Members of the Northern Ireland Forum
Encyclopedia
This is a list of members of the Northern Ireland Forum. The Forum
was elected in 1996. Most members were elected on a constituency basis, but the ten highest political parties
winning the most votes were each allocated two top-up seats.
110 members were elected. The Sinn Féin
members did not take their seats, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party
and UK Unionist Party
members later withdrew.
Members are listed by party, and those parties by number of votes won.
Ulster Unionist Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Democratic Unionist Party
Sinn Féin
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
UK Unionist Party
Ulster Democratic Party
Northern Ireland Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast Agreement in 1998....
was elected in 1996. Most members were elected on a constituency basis, but the ten highest political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
winning the most votes were each allocated two top-up seats.
110 members were elected. The 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...
members did not take their seats, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
and UK Unionist Party
UK Unionist Party
The UK Unionist Party was a small unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1995 to 2008. It was nominally formed by Robert McCartney, formerly of the Ulster Unionist Party, to contest a by-election the North Down by-election, 1995 and then further constituted to contest the 1996...
members later withdrew.
Members are listed by party, and those parties by number of votes won.
Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(30 members)
- Antony AlcockAntony AlcockAntony Evelyn Alcock was a historian and Ulster Unionist politician.Born in Valletta, Malta, he grew up in Devon and Hampshire while at Harrow School from 1950 to 1954. Following his education he was Commissioned during National Service into the Seaforth Highlanders...
- Thomas Benson
- David Brewster
- David BrowneDavid BrowneDavid Browne is an American journalist and author. He was the resident music critic at Entertainment Weekly between 1990 and 2006. He was an editor at Music & Sound Output magazine and a music critic at the New York Daily News before EW...
- David CampbellRobert David Stewart CampbellRobert David Stewart Campbell, CBE, BAgr is a politician, farmer and businessman.-Background:He is the son of Ronald and Ann Campbell of Lisburn. Educated Wallace High School and The Queen's University of Belfast. Married to Linda with two sons...
- James Clarke
- Robert CoulterRobert CoulterRev Dr Robert Coulter MLA is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland.He is an Ulster Unionist Party MLA for North Antrim. Coulter was born in 1929, making him the second oldest MLA after the Rev. Ian Paisley....
- Ivan DavisIvan Davis (politician)Ivan Davis is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Lisburn, Davis was elected to Lisburn Borough Council in 1973, representing the Democratic Unionist Party . He was also elected to represent South Antrim at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982.In 1987, Davis resigned from...
- Jeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
- Reg EmpeyReg EmpeyReginald Norman Morgan Empey, Baron Empey of Shandon, OBE, – known as Sir Reg Empey prior to 2011 – is a former Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Belfast...
- Sam Foster
- Sam GardinerSam GardinerAlderman Samuel Gardiner MBE JP MLA is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party who is an MLA for Upper Bann...
- Joseph Gaston
- John GormanJohn Gorman (politician)Sir John Reginald Gorman, CVO, CBE, MC, DL, was between 1998 and 2003 an Ulster Unionist Party MLA for North Down, and one of the tiny number of Roman Catholics to be elected as a Unionist representative in Northern Ireland.-Early life:Born in Omagh, County Tyrone in 1923 and educated at Rockport...
- John Hunter
- Derek HusseyDerek HusseyDerek Robert Hussey is a Ulster Unionist politician from Northern IrelandHussey was educated at Omagh Model School, Omagh Academy and Stranmillis College, Belfast. He previously was a teacher at Castlederg High School.In 1989 he was elected as councillor on Strabane District Council...
- John Junkin
- Peter King
- Alan McFarlandAlan McFarlandMajor Robert Alan McFarland, MLA was an Independent Unionist politician and MLA for North Down in Northern Ireland. He lost his Assembly seat in the 2011 election....
- Ken Maginnis
- Dermot NesbittDermot NesbittDermot Nesbitt is a politician from Northern Ireland.Nesbitt studied economics at Queens University Belfast and joined the Ulster Unionist Party...
- Thomas Robinson
- Jim Rodgers
- James SpeersJim SpeersJim Speers, known as Jim Speers, is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Speers works as a businessman and part-time farmer. He was elected to Armagh City and District Council in 1977 for the Ulster Unionist Party ....
- May Steele
- Bob StokerBob StokerBob Stoker is a Ulster Unionist Party politician and former Member of the Northern Ireland Forum for South Belfast.He was elected to Northern Ireland Forum for Belfast South in May 1996....
- John David Taylor
- David TrimbleDavid TrimbleWilliam David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
- Peter WeirPeter Weir (politician)Peter Weir MLA is a Northern Ireland unionist politician.A past chairman of the Young Unionists , Weir is a barrister by profession. He attended Bangor Grammar School and graduated from the Queen's University of Belfast in Law and Accountancy. He was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1992 and...
- Robert John WhiteRobert John WhiteRobert John White, known as John White, is an Ulster Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.White was Mayor of Coleraine from 1977 to 1980, having been Deputy Mayor from 1973. He was elected to the council at every election from 1973 to 1993....
Social Democratic and Labour PartySocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
(21 members)
- Joe ByrneJoe Byrne (politician)Joe Byrne is a Nationalist politician in Northern Ireland, representing West Tyrone between 1998 and 2003 and since 2011 in the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Political biography:...
- Hugh CarrHugh CarrHugh Carr is a former Irish nationalist politician.Carr was elected to Newry and Mourne District Council in 1989, representing the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Crotlieve....
- Arthur DohertyArthur DohertyArthur Doherty was a nationalist politician in Ireland.Born in County Donegal, Doherty studied in Strabane, then at St Columb's College in Derry before becoming a teacher...
- Mark DurkanMark DurkanMark Durkan is an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...
- Sean FarrenSean FarrenSean Nial Farren is an Northern Irish politician.Farren studied at the National University of Ireland, University College Dublin, University of Essex and the University of Ulster...
- Frank FeelyFrank FeelyFrank Feely is a nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Feely worked as a teacher in Newry. At the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973, he was elected for the Social Democratic and Labour Party in South Down. He held this seat at the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, and at...
- Dorita FieldDorita FieldDorita Field was a South African-born town planner and politician in Northern Ireland.Born as Dorita Wilson to a Protestant family in Pietermaritzburg, she studied zoology and mathematics at the University of South Africa. During World War II, she served in the South African Women's Naval Service...
- Tommy GallagherTommy Gallagher (politician)Tommy Gallagher is an Irish politician.Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Gallagher attended Queen's University Belfast before becoming a teacher in Belleek, County Fermanagh....
- Joe HendronJoe HendronJoseph Gerard Hendron is a Northern Ireland politician, a member of the moderate Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party ....
- John HumeJohn HumeJohn Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble....
- Alban MaginnessAlban MaginnessAlban Maginness is a Nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Maginness was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland. He completed his secondary education at St. Malachy's College, Belfast. He then attended the New University of Ulster and subsequently Queen's University of Belfast where...
- Seamus MallonSeamus MallonSeamus Frederick Mallon born 17 August 1936, in Markethill, County Armagh, is an Irish politician and former Deputy Leader of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland...
- Donovan McClellandDonovan McClellandDonovan McClelland is a Protestant member of the mostly Catholic Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland....
- Alasdair McDonnellAlasdair McDonnellDr Alasdair McDonnell is an Irish politician, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and both a Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Belfast. On 5 November, 2011, he was elected as the new leader of the SDLP.-Early...
- Patsy McGlonePatsy McGloneCllr Patsy McGlone MLA is a Social Democratic and Labour Party Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Mid Ulster from Ballinderry, and Deputy Leader of the SDLP . He has been an MLA since 2003....
- Paddy McGowanPaddy McGowanJohn Patrick McGowan, known as Paddy McGowan, is a politician in Northern Ireland.McGowan worked in the fire service before joining the Social Democratic and Labour Party ....
- Eddie McGradyEddie McGradyEdward Kevin McGrady, known as Eddie McGrady is an Irish nationalist politician and a former member of the British Parliament.One of eleven children, McGrady was educated at St...
- Margaret RitchieMargaret Ritchie (politician)Margaret Ritchie is an Irish politician from Northern Ireland. She was the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 7 February 2010 to 5 November 2011 - being replaced in this role by Alasdair McDonnell - and served as the Minister for Social Development from 8 May 2007 until her...
- Brid RodgersBríd RodgersBríd Rodgers , born Bríd Stratford Bríd Rodgers (Irish: Bríd Mhic Ruairí), born Bríd Stratford Bríd Rodgers (Irish: Bríd Mhic Ruairí), born Bríd Stratford (born 20 February 1935, in Gweedore [Gaoth Dobhair], County Donegal, Ireland, is a former Irish nationalist politician....
- Jonathan StephensonJonathan StephensonJonathan Stephenson is a former Irish nationalist politician.Stephenson was elected to Belfast City Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1993, representing the Social Democratic and Labour Party in the Castle area. He also became Deputy Chairperson of the SDLP in the mid-1990s.In...
- John TierneyJohn Tierney (Irish politician)John Tierney is a nationalist politician in Ireland.Born in Derry, Tierney worked as a tool setter before joining the Social Democratic and Labour Party . He was elected to Derry City Council in 1981, and served as the Mayor of Derry in 1984...
Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(24 members)
- May Beattie
- Robert Bolton
- Cecil CalvertCecil Calvert (politician)Cecil Calvert is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland, and long-serving councillor on Lisburn City Council.Calvert worked for the B Specials Constabulary and as a farmer before joining the Democratic Unionist Party . In 1985, he was elected to Lisburn Borough Council, representing Killultagh...
- Gregory CampbellGregory Campbell (politician)Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
- Mervyn CarrickMervyn CarrickWilliam Mervyn Carrick, known as Mervyn Carrick is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Portadown, Carrick studied at Portadown Technical College before becoming an accountant...
- Wilson ClydeWilson ClydeWilson Clyde is a politician from Northern Ireland.Born in Kilbegs, County Antrim, Clyde worked as a farmer before being elected to Antrim Borough Council for the Democratic Unionist Party in 1981. In 1996, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, representing South Antrim, and he held the...
- Nigel DoddsNigel DoddsNigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP...
- Oliver GibsonOliver GibsonOliver Gibson is a founding member of the Democratic Unionist Party .Gibson is a retired DUP councillor for West Tyrone. He also served as an MLA for West Tyrone in the first session of the Assembly...
- Trevor KirklandTrevor KirklandTrevor Kirkland was born in 1958 to a Chirsitian home and educated at Mallusk Primary School and Ballyclare Secondary and Newtownabbey Technical College, and he graduated from the University of Ulster 1980. He was a member of the Democratic Unionist Party ,though he left when the power sharing...
- St Clair McAlisterSt Clair McAlisterSt Clair McAlister is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.McAlister was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996 as a Democratic Unionist Party representative for North Down....
- William McCreaWilliam McCrea (politician)Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:...
- Jack McKeeJack McKeeAlderman Jack McKee is a Unionist politician in Larne, Northern Ireland.Until his resignation from the party in 2007, McKee was a Democratic Unionist Party councillor. He is one of the longest serving councillors on Larne Borough Council; like the UUP's Roy Beggs, he has served continuously since...
- Maurice Morrow
- Ian PaisleyIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
- Ian Paisley Jr
- Joan Parkes
- Edwin PootsEdwin PootsAlderman Edwin Poots MLA is a Northern Irish politician and a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley. He is one of three DUP MLAs for Lagan Valley.-Biography:...
- Iris RobinsonIris RobinsonIris Robinson is a former Northern Ireland Unionist politician. She is married to Peter Robinson, who is currently the First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly....
- Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
- James ShannonJim ShannonRichard James Shannon is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Shannon was educated at Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Academical Institution. He was in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1973-75 and 1976–77 and was awarded the General Service Medal. He served in the Royal...
- Eric SmythEric SmythEric Smyth is a unionist politician and religious minister in Northern Ireland.Smyth was first elected to Belfast City Council for the Democratic Unionist Party in 1981, representing 'Area F' which was equivalent to the modern wards of Falls, Clonard, Blackstaff and Shaftesbury...
- William Snoddy
- Robert Stewart
- Sammy WilsonSammy WilsonSamuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ...
Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn 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...
(17 members)
- Gerry AdamsGerry AdamsGerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
- Annie ArmstrongAnnie Armstrong (politician)Annie Armstrong is a former Irish republican politician.Armstrong moved to Twinbrook, Belfast in 1974 and became a community worker in 1981. At the Northern Ireland local elections, 1993, she was elected for Sinn Féin to represent Dunmurry Cross on Lisburn City Council.At the Northern Ireland...
- Lucilita BhreatnachLucilita BhreatnachLucilita Bhreatnach is an Irish republican politician and member of Sinn FéinGrowing up in Dublin, Bhreatnach joined Sinn Féin at the age of sixteen and was subsequently active in the Anti H-Block campaign, becoming the Chair of the Stop Strip-Searching Campaign. She is the daughter of the...
- Maria CaraherMaria CaraherMaria Caraher is an Irish republican activist, school principal and former politician.Born in Cullyhanna, County Armagh, Northern Ireland to a republican family, she joined Sinn Féin, as did her brothers Michael and Fergal...
- Patrick Doherty
- Patrick Groogan
- Gerry KellyGerry KellyGerard "Gerry" Kelly is an Irish republican politician and former Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer who played a leading role in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998...
- Barry McElduffBarry McElduffBarry McElduff is an Irish politician.Born in County Tyrone, McElduff attended the Christian Brothers Grammar School in Omagh before attending Queen's University Belfast and becoming an Irish republican activist for Sinn Féin....
- Dodie McGuinnessDodie McGuinnessDodie McGuinness is an Irish Republican politician.Born Anne Harkin, McGuinness worked at Altnagelvin Hospital before becoming involved in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, then joining Sinn Féin in 1972. She was present at the events of Bloody Sunday.Harkin married the brother of...
- Martin McGuinnessMartin McGuinnessJames Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
- Gerry McHughGerry McHughGerry McHugh MLA is a nationalist politician in Northern Ireland. He represented Sinn Féin on Fermanagh District Council from 1993 to 2007 and has sat as an independent since then. He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996, then to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 1998 election as a...
- Mitchel McLaughlinMitchel McLaughlinJohn 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....
- Patrick McNamee
- Alex MaskeyAlex MaskeyAlex Maskey is an Irish politician who was the first member of Sinn Féin to serve as Belfast's Lord Mayor. He is Sinn Féin's longest sitting councillor and is currently an MLA for South Belfast as well as being a councillor for the Laganbank area of Belfast.-Early life:Maskey was educated at St...
- Francie MolloyFrancie MolloyFrancie Molloy MLA is a Sinn Féin politician and a deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.He first stood for Sinn Féin in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the 1982 Assembly Elections finishing as runner-up 542 votes behind the DUP candidate with over 1400 SDLP votes non-transferable...
- Mick MurphyMick Murphy (Sinn Féin politician)Michael Murphy is a nationalist politician in Northern Ireland. Active in republican politics since the civil rights campaigns of the 1960s, he worked as a publican. In 1996 he was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Sinn Féin in South Down...
- Michelle O'Connor
Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
(7 members)
- John Alderdice
- Eileen BellEileen BellEileen Bell CBE is a Northern Ireland politician, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Down and former deputy leader of the Alliance Party.-Early life:...
- Seamus CloseSeamus CloseSeamus Close OBE is a Northern Ireland politician, former member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley and a former deputy leader of the Alliance Party....
- Steve McBrideSteve McBride (politician)-Career:McBride is active in the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland . He became the Chairman of APNI in the 1990s, and in 1996 was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, representing Belfast South. At the 1997 general election, McBride took 12.9% of the vote and fourth place in the Westminster seat...
- Kieran McCarthyKieran McCarthyKieran McCarthy is a Northern Ireland politician, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Strangford and Assembly chief whip for the Alliance Party....
- Oliver NapierOliver NapierSir Oliver Napier was the first leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. In 1974 he served as the first and only Legal Minister and head of the Office of Legal Reform in the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive set up by the Sunningdale Agreement.-Early life:Napier was educated at St...
- Sean NeesonSéan NeesonSeán Neeson is a politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2001.- Education and early life :...
UK Unionist PartyUK Unionist PartyThe UK Unionist Party was a small unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1995 to 2008. It was nominally formed by Robert McCartney, formerly of the Ulster Unionist Party, to contest a by-election the North Down by-election, 1995 and then further constituted to contest the 1996...
(3 members)
- Robert McCartneyRobert McCartney (politician)Robert Law McCartney QC is a Northern Ireland barrister and former leader of the UK Unionist Party.He was initially a member of the Ulster Unionist Party but was expelled in June 1987 when he refused to withdraw from the general election of that year...
- Conor Cruise O'BrienConor Cruise O'BrienConor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
- Cedric WilsonCedric WilsonCedric Wilson is a politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Wilson became the director of a private nursing home. In 1981, he was elected to Castlereagh Borough Council for the Democratic Unionist Party, a post he held until 1989...
Ulster Democratic PartyUlster Democratic PartyThe Ulster Democratic Party was a small loyalist political party in Northern Ireland. It was established in June 1981 as the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party by the Ulster Defence Association to replace their New Ulster Political Research Group...
(2 members)
- Gary McMichaelGary McMichaelGary McMichael is the son of former Ulster Defence Association leader John McMichael and was the leader of the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party during the peace process....
- John White