Sylvester Barrett

Who was Sylvester Barrett?

Sylvester A. Barrett was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He served under Jack Lynch and Charles Haughey as Minister for the Environment and Minister for Defence.

Sylvester Barrett was born in Darragh, near Ennis, County Clare in 1926. His father, who was a founder-member of the Fianna Fáil party, died while Barrett was still very young. As a result he was raised by an uncle and aunt. Barrett was educated at Ballyea National School and St. Flannan's College in Ennis. He studied engineering at University College Galway though did not complete his studies. He was a cadet in the Irish Army and later worked as a rate collector and an auctioneer.

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann on 14 March 1968 at the Clare by-election in the Clare constituency, following the death of Fine Gael TD William Murphy. Barrett topped the poll at the general election the following year. At the 1973 general election Fianna Fáil lost power to a Fine Gael–Labour Party coalition government under Liam Cosgrave, and Barrett was appointed to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Transport and Power. After Fianna Fáil's landslide victory at the 1977 general election he was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for the Environment.