Enda Kenny was born on 24 April 1951 in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. He was educated at St Gerald's College in Castlebar and University College Galway, where he studied law. After graduating, he worked as a solicitor in his hometown.
Kenny became involved in politics at a young age and was elected to Castlebar Town Council in 1979. He was elected to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, in 1981 as a member of Fine Gael, a centre-right political party.
Kenny held a number of ministerial positions in the Irish government before becoming leader of Fine Gael in 2002. He led the party to victory in the 2011 general election, becoming Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland.
Kenny's time as Taoiseach was marked by a number of significant events, including the economic crisis of 2008 and the subsequent bailout of Ireland by the European Union and International Monetary Fund. Kenny also oversaw the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Ireland in 2015.
Kenny resigned as Taoiseach in 2017 and was succeeded by Leo Varadkar. He continues to serve as a member of Dáil Éireann.
Here is a more detailed timeline of Kenny's political career:
* 1979: Elected to Castlebar Town Council
* 1981: Elected to Dáil Éireann
* 1994-1997: Minister for Youth and Sport
* 1997-2002: Minister for Tourism and Trade
* 2002: Elected leader of Fine Gael
* 2011: Fine Gael wins the general election and Kenny becomes Taoiseach
* 2015: Ireland legalises same-sex marriage
* 2017: Kenny resigns as Taoiseach and is succeeded by Leo Varadkar
Kenny has been a controversial figure throughout his political career. He has been criticised for his handling of the economic crisis and his support for austerity measures. However, he has also been praised for his leadership and his commitment to social progress.
