Researching Patrick Leahy

A member of the Democratic Party, Leahy is now in his eighth term of office. He is the most senior member of the Senate, and the last of the Senate's "Watergate Babies" — Democrats first elected to Congress in the wave election of 1974 that followed President Richard Nixon's resignation over the Watergate scandal. Leahy is also the only sitting senator to have served during Gerald Ford's presidency, and one of just two to have served during Jimmy Carter's term.

The dean of his state's congressional delegation, Leahy is Vermont's longest-serving U.S. senator, as well as the only Democrat ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Vermont. He is the former chairman of the Agriculture and Judiciary committees. He served as the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee from 2017 to 2021, and became chairman in 2021. In 2001, Leahy was one of the two U.S. senators targeted by the anthrax attacks that killed five people. He was the presiding officer at Donald Trump's second impeachment trial, becoming the first senator to preside over a former president's impeachment trial.

On November 15, 2021, Leahy announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022.

Leahy was born in Creggane, in the Civil parish of Hackmys, in the barony of Coshma near Kilmallock in County Limerick, near the border between County Limerick and County Cork. He was one of seven brothers all of whom were sportsmen. His brother Con won medals in jumping at two Olympic Games. Another brother, Timothy, also jumped competitively. Patrick broke the British high jump record in Dublin in 1898 with a jump of 6 ft. 4in. (1.93m), he went on to win the British AAA high jump title in 1898 and 1899, and also came third in the long jump in 1899. Leahy also competed internationally in the long jump and the hop, step and jump (triple jump).

In the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, Leahy took part in three jump disciplines. He won the silver medal in the high jump behind Irving Baxter of the United States, and the bronze medal in the long jump behind Alvin Kraenzlein and Myer Prinstein, he also finished fourth place in the triple jumps behind Prinstein, James Connolly and Lewis Sheldon.

Eight years later, Leahy was back on the Olympic scene when he competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics, held in London, he entered the high jump again, but unfortunately he only finished ninth in the qualifying so didn't advance to the final, unlike his brother Con Leahy who went on to win the silver medal.

In 1909 Patrick and Con Leahy emigrated to the United States. Patrick died there in 1927, aged 50.