Andrew Doyle

Andrew Doyle (born 2 July 1960) is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow constituency. He is the Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Early life and education

Doyle graduated from Rockwell Agricultural College in County Tipperary in 1978, and as a young farmer in 1981, he won the Stephen Cullinane Scholarship to New Zealand, where he played rugby in Canterbury.

Personal life

Doyle runs the family farm in County Wicklow which has been in his family for six generations. He is married to Ann Smith and they have three sons and one daughter.

Politics

He has been a member of Fine Gael since 1983, and first sought election to Wicklow County Council in the East Wicklow electoral area, where he served from 1999 to 2007, and was Chairman of the Council from 2005 to 2006. He was elected to Oireachtas as a member of the 30th Dáil on his first attempt at the 2007 general election, and was re-elected to the 31st Dáil at the 2011 general election, topping the poll in the constituency.

Andrew

Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s it was among the top ten most popular names for boys in English-speaking countries. In Italian, the equivalent to "Andrew" is "Andrea", though "Andrea" is feminine in most other languages. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived from the Greek: Ανδρέας, Andreas, itself related to Ancient Greek: ἀνήρ/ἀνδρός aner/andros, "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "strong", "courageous", and "warrior". In the King James Bible, the Greek "Ἀνδρέας" is translated as Andrew.

Popularity

Australia

In 2000, the name Andrew was the second most popular name in Australia. In 1999, it was the 19th most common name, while in 1940, it was the 31st most common name. Andrew was the first most popular boys name in the Northern Territory in 2003 to 2015 and continuing. In Victoria, Andrew was the first most popular name for a boy in the 1970s.

Canada

Andrew was the 20th most popular name chosen for male infants in 2005. Andrew was the 16th most popular name for infants in British Columbia in 2004, the 17th most popular name in 2003, and the 19th most popular name in 2002. In 2001, it was the 18th most common name. From 1999 – 2003, Andrew was the sixth most often chosen name for a boy.

Doyle

Doyle is a surname of Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Ó Dubhghaill /oːˈd̪ˠʊwəlʲ/, meaning "descendant of Dubhghall". The personal name Dubhghall contains the elements dubh "black" + gall "stranger". Similar Scottish and Irish surnames, derived from the same personal name are: MacDougall / McDougall and MacDowell / McDowell.

During the Viking Age the term Dubhghoill was used to describe the Vikings—usually Danes—and the term Fionnghoill ("fair foreigners") was used to describe Norwegians. There is uncertainty as to the exact meaning of these terms. If they do not refer to literal colours of hair, complexion, or apparel, the terms could denote "new" and "old" Vikings. If correct, the terms may distinguish differing groups or dynasties, or perhaps represent ethnonyms referring to Danes and Norwegians respectively. Later, Fionnghall was used to describe Scottish Gaels from the Hebrides, and sometimes the Hiberno-Normans (or "Old English"). The most common term for the Hiberno-Normans was Seanghoill ("old foreigners") to difference themselves from the Dubhghoill the "new foreigners" or "dark foreigners" who came to Ireland during Tudor conquest of Ireland.