| Patrick Beegan | |
| Office: | Parliamentary Secretary |
| Suboffice: | Finance |
| Subterm: | 1957–1958 |
| Suboffice1: | Finance |
| Subterm1: | 1951–1954 |
| Office2: | Teachta Dála |
| Term Start2: | February 1948 |
| Term End2: | 2 February 1958 |
| Constituency2: | Galway South |
| Term Start3: | July 1937 |
| Term End3: | February 1948 |
| Constituency3: | Galway East |
| Term Start4: | February 1932 |
| Term End4: | July 1937 |
| Constituency4: | Galway |
| Birth Date: | 26 May 1895 |
| Birth Place: | Cappataggle, County Galway, Ireland |
| Death Place: | County Galway, Ireland |
| Nationality: | Irish |
| Party: | Fianna Fáil |
| Education: | Garbally College |
| Relatives: | Anthony Millar (nephew) |
Patrick Beegan (26 May 1895 – 2 February 1958) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.[1]
He was born in the townland of Oatfield, Cappataggle, County Galway, to John Beegan, a herdsman, and Mary Stephenson.[2] Beegan claims that he was active with the Aughrim Company, Ballinasloe Battalion, Galway Brigade, Irish Volunteers from 1917.[3] During the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), Beegan took part in general IRA activity and claims that he was Battalion Adjutant, Battalion Vice Commandant and Battalion Commandant of 3 Battalion, 1 Brigade (Galway), 1 Western Division, IRA during the Truce period (1921-1922). Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War (1922-1923), Beegan took part in several armed operations against National Army troops. He was captured in August 1922, interned by the Free State government, took took part in a 14 days hunger strike in October 1923 and was released in November 1923. Beegan unsuccessfully applied to the Irish government for a military service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 but was awarded a Service (1917-1921) Medal in 1944. [4]
He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1932 general election when Fianna Fáil first came to power. He was re-elected for various Galway constituencies a further nine occasions.[5] In 1951 he was appointed to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance by Éamon de Valera's government. He served in that position until 1954, and was re-appointed in 1957 when Fianna Fáil returned to power. Beegan served in that post until his death on 2 February 1958.[6]
The subsequent by-election to fill Beegan's seat in the Galway South constituency was won by his nephew, Anthony Millar, whose mother, Mary, was Beegan's sister.