John Flynn (1894 – 23 August 1968) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1932 to 1943 and 1948 to 1957.
[1] A farmer from Brackhill, Castlemaine, Flynn was a member of A Company (Milltown), 5 Battalion, 1 Kerry Brigade, IRA and Brigade Active Service Unit, 1 Kerry Brigade, IRA during the Irish War of Independence and took part in the Ballymacandy Ambush in which five members of the Royal Irish Constabulary were killed.
He took part in several attacks on National forces across County Kerry until early 1923 and was on the run evading arrest until summer 1924.
During a 1952 Dáil debate, after John A. Costello had said "I made no reference to an Adoption of Children Bill", Oliver J. Flanagan of Fine Gael quipped "Deputy Flynn would be more qualified to do that".
[7] Flynn, who was not in the chamber at the time, interpreted this as an insulting innuendo, and later punched Flanagan in the Oireachtas restaurant.