Davy Tweed
Encyclopedia
Davy Tweed is a former Irish rugby international and an independent councillor on Ballymena Borough Council.
Councillor but in 2007 was among six Ballymena DUP councillors who refused to canvass for the party in the Assembly elections
because of the parties policy to share power with Sinn Féin
. He resigned from the party having felt betrayed by the DUP's willingness to share power with republicans and continued his role in Ballymena Borough council as an independent.
Tweed is a member of the Orange Order and belongs to a lodge in Dunloy
and has been involved in protests relating to the Parades Commission
continuing ban on Orange marches in Dunloy.
On 8 June 2006 he made remarks at a Ballymena Borough Council meeting regarding the upbringing of a 15 year old Catholic Michael McIlveen, murdered in Ballymena in a sectarian attack.He also claimed people linked to the victims family had been involved in intimidation of Protestants after the murder.
On 22 September 2007, Tweed was stopped driving a car under the influence of alcohol. On 21 January 2008, North Antrim Magistrates Court banned him from driving for a year and handed down a £250 fine.
Ulster television news 19 January 2009. Davy Tweed charged with sex offences, strict reporting restrictions were imposed.
22 May 2009, Davy Tweed was acquitted of the charges. Tweed thanked the jury after his three-week trial for "their total vindication of me by unanimously finding me not guilty of all counts".
By their verdicts the jury accepted Tweed's outright denials of "anything improper occurring" between him and the girls
in the mid-1990s, with his first, against France
in 1995.
Political career
Tweed was elected as a DUPDemocratic Unionist Party
The 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...
Councillor but in 2007 was among six Ballymena DUP councillors who refused to canvass for the party in the Assembly elections
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...
because of the parties policy to share power with 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...
. He resigned from the party having felt betrayed by the DUP's willingness to share power with republicans and continued his role in Ballymena Borough council as an independent.
Tweed is a member of the Orange Order and belongs to a lodge in Dunloy
Dunloy
Dunloy is a village and townland in the Borough of Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is between Ballymena and Ballymoney . It had a population of 1,071 people in the 2001 Census, a gain of 21 % since 1991.Dunloy's most striking building is the modern Roman Catholic church...
and has been involved in protests relating to the Parades Commission
Parades Commission
The Parades Commission is a quasi-judicial non-departmental public body responsible for placing restrictions on or banning outright any parades in Northern Ireland it deems contentious or offensive. It is composed of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern...
continuing ban on Orange marches in Dunloy.
Controversy
On 29 October 1997, shortly after his election to Ballymena Council, Tweed was fined at Coleraine magistrates court for assault.On 8 June 2006 he made remarks at a Ballymena Borough Council meeting regarding the upbringing of a 15 year old Catholic Michael McIlveen, murdered in Ballymena in a sectarian attack.He also claimed people linked to the victims family had been involved in intimidation of Protestants after the murder.
On 22 September 2007, Tweed was stopped driving a car under the influence of alcohol. On 21 January 2008, North Antrim Magistrates Court banned him from driving for a year and handed down a £250 fine.
Ulster television news 19 January 2009. Davy Tweed charged with sex offences, strict reporting restrictions were imposed.
22 May 2009, Davy Tweed was acquitted of the charges. Tweed thanked the jury after his three-week trial for "their total vindication of me by unanimously finding me not guilty of all counts".
By their verdicts the jury accepted Tweed's outright denials of "anything improper occurring" between him and the girls
Sport
He won four caps for IrelandIreland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
in the mid-1990s, with his first, against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in 1995.