Simi Ó Raghallaigh

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Jimmy O'Reilly
Ghaillish: Simi Ó Raghallaigh
Jimmy O'Reilly.jpg
Taoiseach of Caldia
In office
20 April 2017 – 7 May 2018
MonarchKenneth IV
DeputyMalcolm Fitzpatrick
Cúan Ó Domhnaill
Preceded byAlexis Walker
Succeeded byProin Casarnach
Minister of Justice and Equality
In office
24 June 2015 – 20 April 2017
TaoiseachAlexis Walker
Leader of the Liberty Party
In office
24 March 2017 – 19 April 2018
Preceded byAlexis Walker
Succeeded byProin Casarnach
List Teachta Comhthionól
In office
12 June 2017 – 27 February 2019
Teachta Comhthionól
for Bouladuff East
In office
12 June 2007 – 12 June 2017
Personal details
Born (1976-04-27) 27 April 1976 (age 47)
Spálgleann, Caldia
Political partyLiberty Party
SpouseAlastríona Ní Tuathail
Children2 children
Alma materUniversity of Garrafrauns

James "Jimmy" O'Reilly-Magosi (Ghaillish: Séamus 'Simi' Ó Raghallaigh augus Magosi; born 27 April 1976) is a Caldish politician who served as the Taoiseach of Caldia from April 2017 until May 2018. He also served as leader of the Liberty Party during that same period. He was the first individual from an ethnic minority background and youngest person to hold both offices.

He succeeded Alexis Walker after her resignation. O'Reilly's tenure, among the shortest in Caldish history, was marked by immigration and municipal reform. Throughout his administration he saw heavy criticism for his foreign policy decisions, with critics concerned he was aligning Caldia to closely with Gaullica. He became embroiled in scandal over the Pietramontecorvino Incident and resigned on 7 May 2018.

Early life

Jimmy O'Reilly was born in Spálgleann on 21 April, 1976 as James O'Reilly-Magosi to Brian Ó Raghallaigh, a police officer, and Marie Magosi, a refugee from Mabifia with a Mirite background. He is their only child. His mother was sectarian violence in Mabifia and fled to Caldia with her mother and sisters. O'Reilly's grandfather and all three of his uncles were killed in the violence. Through his parents, he is Caldish-Bahian. He has often spoken out about how he was bullied as a child for his race. During his acceptance speechwhen he won the party leadership race, he said that his "mother refused to let [him] be disheartened, and told [him] that one day things would get better".

A lawyer by profession, O'Reilly he received a law degree from the University of Garrafrauns. He practiced law until 2007 when he entered politics.

Political career

O'Reilly became of the Liberty Party's youth wing in 2005 and was responsible for shifting the organization towards socially liberal positions. He became a member of the Comhthionól Náisiúnta aftering standing as a candidate in the Bouladuff East constituency. In 2010, he stood down as the youth wing's leader. He was Minister of Justice and Equality between 2015 and 2017. He became leader of the Liberty Party in March 2017, succeeding Alexis Walker.

Taoiseach

He became taoiseach on 20 April 2017. He led the party to victory in the 2017 general election. He formed a majority government with the support of the Centre Party and the Caldish Democrats. He became the first person of Bahian descent to serve as a Euclean head of government.

His government pushed for the reformation of Caldia's immigration system. It also oversaw an overhaul of the Spálgleann city government and the expansion of ties between the national government and municipal governments.

On 11 April 2018, several Caldish diplomatic officials were arrested carrying faked passports in what became known as the Pietramontecorvino Incident. After losing the support of his coalition partners, he announced he would stand down on 18 April and was succeeded by Proin Casarnach on 7 May 2018. At the time, his tenure was the shortest in Caldish history.

After his resignation, he continued to serve as a member of the legislature. He announced his intent to leave politics in January 2019 and stood down at the 2019 general election. After leaving politics, he has returned to practicing law and is a guest lecturer at the Public University of Spálgleann.

Controversies

As Minister of Justice, he was a frequent target of members of the right-wing Free Market Party. O'Reilly was accused on several occasions of being biased against people native to Caldia and of being weak on crime. During the campaign for the 2017 election, Saorla Ní Chadhla (then leader of the PMSA) accused him of being racist and "Ghaillo-phobic". O'Reilly dismissed her remarks and stated his distaste for the PMSA over their racially charged rhetoric, citing his Bahian heritage.

In response to the Pietramontecorvino Incident, O'Reilly sacked a number of senior members. It was later revealed it was an effort by the Caldish government to evacuate former senior Etrurian officials. O'Reilly claimed that the faked passports were in a diplomatic bag that was illegally searched and seized. This was later revealed to be untrue.

O'Reilly's legacy remains controversy in Caldia. His supporters remember him for his immigration reform and moderate brand of politics while his detractors argue he was reckless.

Personal life

O'Reilly is married to Alastríona Ní Tuathail, a banking executive he met while studying at university. The two were married in 2007 and have two children, Fergus and Máire. They have two private residences, an apartment in Spálgleann and one a house in Foraintry, a Cruckfada suburb in County Bouladuff. His mother has lived with the family at their Foraintry home since the death of Jimmy's father. His wife and children lived with him at Loveland House during his tenure as Taoiseach.

He is a supporter of the Spálgleann F.C. and is an avid football fan.