Fintan Patrick Walsh

Fintan Patrick Walsh
3rd President of the Federation of Labour
In office
17 October 1952 – 16 May 1963
Vice President Bill Fox (1952-59)
Tom Skinner (1959-63)
Preceded by Alec Croskery
Succeeded by Tom Skinner
Personal details
Born
Patrick Tuohy

13 August 1894
Patutahi, New Zealand
Died 16 May 1963
Wellington, New Zealand
Political party Labour
Other political
affiliations
Communist (1920-24)
Children 1
Occupation Seaman

Fintan Patrick Walsh (13 August 1894 – 16 May 1963) was a notable New Zealand seaman, trade unionist and farmer. He was born in Patutahi, Poverty Bay, on the East Coast of New Zealand in 1894, and died in Wellington in 1963.

Biography

Fintan Patrick Walsh was born Patrick Tuohy at Pātūtahi, Poverty Bay, on 13 August 1894, one of eleven children of farming parents Andrew Tuohy and his wife, Hannah O'Sullivan, both born in Ireland. He was raised a Catholic but reportedly discarded his faith when he became an adult.

He was a founding member of the Communist Party of New Zealand. Walsh was president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour between 1953 and 1963.

In 1953, Walsh was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.

He died in Wellington on 16 May 1963. Though he never married he was survived by a daughter.

See also

  • Hedwig Ross, co-founder of the Communist Party of New Zealand