Francis Brolly
Encyclopedia
Francie Brolly is a musician, retired teacher and republican
politician from Dungiven
, Northern Ireland
. He was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
in 2003 and was re-elected in 2007 as a Sinn Féin
member for the East Londonderry constituency
. He resigned in 2010.
His wife, Anne Brolly
was the first Sinn Féin Mayor and the first female Mayor of Limavady
between 2003 and 2004, the council to which she was elected in 2001.
In 2005, he was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland
(PSNI) and questioned about a bombing incident in the village of Claudy
in 1972. An official complaint was lodged with the Police Ombudsman regarding the lawfulness of the arrest and this investigation is ongoing. Brolly mounted a legal challenge in relation to the arrest against the PSNI, which settled out of court.
on Culture, Arts and Leisure, sitting on that Department's oversight committee. He is also an Irish language
enthusiast and is a fluent speaker of the language.
He is a long-standing member of the GAA
and has played football
for Derry
. He is an Executive Committee Member of St Canice's GAC Dungiven
. His son Joe Brolly
was part of Derry's
1993 All-Ireland Championship
winning side and has won two All Stars
.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
politician from Dungiven
Dungiven
Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
in 2003 and was re-elected in 2007 as a Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
member for the East Londonderry constituency
East Londonderry (Assembly constituency)
East Londonderry is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996...
. He resigned in 2010.
His wife, Anne Brolly
Anne Brolly
Anne Brolly is a Sinn Féin politician and councillor on Limavady Borough Council in Northern Ireland. She is the wife of MLA Francie Brolly and together they form a singing duo and write songs. Their son Joe Brolly is a famous Derry footballer and TV sports pundit.In 2001, Brolly was elected as a...
was the first Sinn Féin Mayor and the first female Mayor of Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
between 2003 and 2004, the council to which she was elected in 2001.
In 2005, he was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
(PSNI) and questioned about a bombing incident in the village of Claudy
Claudy Bombing
The Claudy bombing occurred on 31 July 1972, when three car bombs exploded mid-morning on the Main Street of Claudy in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The attack killed nine civilians, and became known as "Bloody Monday". Those who planted the bombs had attempted to send a warning before the...
in 1972. An official complaint was lodged with the Police Ombudsman regarding the lawfulness of the arrest and this investigation is ongoing. Brolly mounted a legal challenge in relation to the arrest against the PSNI, which settled out of court.
Interests
Brolly is an Irish culture enthusiast. A lyricist and musician, he has written many well-known Irish republican songs, most famously The H-Block Song. His daughter, Nollaig is also a well-known singer and Celtic harpist. He served as the Assembly spokesperson for Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
on Culture, Arts and Leisure, sitting on that Department's oversight committee. He is also an Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
enthusiast and is a fluent speaker of the language.
He is a long-standing member of the GAA
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
and has played football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
for Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
. He is an Executive Committee Member of St Canice's GAC Dungiven
Dungiven GAC
St. Canice's GAC Dungiven is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football. The hurling club in the town is Kevin Lynch's....
. His son Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly is an Irish barrister, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 1993 and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League...
was part of Derry's
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...
winning side and has won two All Stars
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
.