Robert Owens Tiernan (February 24, 1929 – October 15, 2014) was an American lawyer and politician from Rhode Island.

Tiernan was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and attended La Salle Academy.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Providence College in 1953 and his Juris Doctor from Catholic University Law School in 1956.

He began his political career as a Democratic member of the Rhode Island State Senate in 1960 and served until 1967.

[8] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress