Seamus Mallon

Seamus Frederick Mallon (/ˈʃeɪməs ˈmælən/; 17 August 1936 – 24 January 2020) was an Irish politician who served as deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2001 and Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 1979 to 2001.

For the Irish rugby union player, see Seamus Mallon (rugby union).

Seamus Mallon
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
In office
1 July 1998 – 6 November 2001
Served with
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byMark Durkan
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Newry and Armagh
In office
25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byDominic Bradley
Member of Parliament
for Newry and Armagh
In office
24 January 1986 – 11 April 2005
Preceded byJim Nicholson
Succeeded byConor Murphy
Senator
In office
18 February 1982 – 24 November 1982
TaoiseachCharles Haughey
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born
Seamus Frederick Mallon

(1936-08-17)17 August 1936
Markethill, Northern Ireland
Died24 January 2020(2020-01-24) (aged 83)
Markethill, Northern Ireland
Political partySDLP
Spouse(s)Gertrude Cush (died 2016)
Children1
Alma materSt. Mary's University College
ProfessionTeacher

Background

Seamus Mallon was born in the largely Protestant village of Markethill and was educated at the Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School in Newry and St Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh. As a career he (like his father) chose teaching, and became headmaster of St James's Primary School in Markethill.[1] Mallon was also involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), playing Gaelic football for Armagh. He first played club football for Middletown during the 1950s then with Keady Dwyers, Queen's University and Crossmaglen Rangers.[2]

He was also involved in amateur drama and wrote a play which won an All-Ireland amateur drama play award.[3]

Introduction to politics

During the 1960s, he was involved in the civil rights movement,[4] especially in his native Armagh. In 1979, when John Hume went from being deputy leader of the SDLP (under Gerry Fitt) to leader, Mallon became deputy leader.[4] He was elected to the first power-sharing Assembly in 1973, and to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975[1] representing Armagh. Between May and December 1982 Mallon was appointed by the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey to the Republic's upper house, Seanad Éireann.[5]

1982 Assembly and Westminster

In 1982, Mallon was elected to the new Northern Ireland Assembly, set up as part of then-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Prior's rolling devolution. However, due to his membership of the Seanad he was, following a challenge by Unionist politicians, disqualified.[1][6] Under legislation of the time, no elected member of a British parliament or regional assembly could serve in a parliament outside the United Kingdom or Commonwealth without losing their British seat. That restriction was removed with regard to the Oireachtas by the Disqualifications Act 2000.

In 1986, he was elected to Westminster as an MP for Newry and Armagh, a seat he held until 2005. He won the seat in a by-election to replace Jim Nicholson, who had resigned his seat in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement, along with all the other Northern Irish unionist MPs.[4] Nicholson was the only MP to fail to be re-elected.[7]

Peace process and 1998 Assembly

Mallon was elected to the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in 1994. He was a member of the SDLP team at the all-party negotiations (the 'Stormont talks') that opened in Belfast in June 1996.[8] He has frequently been quoted as saying that the Good Friday Agreement, which resulted from the talks in 1998, was "Sunningdale for slow learners".[9][10][11] The Good Friday Agreement led to the setting up of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which was elected in June 1998, with a power-sharing Executive. Mallon was elected as member for Newry and Armagh, and in December 1999 became Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, serving alongside Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble.[12]

Mallon remained a strong opponent of IRA violence,[6] and was also in favour of police reform in Northern Ireland.[13]

Retirement

He retired in 2001, along with John Hume, from the leadership of the SDLP.[14] Mark Durkan replaced both, Hume as leader and Mallon as Deputy First Minister, when the Northern Ireland Executive was re-established following a suspension.[15]

Mallon did not contest his seat in the Stormont Assembly in the 2003 elections, and stood down at the 2005 Westminster election. His seat was taken, as expected, by Conor Murphy of Sinn Féin.[16]

Mallon was conferred with the freedom of Drogheda in 2018.[17]

His autobiography, A Shared Home Place, written with Andy Pollak, was published in 2019.[18]

Personal life

Mallon's wife Gertrude (née Cush) died in October 2016.[19] Their daughter Órla is married with one child. Mallon continued to live in Markethill in retirement.[20]

Mallon died at his home in Markethill on 24 January 2020, aged 83. He had been treated for cancer before his death.[21][22] SDLP Stormont leader, Nichola Mallon (no relation) paid tribute to Seamus Mallon in the Assembly; describing him as "a man of peace" and "an Irish political giant".[23]

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References
  1. "Key players". The Daily Telegraph. 25 October 2001. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  2. "Seamus Mallon". Oral History. 3 February 2011.
  3. "Gerry Moriarty, The Two Big Beasts of the SDLP". irishtimes.com.
  4. "Seamus Mallon: SDLP deputy leader". BBC News. 15 March 2001. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  5. "Seamus Mallon". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  6. "Seamus Mallon: Forceful Northern politician who denounced IRA violence". The Irish Times.
  7. "ElectionsIreland.org: By Election – Newry and Armagh First Preference Votes". electionsireland.org.
  8. "Members of the Forum". Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. Archived from the original on 4 May 1999. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. "Trimble survival depends on support for deal". The Irish Times. 17 April 1998. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  10. Holland, Mary (12 April 1998). "A very Good Friday". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  11. Downey, James (22 March 2008). "Sad to say, end of Paisley is no reason to chuckle". Irish Independent. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  12. "Trimble, Mallon elected leaders of N. Irish Assembly". CNN. 1 July 1998. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  13. Millar, Frank. "Mallon to demand radical changes to Police Bill". The Irish Times.
  14. "Mallon ruled out as SDLP leader". BBC News. 20 September 2001. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  15. "Ex-SDLP leader Mark Durkan to run for Fine Gael in European elections" – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  16. "Sinn Fein win Newry and Armagh". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  17. "Former deputy first minister Mallon receives freedom of Drogheda". rte.ie.
  18. Gorman, Tommie (24 January 2020). "Seamus Mallon: Gone gently into the good night". RTÉ. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  19. "Hundreds of mourners at funeral of Seamus Mallon's wife Gertrude". newsletter.co.uk.
  20. "Seamus Mallon has hope for party he gave his life to". The Irish Times.
  21. "Former NI deputy first minister Seamus Mallon dies aged 83". RTÉ. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  22. O'Loughlin, Ed (27 January 2020). "Seamus Mallon, Advocate for Peace in Northern Ireland, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  23. "Seamus Mallon funeral: Tribute to 'peacemaker' and 'statesman'". BBC. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
New assembly Assembly Member for Armagh
1973–1974		 Assembly abolished
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for Armagh
1975–1976		 Convention dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)
New assembly MPA for Armagh
1982–1983		 Succeeded by
Jim Speers
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Jim Nicholson		 Member of Parliament for Newry and Armagh
1986–2005		 Succeeded by
Conor Murphy
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum Member for Newry and Armagh
1996–1998		 Forum dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly
New assembly
 MLA for Newry and Armagh
1998–2003		 Succeeded by
Dominic Bradley
Party political offices
Preceded by
John Hume		 Deputy Leader of the SDLP
1979–2001		 Succeeded by
Bríd Rodgers
Political offices
New title
 deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
1998–2001		 Succeeded by
Mark Durkan
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