Kennelly, Patrick John (Pat) (1900-1981)

Kenelly, Patrick John ('Pat') (1900-1981), Australian Labor Party official and politician, was born on 3 June 1900 at Northcote, Melbourne, fifth child of Irish-born parents John Kennelly, warder, and his wife Mary, nee O’Dea. Educated at St Joseph’s School, Northcote, and St Patrick’s College, East Melbourne, Pat set his life’s course from an early age: at 15 he joined the Australian Labor Party. When he commenced work he joined the Federated Clerks’ Union of Australia and by 19 he was secretary of the Northcote branch of the ALP, where he began a lifelong association with John Cain. While working at the Yallourn open-cut mine in 1925 he coached the local football team, foreshadowing an enduring association with Australian Rules football, which included the Port Melbourne and Richmond clubs. In 1926 Kennelly began full-time political work as a clerk in the ALP office, becoming organising secretary in 1930. His skills as a 'machine' man were honed in the office as Labor squabbled and split during the Depression