Brennan, Patrick (‘Paudge’) (1922–98), politician, was born 18 February 1922 in Carnew, Co. Wicklow, fourth among nine children of Thomas Brennan (c.1887–1953), builder and politician, and Sarah Brennan (née Quinn). During the war of independence his father had been commandant, 4th Battalion, North Wexford Brigade, and vice-commandant, North Wexford Brigade, IRA, and later served as Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow (1944–53).
Educated locally at Carnew national school and Carnew vocational school, he joined his father's successful building firm. After Tom Brennan's death in 1953 he contested the by-election unsuccessfully but was elected for Wicklow in the 1954 general election, a seat he held until 1973. In 1965 he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister for local government but resigned from the position during the arms crisis in 1970 along with his minister, Kevin Boland (qv), in protest at the action of the taoiseach, Jack Lynch (qv), in requesting the resignations of Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney (qv). Expelled from Fianna Fáil in 1971 for abstaining in a vote of confidence in the government's minister for agriculture, Jim Gibbons (qv), he joined Kevin Boland's new political party Aontacht Éireann. Standing as an independent Fianna Fáil candidate for Wicklow at the 1973 general election, he lost his seat. When Haughey was elected leader of Fianna Fáil in 1979 Brennan rejoined the party and was reelected for Wicklow in the 1981 general election, was defeated in February 1982 but reelected in November 1982, and held the seat until his retirement from politics in 1987. From April to November 1982 he was a member of Seanad Éireann, nominated by the taoiseach.
Coopted to Wicklow county council in 1953, he remained a member until 1965. Among the other appointments he held were chairman of Wicklow vocational education committee, member of Wicklow county committee on agriculture (1955–66), member of the general council of county councils (1960–66), and member of the conference of local authorities (1961–5). He was also a member of Carnew Emmets GAA club and played Gaelic football for Co. Wicklow.
He married (11 October 1950) Mary, daughter of John Smith and Rosanna Smith (née Sweeney) of Wicklow. They had three sons and three daughters, and lived at Main St., Carnew, Co. Wicklow. He died 10 June 1998 in Wicklow. A photographic portrait by Robert Mullen and a portrait in oils by Senan O'Brien are held in the residence of his widow in ‘Sancta Maria’, Carnew, Co. Wicklow; his private papers are in the possession of his widow and his son, Sean Brennan, Wexford.