Wikipedia

Dick Spring

Not to be confused with Dick Springer.

Dick Spring
Spring in 1995
Tánaiste
In office
15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997
TaoiseachJohn Bruton
Preceded byBertie Ahern
Succeeded byMary Harney
In office
12 January 1993 – 17 November 1994
TaoiseachAlbert Reynolds
Preceded byJohn Wilson
Succeeded byBertie Ahern
In office
14 December 1982 – 20 January 1987
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
Preceded byRay MacSharry
Succeeded byPeter Barry
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office
15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997
TaoiseachJohn Bruton
Preceded byAlbert Reynolds
Succeeded byRay Burke
In office
12 January 1993 – 17 November 1994
TaoiseachAlbert Reynolds
Preceded byDavid Andrews
Succeeded byAlbert Reynolds
Leader of the Labour Party
In office
1 November 1982 – 13 November 1997
Deputy
Preceded byMichael O'Leary
Succeeded byRuairi Quinn
Minister for the Environment
In office
14 December 1982 – 13 December 1983
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
Preceded byRay Burke
Succeeded byLiam Kavanagh
Minister of State
1981–1982Justice
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1981 – May 2002
ConstituencyKerry North
Personal details
BornRichard Martin Spring
(1950-08-29) 29 August 1950 (age 75)
Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland
PartyLabour Party
Spouse
Kristi Hutcheson
​
(m. 1978)​
Children3
Parent
Relatives
EducationCistercian College, Roscrea
Alma mater

Richard Martin Spring (born 29 August 1950) is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste from 1982 to 1987, 1992 to November 1994, and December 1994 to 1997, Leader of the Labour Party from 1982 to 1997, Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1993 to November 1994 and December 1994 to 1997, Minister for Energy from 1983 to 1987, and Minister for the Environment from 1982 to 1983. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for Kerry North from 1981 to 2002.[1]

Before his political career, Spring was a successful sportsman who played for the Ireland national rugby union team and the Kerry GAA football and hurling teams.

Early life

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Spring was born in Tralee, County Kerry in 1950,[2] the son of Dan and Anna Spring (née Laide).[3] He was educated at Cistercian College in Roscrea, County Tipperary, and at Trinity College Dublin, and qualified as a barrister at the King's Inns.[4][5] He is a descendant of the Anglo-Irish Spring family that settled in County Kerry in the late 16th century.[6]

Sporting career

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Spring played Gaelic football and hurling for Kerry during the 1970s.[7] He played his club football with the Kerins O'Rahilly's club in Tralee and hurling with Crotta O'Neill's;[8][9] he also played underage hurling with Austin Stacks and won a minor county championship in 1967.[10] His father Dan won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championships in 1939 and 1940.[11]

He then won rugby union caps for Munster, and lined out for London Irish in the UK.[5] He also was capped for Ireland three times during the 1979 Five Nations Championship,[12] earning his first cap against France on 20 January 1979 at Lansdowne Road,[13] and receiving his last international cap on 17 February 1979 against England at Lansdowne Road.[14]

Political career

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Early career

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Spring's political life began when he successfully contested the 1979 Kerry County Council election for the county electoral area of Tralee, succeeding his father Dan Spring TD on Kerry County Council that year. Spring senior had been a TD for Kerry North since 1943, mostly representing Labour, but he was a member of the National Labour Party from 1944 to 1950.[15]

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1981 general election for the constituency of Kerry North, again succeeding his father.[15][16] The Labour Party formed a coalition Government with Fine Gael and Spring was appointed a junior minister on his first day as a TD.[17] In December 1981 Spring was involved in a car crash near Nenagh, County Tipperary that killed James Curran and left Spring with a lasting back injury.[18] While in recovery, Spring appeared in the Dáil on a stretcher to vote, having been denied a pair.[19]

Leadership

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When Michael O'Leary resigned as party leader after the February 1982 general election, Spring allowed his name to go forward in the leadership contest. He defeated Barry Desmond and Michael D. Higgins, but inherited the leadership of a deeply divided party.[20][2] Spring was a strong opponent of anti-coalition politics and systematically removed Trotskyist activists from the party. Most notably he expelled the Militant Tendency in 1989 (which later became Socialist Party), including Joe Higgins and Clare Daly.[21][22]

Tánaiste (1982–1987)

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Following the November 1982 general election Labour again formed a coalition government with Fine Gael. Spring was appointed Tánaiste and Minister for the Environment.[2] In a reshuffle following the resignation from cabinet of former Labour leader Frank Cluskey in December 1983, Spring was appointed as Minister for Energy.[23] He was closely involved in the negotiations which led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.[24] In January 1987, the Labour Party withdrew from the government on budgetary issues.[25] At the 1987 general election, Spring narrowly escaped losing his seat when he was re-elected by just four votes.[26] Fianna Fáil took office in a minority government after the election.[27]

Opposition

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The Labour Party selected Mary Robinson as its candidate in the 1990 presidential election.[28] Robinson was elected, and this success enhanced the credibility of his leadership of the party. For Spring, his period in opposition coincided with the exposure of several business scandals and allowed him to shine as a critic of the Fianna Fáil government, led by Charles Haughey.

"Spring Tide" and return to power

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Spring with US President Bill Clinton in 1993
Spring with UK Prime Minister John Major and Taoiseach John Bruton in 1996

In the 1992 general election the party increased its number of Dáil seats from 15 to 33, its largest number of seats to that point, an achievement dubbed the "Spring Tide".[29][30] After the election, no government was formed when the 27th Dáil met.[31] After some weeks of stalemate, Spring entered negotiations with Albert Reynolds—who had taken over as Taoiseach from Haughey in February 1992—over the Christmas period on a new programme for government. This was approved by a special party conference of over 1,000 delegates at Dublin's National Concert Hall in January 1993, though there were some Labour Party TDs who dissented from the leadership position and wanted a coalition with Fine Gael. The Labour Party entered a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and thus returned Reynolds to power. Spring was appointed Tánaiste for the second time, and also as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Labour took six of the fifteen cabinet ministries and had much of its election manifesto accepted by Fianna Fáil.[20] Labour ministers led the new Departments of Equality and Law Reform and the reformed of Arts and Culture.[32][33] Ethics legislation was to outlaw conflicts of interest.[34] Male homosexual acts were to be decriminalised.[35] The age restriction on the purchase of condoms was removed and condoms were permitted to be sold in vending machines.[36][37] An extensive programme of family law reform and a commitment to a divorce referendum was to be undertaken.[38] Spring insisted on a formalised system of programme managers, and state-paid advisers to push the new government's policy platform.

However support for the Labour Party declined, particularly as many voters felt betrayed by Labour for going into government with Fianna Fáil.[39][40] In June 1994, the Labour Party performed disastrously in by-elections in Dublin South-Central and in Cork North-Central.[41][39] In both cases, the seats were won by Democratic Left.[39][42] This had grave implications for the electoral health of the party and therefore for the policy of the Labour leadership.

In late 1994, Reynolds wished to appoint the Attorney General, Harry Whelehan, as President of the High Court, but delayed for over a month. Spring had reservations about Whelehan being suitable, owing to the alleged laxity of his handling of an extradition request for disgraced Catholic priest and sex offender, Brendan Smyth.[43] Reynolds for his part could not understand why Spring was against Whelehan being nominated to the High Court, and yet had no concerns with Whelehan serving as Attorney General. Reynolds became annoyed with Spring's stance, and his failure to communicate his reservations, and decided to proceed anyway, whilst calling Spring's bluff. Spring and the other Labour ministers withdrew from the cabinet meeting which proceeded to recommend Whelehan's appointment to the President. Immediately afterwards, Reynolds implemented the decision.

There followed a rather heated discussion in the Dáil, concerning the appointment. Fine Gael asked questions about Whelehan's suitability and objectivity. This was supportive of Spring's position. Democratic Left TD Pat Rabbitte then implied that the Catholic hierarchy was instructing Reynolds to appoint Whelehan. Reynolds became irate with this allegation and responded angrily. Reynolds now realised that Spring was uncompromising about Whelehan. To remain in government, Reynolds removed Whelehan; however, Spring refused to go back into government with Reynolds. Whelehan served as President of the High Court for one day.

Spring proceeded to withdraw from the government. The minority Reynolds government then lost a vote of confidence in the Dáil. Reynolds resigned as party leader but continued as a caretaker Taoiseach. Spring entered into negotiations with Reynolds' successor as party, Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Finance. In early December, they agreed to reform the Fianna Fáil–Labour Government. On the eve of that government being formed, The Irish Times published a report that Ahern knew more about an aspect of the scandal that had brought down Reynolds than had previously been known. Spring broke off negotiations with Fianna Fáil, and instead pursued negotiations to form a coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left. In December 1994, Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left formed a coalition government, referred to as the Rainbow Coalition, forestalling the possibility of an election. Spring returned to his positions as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. This was the first occasion on which a new Irish government was formed without a general election. The previous Fianna Fáil and Labour Programme for Government was substantially adopted by the new government and in return for making John Bruton the Taoiseach, Ruairi Quinn of Labour became the first-ever Labour Minister for Finance.

During his period as Foreign Minister, Spring played a role in the Northern Ireland peace process,[2] and along with Reynolds was involved in negotiations leading to the Provisional Irish Republican Army and loyalist ceasefires of 1994.[44] With Reynolds and Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, he received warm applause in the Dáil on the announcement of the Downing Street Declaration in December 1993.[45] He also advanced Ireland's membership of the Partnership for Peace, a sister organisation of NATO, a controversial issue due to Ireland's policy of neutrality.[46][47]

Resignation as party leader and defeat as TD

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In the 1997 general election the Labour Party fell to 17 seats and returned to opposition. This was considered by some to be a punishment by the electorate for the 1993 decision to enter a coalition with Fianna Fáil. By others, it was considered a punishment for changing horses at the end of 1994, to remain in power. A front-page editorial in the Irish Independent on the day before the election, entitled "Payback Time" and calling on support for Fianna Fáil, had a direct and severe impact on the Labour Party. The Independent newspaper group had revealed many scandals involving Labour ministers abusing the perks of office in the year leading up to the election. The article was controversial because Spring had taken decisions in office which went against the broader business interests of the Independent's owner Anthony O'Reilly, who was accused by Labour supporters of having attempted to use his paper's political influence to intimidate the government into favouring companies linked to O'Reilly. The impact of the article is uncertain but the Labour Party suffered significant electoral losses and the outgoing coalition was defeated. In the presidential election of the same year the Labour Party candidate, Adi Roche, came fourth out of five candidates. Following that defeat, Spring resigned as Labour Party leader, having served 15 years — one of the longest-serving party leaders in Ireland.

He remained a TD, being appointed a director in the formerly state-owned recently privatised telecommunications company Eircom in 1999. Its initial flotation led to a stock market bubble which affected a large number of small shareholders.[48] It was later revealed that he did not purchase shares in the company.[49]

Spring lost his seat in a shock result at the 2002 general election.[50] He has not sought political office since.

Political legacy

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In Irish political circles, the role of foreign minister was considered a poisoned chalice because of the challenge of resolving the delicate problem of how to de-escalate tensions in Northern Ireland, when both sides were wary of Irish governmental policy. Albert Reynolds, and Dick Spring, placed Northern Ireland at the top of the government agenda. Both were helped considerably by the initiative of John Hume, and the understanding built up between Reynolds, and British Prime Minister John Major. Spring devoted considerable energy and resources towards increasing Ireland's international influence and diplomatic ties in the UN, in the post Cold War world.

As Foreign Minister, there was much critical comment in the media on Spring's extensive foreign travel. Spring got even harsher criticism, for using the Government Jet to reduce journey times between his home in Tralee and his office in Dublin. However, he did conduct, for the first time, a public consultative process that involved a wide range of citizenry and social groups as well as members of the diaspora, in the re-shaping of Irish foreign policy through the first-ever White Paper on Foreign Policy in 1996.[51]

Critics of Dick Spring have described him as a champagne socialist, owing to his choice of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel when staying in New York as Foreign Minister, instead of staying in the Irish-owned Fitzpatrick Hotel.[52] Spring brought the Irish Labour Party unprecedented exposure and power in government, at a time when the two significantly larger right-of-centre political blocs had precedence in every election.

Subsequent life

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Spring later became involved in the Cyprus dispute promoting a peace.[53][54]

In May 1999 Spring received a directorship appointment to the Irish state telecom enterprise, Telecom Éireann, in advance of the scheduled privatisation.[55][56] As leader of a left-of-centre party, this was to endorse the privatisation and gain consent from the labour unions to the privatisation plan. However, the privatisation was a financial disaster for members of the public, who became ordinary shareholders in the privatisation process and faced a drop in the value of their investments.[57][58] Spring became the target for much of the discontent. Spring's low work involvement, and generous remuneration package.[59][60] Senator Shane Ross, an advocate for shareholders, criticised the privatisation for primarily benefitting directors at the expense of the public investors.[57] Spring also attracted criticism for being involved in promoting the flotation despite never buying any shares at launch.[55][61][62] Spring is currently a non-executive director with the Financial Services firm FEXCO, based in Killorglin, County Kerry.[63]

Spring lives in Tralee with his wife Kristi (née Hutcheson), an American whom he met while working in New York as a bartender.[50][20] They have three children.[50] His nephew Arthur Spring was a Labour Party TD for Kerry North–West Limerick until February 2016,[64][65] having first been a councillor for the Tralee electoral area of Kerry County Council.[64] Spring is a member of Ballybunion Golf Club, and has invited former U.S. President Bill Clinton, amongst others, to visit there.[66][67]

He was a non-executive director of Allied Irish Banks from 2008 to 2014.[68][69] It was reported in 2011 that he received annual pension payments of €121,108.[69]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dick Spring". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d Lynn, Brendan (9 March 2025). Melaugh, Martin (ed.). "Biographies of Prominent People - 'S': Spring, ('Dick') Richard". Conflict Archive on the Internet. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Mother of Labour Party leader and former Tanaiste dies". The Irish Times. 12 September 1997. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Famous people who attended Trinity College Dublin". IrishCentral. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b Howlin, Niamh (16 December 2023). "Barristers have held positions of influence since the foundation of the Irish State". The Journal. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  6. ^ O'Laughlin, Michael C. (1994). Families of Co. Kerry, Ireland. Irish Roots Cafe. pp. 137–138. ISBN 9780940134362.
  7. ^ "How rugby put Spring in step". The Irish Times. 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  8. ^ McElligott, Richard. "'Degenerating from sterling Irishmen into contemptible West Britons': the GAA and rugby in Kerry, 1885–1905". History Ireland. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Duties take precedence over sport for Minister Spring". Irish Independent. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  10. ^ O’Shea, Kerry (14 December 2008). "Milestones". Austin Stacks GAA. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Dan Spring". Irish Independent. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2026. Dan Spring won two county championship medals with his club, three All Ireland senior medals with Kerry – 1937 as a substitute and then in 1939-40.
  12. ^ "Remember him?". Irish Independent. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Dick Spring Awarded Honorary Life Membership". Lansdowne Football Club. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Ireland/Players & Officials/Dick Spring". ESPNScrum. ESPN. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  15. ^ a b White, Lawrence William (October 2009). "Spring, Daniel". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Royal Irish Academy. doi:10.3318/dib.008213.v1.
  16. ^ "Dick Spring". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  17. ^ McKittrick, David (7 February 1993). "INTERVIEW / The high summering of Spring: In an exclusive interview with Dublin's foreign minister, David McKittrick finds the model of a modern Irish politician". The Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  18. ^ McGee, Harry (8 July 2015). "Dick Spring to meet family of man who died in crash involving ministerial car". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  19. ^ Doyle, Kevin (24 October 2019). "The Floating Voter on 'Votegate': Howlin recalls how Dick Spring came into Dáil on a stretcher to vote". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  20. ^ a b c "15 years of crisis, achievement and controversy take their toll". The Irish Times. 6 November 1997. Archived from the original on 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  21. ^ Kelly, Donal (12 March 1989). "Labour Expel Militant Tendancy". RTÉ News. Retrieved 3 January 2026 – via RTÉ Archives.
  22. ^ Loughlin, Elaine (8 March 2016). "Mick Barry: I hope to provide a voice for real change". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 January 2026. The first-time TD who became involved in socialism and political activism as a teenager was expelled from the Labour Party along with Clare Daly, Joe Higgins, and Ruth Coppinger for his membership of the Militant tendency in 1989.
  23. ^
  24. ^ Lillis, Michael (6 November 2015). "Anglo-Irish Agreement: How the deal was done". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  25. ^ Edwards, Elaine (29 December 2017). "1987: The year that was". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  26. ^ Farrell, Brian (1987). Dick Spring Just Keeps His Seat (Television production). Today Tonight. RTÉ. 97D/01533 – via RTÉ Archives.
  27. ^ White, Lawrence William (October 2009). "Lenihan, Brian Joseph". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Royal Irish Academy. doi:10.3318/dib.004788.v1. Retrieved 3 January 2026. On Fianna Fáil's return to power as a minority government in March 1987...
  28. ^ Ward, Jeri (26 April 1990). "Labour Selects Mary Robinson". RTÉ News. Retrieved 1 January 2026 – via RTÉ Archives.
  29. ^ McEnroe, Juno (29 May 2014). "Age-old question for Labour-saving Joan". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 January 2026. Dick Spring was the leader of Labour for 15 years, served as tánaiste in three governments and oversaw the 'Spring tide' where the party managed to increase its Dáil seats from 15 to 33 in the 1992 general election.
  30. ^ Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra (8 July 2019). "Labour Special Report: The appetite for change is evident in grassroots of Ireland's oldest party". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  31. ^ MacGuill, Dan (19 March 2017). "FactFind: One year in, is this really a "do-nothing" Dáil?". The Journal. Retrieved 4 January 2026. For example, the 27th Dáil convened on 14 December 1992 and passed six laws while waiting a month for a government to be formed, which finally happened on 12 January 1993.
  32. ^ McCurry, Cate (23 September 2021). "Tributes paid to 'founding figure' of equality Mervyn Taylor". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  33. ^ Downing, John (3 August 2020). "Lasting legacies: Ten politicians who truly made a difference at Cabinet table". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  34. ^ Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995 (No. 22 of 1995). Enacted on 22 July 1995 by Mary Robinson. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 4 January 2026.
  35. ^ Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 1993 (No. 20 of 1993). Enacted on 7 July 1993 by Mary Robinson. Act of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 4 January 2026.
  36. ^ Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Act, 1993 (No. 16 of 1993). Enacted on 30 June 1993 by Mary Robinson. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 4 January 2026.
  37. ^ Kelly, Laura (11 February 2023). "The Virgin condom: Campaigning for access to contraceptives across the decades". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  38. ^ Taylor, Mervyn (26 March 1993), "White Paper on Marital Breakdown: Statements", Dáil Éireann debates, vol. 428, no. 4, Oireachtas, retrieved 4 January 2026, Since then, in the partnership programme for Government, a major programme for family law reform was agreed which included a commitment to hold a referendum on divorce next year.
  39. ^ a b c Murphy, Gary (14 April 2023). "Is the Labour Party doomed or have they been here before?". The Journal. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  40. ^ "The political merry-go-round". Irish Independent. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2026. A chunk of those voters immediately felt betrayed when Labour went into government with Fianna Fail
  41. ^ Gallagher, Michael (19 October 2007) [1996]. "By‐elections to Dáil Éireann 1923–96: The anomaly that conforms" (PDF). Irish Political Studies. 11 (1). Routledge: 45. doi:10.1080/07907189608406556. eISSN 1743-9078. ISSN 0790-7184 – via Trinity College Dublin.
  42. ^ Lehane, Mícheál (29 September 2019). "By-elections come at a unique time for Irish politics". RTÉ News. Retrieved 4 January 2026. Think back to June 1994 ... On the same day Eric Byrne won the Dublin South Central by-election for Democratic Left.
  43. ^ McCullagh, David; Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra (30 December 2024). "Day four: 1994 State Papers shed little light on Fianna Fáil-Labour collapse". RTÉ News. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  44. ^ Phoenix, Éamon (29 December 2018). "Dick Spring told US officials in November 1993 the IRA was likely to call a ceasefire". The Irish News. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  45. ^ Whelan, Noel (14 December 2013). "Early progress made in the peace process by Reynolds and Major often overlooked". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  46. ^ Glennon, Chris (6 October 1999). "Cabinet moves us closer to Nato offshoot". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  47. ^ Clarity, James F. (1 April 1996). "Call to Modify Irish Neutrality Ignites Debate". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  48. ^ "Eircom Directors heavily criticised by shareholders". RTÉ News. 13 September 2000. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  49. ^ Hickey, Shane (24 September 2000). "Spring has yet to invest in Eircom shares". Irish Independent.
  50. ^ a b c Hennessy, Mark (17 December 2023). "Dick Spring: 'I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing or hectoring young people'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  51. ^ Challenges and Opportunities Abroad - White Paper on Foreign Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, Stationery Office, Dublin 1996 ISBN 0-7076-2385-5
  52. ^ "O'Garas lay rift rumours to rest in NY". Irish Independent. 4 November 2007. Archived from the original on 26 November 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  53. ^ O'Kane, Paul (3 January 1996). "Irish official to visit Cyprus". United Press International. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  54. ^ Edward O'Hara (6 March 1996). "Cyprus". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 273. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 286.
  55. ^ a b Hickey, Shane (24 September 2000). "Spring has yet to invest in Eircom shares". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  56. ^ "Vote NO to the Eircom fat cats". Irish Independent. 20 August 2000. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  57. ^ a b McManus, John; McGrath, Brendan (14 September 2000). "Shareholders protest loudly but Eircom board prevails". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  58. ^ "Sold: The Eircom Shares Saga - an Irish disaster story revisited". RTÉ. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  59. ^ Ross, Shane (10 September 2000). "Labour TDs disown Spring's plan". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  60. ^ "Eircom chief could get extra £800,000 reward". Irish Independent. 20 August 2000. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  61. ^ Webb, Nick (9 March 2003). "Why buy in if the directors don't?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  62. ^ Ross, Shane (6 May 2001). "Ten teasers for Eircom". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  63. ^ "Board of directors". Fexco. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  64. ^ a b Leen, Tony (24 February 2016). "Nephew of Dick Spring braced for a battle in North Kerry contituency". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  65. ^ Lucey, Anne (28 February 2016). "Kerry result: Jimmy Deenihan and Arthur Spring lose Dáil seats". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  66. ^ O'Regan, Michael (7 September 1998). "Warm welcome from locals as golfing hero finally goes walkabout". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  67. ^ Kelly, Antoinette (12 August 2009). "Bill Clinton names his favorite golf course: Ballybunion in County Kerry". IrishCentral. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  68. ^ Hancock, Ciarán (18 December 2014). "Dick Spring steps down from board of AIB". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  69. ^ a b Kelly, Fiach (10 November 2011). "Thanks big fellas: Ahern and Cowen get massive pensions". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
[edit]
  • Media related to Dick Spring at Wikimedia Commons
  • Appearances on C-SPAN