Maurice Patrick Sheehy (12 June 1893 – 10 January 1961) was an Australian politician, and a member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne Province. As a young man, "Maurie" Sheehy (as he was then known) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL). As an older gentleman, Sheehy was a politician, better known as Patrick Sheehy.

Maurice Patrick Sheehy
Sheehy during his Collingwood career
Born(1893-06-12)12 June 1893
Died10 January 1961(1961-01-10) (aged 67)
NationalityAustralian
Height175 cm (5 ft 9 in)

Australian rules football career
Personal information
Original team(s) Northcote District
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1914, 1916–1922 Collingwood 110 (22)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1922.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com
Legislative Council Member for Parliament
Personal details
Political partyLabor Party; Democratic Labor Party
ProfessionFootballer and politician

Sports notoriety edit

Sheehy began his sports career at Collingwood in 1914. After just two games he crossed to Fairfield where he spent the 1915 football season. The Northcote District recruit returned to Collingwood the following year and went on to appear in four Grand Finals. A back pocket in their 1919 premiership team, Sheehy also participated in the club's losing 1918, 1920 and 1922 Grand Final sides. He left Collingwood to coach Northcote in 1923.[1]

Political career edit

Sheehy joined the Labor Party in 1911. He was a Richmond, Australia city councillor (1934–1956); and twice mayor (from 1941 to 1942 and 1951–52).

Sheehy had also contested the federal seat of Kooyong as the Australian Labor Party candidate in 1951, losing to the incumbent Robert Menzies.

Sheehy was elected to the Victorian State Legislative Council for the seat of Melbourne in June 1952, and served until his defeat in June 1958. He represented the Labor Party from 21 June 1952 until March 1955. When the party split in March 1955, Sheehy became a member of the Democratic Labor Party (or the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist) as it was originally known) until his defeat on 20 June 1958.[2][3][4]

Sheehy was a Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works Commissioner from 1950 until 1956, and he also served for a time as a member of the Richmond Girls' Secondary School Council.

References edit

  1. ^ "VICTORIAN ASSOCIATION". The Referee. Sydney. 8 August 1923. p. 13. Retrieved 2 October 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Ainsley Symons (2012), 'Democratic Labor Party members in the Victorian Parliament of 1955–1958,' in Recorder (Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Melbourne Branch) No. 275, November, Pages 4-5.
  3. ^ Robert Murray (1970), The Split, F.W. Cheshire, Melbourne.
  4. ^ Geoff Browne (1985). A Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament, 1900–84. Government Printer, Melbourne. p. 189. ISBN 0724183078. Retrieved 22 October 2012.

Further reading edit

  • Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.

External links edit