway.
In the 1980s, he was chair of Fine Gael in the Galway West constituency and stood unsuccessfully for Galway City Council in 1991.[4][5] He emigrated to Chicago in 1998, having always had plans to open a business in the United States. He made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship to Boston University.[6]
Lawless owned five restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 460 people,[7] and was a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.[7]
Lawless was credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman of Galway in 2015 for these efforts.[7] He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by NUI Galway in June 2015.[8] On 11 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad, making him the first overseas Irish senator.[9]
Lawless had close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform.[10] He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2021 Seanad by-elections. In 2021, Lawless was awarded the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Community Support.[11]
Lawless died in Chicago on 8 November 2024, at the age of 73 after suffering from kidney failure.[12][13][14][15]
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