Patrick Connolly (born 23 September 1953) is a former independent politician from County Monaghan in Ireland.
[1] A psychiatric nurse and part-time secretary of the Health Services Branch of the SIPTU trade union, Connolly was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election as an independent TD, campaigning primarily around the defence of services of Monaghan Hospital.
He joined with other independent TDs to form a Technical group in order to gain speaking rights in the Dáil.
In August 2020, Connolly was one of 81 people who attended a dinner in Clifden, County Galway organised by the Oireachtas Golf Society.
[3] The gathering took place contrary to public health advice that had been issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, and became a major political scandal.