T. J. Maher

Who was T. J. Maher?

Thomas Joseph Maher was an Irish politician and farmers' leader.

He was born on a small farm near Cashel, County Tipperary in 1922. He was educated locally and became a member of Macra na Feirme. He was a founder member of National Farmers' Association in 1955. He became the President of the IFA in 1967. In 1977 he became president of the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society.

He was first elected to the European Parliament at the 1979 European election for the Munster constituency as an independent and was re-elected at the 1984 and 1989 elections. He stood unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate at the 1981 general election in the Tipperary South constituency. He retired from politics at the 1994 European election. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick in 1997.