Patrick Smith (17 July 1901 – 18 March 1982) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served as a Teachta Dála from 1923 until 1977; a tenure of 53 years, the longest in the state.

He was interned, put on trial for treason but he was spared after a truce was called between the British Army and the IRA during the Irish War of Independence.

[2] In 1926, Éamon de Valera, the Leader of Anti-Treaty Sinn Fein, approached Smith and persuaded him to join his newly founded political party, Fianna Fáil.

Fianna Fail abandoned the abstentionist policy of Anti Treaty Sinn Fein and its elected members took their seats in Dáil Éireann.

He also encouraged greater productivity from the primary economic sector, specifically farming and also aimed to improve grassland quality across the island.

It is a point, however, that Seán MacEntee tendered several resignation letters to Eamon de Valera during the course of his Ministerial Career which were not enacted but were dealt with among the Cabinet of the day.

Accordingly Smith was not appointed to cabinet by Jack Lynch upon his succession as Taoiseach in 1966 and would spend the remainder of his parliamentary career on the Fianna Fáil backbenches.

During the Arms Crisis, together with Aiken and almost all of the founding members of Fianna Fail, sided with Lynch against Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney.

He was buried in West Knockbride Chapel, with his graveside oration given by Charles Haughey, who had been appointed Taoiseach a number of days earlier.