Editing Seán Lemass (section)

==Personal life==
On 24 August 1924, Lemass married [[Kathleen Lemass|Kathleen Hughes]], much to the disapproval of the bride's parents. The wedding took place in the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Name, [[Ranelagh]], Dublin. [[Jimmy O'Dea]], the well-known comedian, acted as Lemass's [[best man]].<ref name=dib/>

Together Seán and Kathleen had four children – [[Maureen Haughey|Maureen]], Peggy (1927–2004), [[Noel Lemass|Noel]] and Sheila (1932–1997). Maureen Lemass would marry [[Charles Haughey]], a successor of Lemass as [[Fianna Fáil]] leader and [[Taoiseach]].<ref name=dib/>

===Retirement===
In 1966, [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Éamon de Valera came within 1% of defeat in [[1966 Irish presidential election|that year's Irish presidential election]], less than two months after the celebrations in which he played such a central part. On 10 November 1966, Lemass announced to the [[Dáil]] his decision to retire as [[Fianna Fáil]] leader and [[Taoiseach]] with his usual penchant for efficiency, "I have resigned". Lemass retired to the backbenches and remained a TD until 1969.<ref name=dib/>

On the day of Lemass's retirement, [[Jack Lynch]] became the new leader and became the Taoiseach.<ref name=dib/>

===Death===
During the last few years of his leadership, Lemass's health began to deteriorate. He had been a heavy pipe smoker all his life, smoking almost a pound of tobacco a week in later life. At the time of his retirement, it was suspected that Lemass had cancer, but this assumption was later disproved. In February 1971, while attending a rugby game at [[Lansdowne Road]], he became unwell; he was rushed to hospital and was told by his doctor that one of his lungs was about to collapse.<ref name=dib/>

On Tuesday, 11 May 1971, Seán Lemass died in the [[Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin|Mater Hospital]] in Dublin, aged 71.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishhistorian.com/Selections/October_2013_Selection.html#facts|title=Irish Historian Selection October 2013|website=Irishhistorian.com|access-date=2 November 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015020/http://www.irishhistorian.com/Selections/October_2013_Selection.html#facts|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1633582&issue_id=14207|title=Political Acclaim for Seán Lemass1971|website=RTE Archives|date=26 August 2016|access-date=30 April 2021|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192913/http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1633582&issue_id=14207|url-status=live}}</ref> He was afforded a [[List of Irish state funerals|state funeral]] and was buried in [[Deansgrange]] Cemetery.<ref name=dib/>