   willie o'dea (born 1 november 1952) is an irish fianna fÃ¡il politician and a teachta dÃ¡la (td) for the limerick city constituency. he served as the minister for defence from september 2004 until 18 february 2010, when he resigned from his post due to controversy over a defamation case. ==early and private life== o'dea was born in limerick and raised in kilteely, county limerick. he was educated at the patrician brothers college in ballyfin, county laois, and university college dublin where he studied law.a contemporary at ucd was later attorney general and cabinet minister michael mcdowell. he qualified as a barrister at king's inns, dublin. he has an accountancy qualification from the institute of certified accountants. he worked as both a barrister and as an accountant before embarking on a career in politics. he also spent some time lecturing in the law faculty in university college dublin and in the university of limerick.as a lecturer, he taught a future cabinet colleague and taoiseach brian cowen. o'dea is married to geraldine kennedy.not the former editor of the irish times. he writes regularly for the sunday independent and occasionally for other national newspapers. ==early political career== o'dea first held political office as a fianna fÃ¡il member of [[li
1952_births Alumni_of_University_College_Dublin Fianna_FA!il_politicians Living_people Local_councillors_in_County_Limerick Members_of_the_23rd_DA!il Members_of_the_24th_DA!il Members_of_the_25th_DA!il Members_of_the_26th_DA!il Members_of_the_27th_DA!il Members_of_the_28th_DA!il Members_of_the_29th_DA!il Members_of_the_30th_DA!il Members_of_the_31st_DA!il Ministers_for_Defence_(Ireland) Ministers_of_State_of_the_26th_DA!il Ministers_of_State_of_the_27th_DA!il Ministers_of_State_of_the_28th_DA!il Ministers_of_State_of_the_29th_DA!il Politicians_from_County_Limerick TeachtaA_DA!la