Billy Lawless, who blazed a trail as the first member of the Irish Senate representing the worldwide Irish diaspora, had died. He was 73.
Mr. Lawless, a former Irish Echo Irish American of the Year, died in hospital in his adopted home city of Chicago with family members at his side.
He was well known in the city and across Irish America as the owner of successful restaurants in Chicago.
Lawless was especially known as a champion of the undocumented Irish in the United States, and was made a Freeman of Galway in 2015 in recognition of his work for Irish emigrants, the Irish Times reported.
Enda Kenny, as taoiseach, nominated Lawless to the Irish Senate, Seanad Eireann, in 2016. He served one term.
"Married to Anne Lawless, he had four children. He was a Fine Gael activist in Galway before his move to the United States. Lawless moved to Chicago in 1998 after his daughter won a rowing scholarship to Boston University. Lawless was a noted oarsman as a young man and was very involved with rowing in Galway City," the Times report stated.
Taoiseach Simon Harris described Mr. Lawless as a "gentleman to his core."
Mr. Harris said: "It is with the utmost sadness that I have learned of the death of former senator Billy Lawless.
"Billy Lawless was a gentleman to his core, he was a businessman at the top of his game, and he was a person who accepted a challenge from former taoiseach Enda Kenny - to travel from Chicago to Leinster House to represent the Irish diaspora.
"He did his work with diligence and great pride; he was great company, and he was an extremely kind man.
"To his family and large circle of friends and colleagues, I am truly sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace."
The Ancient Order of Hibernians, in a release, said it was saddened at the passing of a true champion of Immigration Reform and the significant ties between Ireland and the United States.
Said the Hibernians: "A beneficiary of the Morrison Visa, Billy Lawless was a former dairy farmer and politician who moved his young family from his native Galway to Chicago and became a renowned restaurateur and political activist.
AOH National Immigration Chair Dan Dennehy said: 'We had a giant on our side with Billy Lawless. He made great strides for all Irish and Irish Americans through the corridors of power and brought all of us with him.
"His detailed yet easily understandable messaging toward improvements in relations and immigration will live on. His words are echoed in the halls of government in Washington, Chicago, Dublin, and Galway, and across the Irish Diaspora, where he served as the first Irish American Senator for the Diaspora.'
The AOH statement continued: "Billy Lawless (born 24 December 1950) is survived by his loving wife, Ann Lawless (m. 1980) , and many family members.
"His four children, Amie, Billy Jr., Clodagh, and John Paul, continue running the Chicago restaurant and hospitality empire their Dad began.
"Possibly Billy’s highest honor was to be appointed to the Seanad by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, in May 2016 as Senator for the Diaspora, the first non-resident Senator and a significant member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence 2016-2020.
"In 2020, Billy was named Irish American of the Year by the Irish Echo, one of the leading Irish American Newspapers in the United States.
"In 2021, Lawless was awarded the Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Irish Community Support.
"Billy Lawless was a welcomed representative of the Irish government at several National Conventions and served as an honorary Hibernian on President McKay’s National Charity Committee.
He is a Galway-born restaurateur and a strong leader in Chicago’s Irish Community. He and his four children operate six well-known restaurants in downtown Chicago.
"Senator Lawless also co-founded VotingRights, an organization campaigning for Irish emigrant voting rights in the Presidential election.
"He founded the Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform, was Vice-President of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and was a founding member of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, which has now expanded nationwide (ABIC).
"He is a former member of the National Democratic Ethnic Co-ordinating Council and Co-Chair of the Immigration Committee.
"Billy developed strong links between Chicago and Galway and served as Co-Chairman of the Galway Chicago Sister Cities Committee since 1998.
"In 2015, he became a Freeman of the City of Galway, and NUI Galway conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree."
