Is the famed Healy-Rae political dynasty on the verge of a dramatic dissolution? 

For nearly 30 years, Kerry has been represented by a Healy-Rae in Dáil Éireann and since 2016 there have been two of them - Michael and Danny. 

Michael has topped the poll for three General Elections in a row, with his unique brand of straight talking, hard work and rural populism proving popular in the Kingdom. 

Danny, meanwhile, is also locally respected for his work ethic but is probably better known internationally, having made global headlines over the years for his views on fairies and climate change. 

Danny Healy-Rae at Leinster House. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

After the 2024 General Election, the pair decided they would support the Government and Micheal was rewarded with a job as a Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture. 

But it was not to last; in April, Michael quit following the fuel protesting, insisting that the Taoiseach had “let the people of Ireland down” and voted no confidence in the Government. The two brothers returned to the opposition benches. 

Now however, Michael has revealed that he felt forced to resign his job as a Junior Minister, not because of policy but because he felt “pulled overboard” by his brother. 

Speaking to Radio Kerry, Michael said he wanted the brothers to stick with the Government, despite anger over the cost of fuel.

“Reliability is everything and being able to trust people is very, very important,” Michael said. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, political correspondent Seán Defoe said Micheal believes the pair had more influence over policy as Government supporting TDs. 

“He kind of recalled his father, Jackie Healy Ray, who he said was reliable with Bertie Ahern,” Seán said. 

“He went in and voted for cuts to pay for the likes of teachers and things that weren't unpopular - but he did it and he got stuff for the people of Kerry out of it as a result.”

But does one disagreement mean the end of the most successful political pairing in Kerry’s history? 

“Michael just wouldn't go there and he wouldn't say it,” Seán said. 

“They've been so politically tied at the hip down to that very famous map that first appeared at the 2016 general election, where they had colour coded the entirety of Kerry.

“They said, ‘If you're in this part, vote number one for Michael and if you're in this part, vote number one for Danny’. 

“They got 38% of the vote at that particular election in that constituency.” 

Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. Picture by: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Either way, both brothers will be in their 60s and 70s when the next General Election is held. 

Down in the Kingdom, the expectation has always been that a time would come when the next generation of Healy-Raes would step up and stand for the Dáil. 

In an interview yesterday with the Irish Examiner, Danny described his children as hard working councillors. 

"Myself, and Johnny, and Maura are full belt at it,” he said. 

"I'm sure Michael and Jackie are as well."

It was a remark that may prove telling when the next chapter in the history of the Healy-Raes is written.

Main image TDs Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie.