Richard Rahilly (1839–1896), was a grocer, entrepreneur, justice of the peace and nationalist public representative in Ballylongford, County Kerry, in the latter part of the 19th century.
At a nationalist meeting in 1877 in Ballylongford, he seconded a vote of confidence in the nationalist MP, Rowland Ponsonby Blennerhassett.The Irish Times, 18 September 1877. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1890The O'Rahilly Papers, UCD Archives, Document P102/35. and was a member of the Board of Guardians of Listowel Poor Law Union.
As a grocer and entrepreneur he was innovative and was said to be the first person in Ireland with a domestic fridge, as well as to have had the first cash register in Munster. He was involved in setting up Listowel creamery co-operative, now part of Kerry Group,
He was father of the revolutionary leader The O'Rahilly and of the republican activists Nell Humphreys and Anno O'Rahilly.
He died as a result of pneumonia contracted after cycling home to Ballylongford in torrential rain from a meeting of Listowel Board of Guardians in March 1896.The Kerry Evening Post, 21 March 1896; The O'Rahlily Papers UCD Archive Document P106/318(5).
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