Gerry MacLochlainn
Encyclopedia
Gerry MacLochlainn is a Sinn Féin
politician from Derry
, Northern Ireland
. A councillor in Derry, he has chaired several of the council's major committees including regional and cross border committees. His writings were widely circulated in Wales
and several of his prison letters are held in the National Library of Wales.http://books.google.com/books?id=6xgoAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&dq=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&as_brr=0&cd=5
MLA and delivered Sinn Féin's peace terms to the British Prime Minister in 2004.http://www.newworker.org/nw11507.htm
During his time in England MacLochlainn was part of the campaign to free the Guildford Four
and Birmingham Six
. As a member of Sinn Féin's International Department he was involved in party relationships in Europe and within the international community in London and represented Sinn Féin in many countries. He was the Sinn Féin link with North Korea.
He also represented Sinn Féin to the Inaugural Meeting of the Kurdish Parliament in Exile in the Hague and addressed that conference alongside parliamentarians from around the world. He was the only Irish representative attending the parliament.
In 2011 the BBC quoted him condemning a bomb attack in Derry allegedly carried out by dissidents.
He worked with others to found the city-wide Migrant Training Company which provided training in Information Technology to members of the various migrant communities in London including young Irish people. The company also provided advice and guidance as well as housing to many migrants helping them to escape from unemployment and homelessness.
Gerry MacLochlainn is one of leaders of Sinn Féin in Derry where he is the chief spokesperson on environmental matters and information technology. He is also chair of the management committee of Derry Airport and represents council's interests on the Airport Advisor Board which brings regional business leaders and local government leaders together to develop the airport.
He represents his party on a number of international matters and recently took part in a visit to the National Assembly for Wales where he met with a range of political leaders from all the parties.
A strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, MacLochlainn was one of the leaders of the campaign against the Israeli invasion of Gaza. He proposed and gained acceptance of a city policy of boycott of Israeli goods until Israel withdrew from Gaza and entered dialogue with the Palestinian representatives.
On Monday 26 May 2009 Gerry MacLochlainn crossed the Rafah crossing into Gaza with the Hope For Gaza convoy of medical aid for the people there. As deputy leader of the European Hope Convoy, Gerry MacLochlainn helped to deliver some 25 ambulances, a kidney dialysis machine, tens of thousands of pounds' worth of medicine and several wheel chairs.http://www.paltelegraph.com/palestine/gaza-strip/914-convoy-of-hope-for-gaza-update When in Gaza he met with Ismail Haniya, Palestinian prime minister and leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/38308
MacLochlainn recently took part in the Freedom Flotilla II
- Stay Human flotilla to Gaza. He is a member of the International Steering Committee and of the Irish Ship to Gaza national committee owners of the MV Saoirse.
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...
politician from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, 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...
. A councillor in Derry, he has chaired several of the council's major committees including regional and cross border committees. His writings were widely circulated in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and several of his prison letters are held in the National Library of Wales.http://books.google.com/books?id=6xgoAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&dq=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&as_brr=0&cd=5
Early life
Born in Derry in 1954 as Gerard McLaughlin, MacLochlainn was educated at Christian Brothers Brow of the Hill School, St Columb's College Derry, and later at Clacton County High School, Essex in England, St Mary's Grammar School on Glen Road in Belfast, Nantyglo Senior Comprehensive School Monmouthshire, South Wales, and the University College of Wales Aberystwyth (1973 -77)Aberystwyth University#Political alumni. He later taught mathematics at Ebbw Vale Senior Comprehensive School until 1980.Sinn Féin representative
A long term supporter of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness's leadership, MacLochlainn http://books.google.com/books?id=xnMhAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&dq=%22Gerry+MacLochlainn%22+-inpublisher:icon&as_brr=0&cd was appointed Sinn Féin representative to Britainhttp://republican-news.org/archive/2000/January13/13derr.html for the next 14 years and was in the first delegation to meet the British Labour Partyhttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19941230/ai_n14856518 front bench along with Francie Molloy. He was the Sinn Féin representative to Britain for the years leading up to the ceasefires and was the co-presenter of the Sinn Féin announcement in England alongside Mitchel McLaughlinMitchel McLaughlin
John Mitchel McLaughlin is the former General Secretary of Sinn Féin and an MLA.McLaughlin was born in Derry city, Northern Ireland and educated at Long Tower Boys School, Derry and Christian Brothers Technical College, Derry....
MLA and delivered Sinn Féin's peace terms to the British Prime Minister in 2004.http://www.newworker.org/nw11507.htm
During his time in England MacLochlainn was part of the campaign to free the Guildford Four
Guildford Four
The Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven were two sets of people whose convictions in English courts for the Guildford pub bombings in the 1970s were eventually quashed...
and Birmingham Six
Birmingham Six
The Birmingham Six were six men—Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker—sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975 in the United Kingdom for the Birmingham pub bombings. Their convictions were declared unsafe and quashed by the Court of...
. As a member of Sinn Féin's International Department he was involved in party relationships in Europe and within the international community in London and represented Sinn Féin in many countries. He was the Sinn Féin link with North Korea.
He also represented Sinn Féin to the Inaugural Meeting of the Kurdish Parliament in Exile in the Hague and addressed that conference alongside parliamentarians from around the world. He was the only Irish representative attending the parliament.
In 2011 the BBC quoted him condemning a bomb attack in Derry allegedly carried out by dissidents.
Community leader
During his years in London, MacLochlainn worked for the Irish In Islington Project (funded by Greater London Council and London Borough of Islington) and was one of the founders of the Roger Casement Irish Centre where he worked as a community development worker and later as the Centre's first director.He worked with others to found the city-wide Migrant Training Company which provided training in Information Technology to members of the various migrant communities in London including young Irish people. The company also provided advice and guidance as well as housing to many migrants helping them to escape from unemployment and homelessness.
Elected representative
A leading Sinn Féin Councillor in Derry, he is the party spokesperson on environmental matters and has been chair of the Environmental Services Committee, ERNACT (European Region Network for the Application of Communications Technology), and represents the City on the North West Regional Waste Management Committee.Gerry MacLochlainn is one of leaders of Sinn Féin in Derry where he is the chief spokesperson on environmental matters and information technology. He is also chair of the management committee of Derry Airport and represents council's interests on the Airport Advisor Board which brings regional business leaders and local government leaders together to develop the airport.
He represents his party on a number of international matters and recently took part in a visit to the National Assembly for Wales where he met with a range of political leaders from all the parties.
A strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, MacLochlainn was one of the leaders of the campaign against the Israeli invasion of Gaza. He proposed and gained acceptance of a city policy of boycott of Israeli goods until Israel withdrew from Gaza and entered dialogue with the Palestinian representatives.
On Monday 26 May 2009 Gerry MacLochlainn crossed the Rafah crossing into Gaza with the Hope For Gaza convoy of medical aid for the people there. As deputy leader of the European Hope Convoy, Gerry MacLochlainn helped to deliver some 25 ambulances, a kidney dialysis machine, tens of thousands of pounds' worth of medicine and several wheel chairs.http://www.paltelegraph.com/palestine/gaza-strip/914-convoy-of-hope-for-gaza-update When in Gaza he met with Ismail Haniya, Palestinian prime minister and leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/38308
MacLochlainn recently took part in the Freedom Flotilla II
Freedom Flotilla II
"Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human" was a flotilla that planned to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israel by sailing to Gaza on 5 July 2011. Ultimately, the sailing did not take place....
- Stay Human flotilla to Gaza. He is a member of the International Steering Committee and of the Irish Ship to Gaza national committee owners of the MV Saoirse.