Paddy Maxwell
Encyclopedia
Paddy Maxwell was a solicitor
and a nationalist politician
in Ireland
.
Maxwell studied at the Convent of Mercy School, the Christian Brothers' School and St Columb's College in Derry
. In 1934, he was elected to the City Council for the Nationalist Party
, holding his seat until 1946, and also became Chairman of the Derry Catholic Registration Association. He entered employment with the Council, but resigned in 1937 in protest at a proposal to gerrymander the wards.
Maxwell founded the Irish Union Association in 1936. In 1937, he was elected to the Northern Ireland House of Commons representing Foyle
, but pledged not to take his seat. This enabled him to become the leader of the Nationalist group on the council in 1938.
A nationalist convention before the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, reselected Maxwell but mandated him to take his seat in Parliament. He did so for a few months, then attended only occasionally for the next few years. Eddie McAteer
objected to Maxwell's abstentionism
and challenged him at the nationalist convention held before the 1953 general election
. McAteer was selected, and Maxwell stood instead as an independent
. He was defeated and left politics.
Maxwell was President of the Londonderry Rotary Club in 1958/9, and Chairman of the movement in Ireland in 1963/4. He served as Vice President, then President, of the Law Society of Northern Ireland
from 1966 to 1968. He was also a member of the Council of the International Bar Association
in 1968, then served as a Resident Magistrate
until 1980.
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and a nationalist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Maxwell studied at the Convent of Mercy School, the Christian Brothers' School and St Columb's College in 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"...
. In 1934, he was elected to the City Council for the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
, holding his seat until 1946, and also became Chairman of the Derry Catholic Registration Association. He entered employment with the Council, but resigned in 1937 in protest at a proposal to gerrymander the wards.
Maxwell founded the Irish Union Association in 1936. In 1937, he was elected to the Northern Ireland House of Commons representing Foyle
Foyle (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Foyle was a single member constituency in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It was created in 1929 as one of the five single-member constituencies replacing the former five-member Londonderry constituency...
, but pledged not to take his seat. This enabled him to become the leader of the Nationalist group on the council in 1938.
A nationalist convention before the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, reselected Maxwell but mandated him to take his seat in Parliament. He did so for a few months, then attended only occasionally for the next few years. Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer was an nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Coatbridge, Scotland, McAteer's family moved to Derry in Northern Ireland while he was young. In 1930 he joined the Inland Revenue, where he worked until 1944. He then became an accountant and more actively involved in politics...
objected to Maxwell's abstentionism
Abstentionism
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in the election itself...
and challenged him at the nationalist convention held before the 1953 general election
Northern Ireland general election, 1953
-References:*...
. McAteer was selected, and Maxwell stood instead as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. He was defeated and left politics.
Maxwell was President of the Londonderry Rotary Club in 1958/9, and Chairman of the movement in Ireland in 1963/4. He served as Vice President, then President, of the Law Society of Northern Ireland
Law Society of Northern Ireland
'The is a professional body established by Royal Charter granted on 10 July 1922 and whose powers and duties are to regulate the solicitors' profession in Northern Ireland with the aim of protecting the public....
from 1966 to 1968. He was also a member of the Council of the International Bar Association
International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
in 1968, then served as a Resident Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
until 1980.