Clement Coughlan (14 August 1942 – 1 February 1983) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and school teacher from County Donegal. He was elected to Dáil Éireann in a 1980 by-election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal constituency. He only served in public office for two years before his death in a road traffic accident on 1 February 1983.

In a morbid twist his death and the timing of his funeral is considered to be the deciding factor in keeping Charles Haughey as leader of Fianna Fáil, when the support for the campaign to oust him dwindled following the funeral. Coughlan's brother, Cathal Coughlan, was elected in the subsequent by-election. His niece, Mary Coughlan was also a TD and Minister.

Clement Coughlan

He also played at senior level for the Donegal county football team.

Clement Coughlan

See also

Families in the Oireachtas

References

1942 births

1983 deaths

Clement

Donegal inter-county Gaelic footballers

Fianna Fáil TDs

Irish sportsperson-politicians

Members of the 21st Dáil

Members of the 22nd Dáil

Members of the 23rd Dáil

Members of the 24th Dáil

Road incident deaths in the Republic of Ireland

Clement Coughlan