Patrick Little

Patrick John Little (17 June 1884 – 16 May 1963) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A founder-member of the party, he served in a number of cabinet positions, most notably as the country's longest-serving Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.

Early life Born in Dundrum, County Dublin, Little was the son of Philip Francis Little and Mary Jane Holdright. Both his parents were Canadian natives, while his father had served as the first Premier of Newfoundland before settling in Ireland. Here he became involved in the Irish Home Rule Movement.

Little was educated at Clongowes Wood College, before later attending University College Dublin. Here he studied law and qualified as a solicitor in 1914.

Little contested the constituency of Dublin Rathmines but lost to Unionist Maurice Dockrell, the only Unionist elected in the area that would become Irish Free State outside of Dublin University. He remained in the background of Sinn Féin for the next number of years. In 1921 he was sent to South Africa to represent the government of the Irish Republic. He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and fought with the Four Courts Garrison during the Civil War. He also edited other republican newspapers including New Ireland, Éire and Sinn Féin. Little was appointed Minister for Posts and Telegraphs in 1939 and remained in this office until 1948, when Fianna Fáil failed to form a government. He was responsible for the development of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra. He was re-appointed to the Council by Éamon de Valera in 1959.