Eddie McGrady
Encyclopedia
Edward Kevin McGrady, known as Eddie McGrady (born 3 June 1935, Downpatrick
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
) is an Irish nationalist politician and a former member of the British
Parliament.
One of eleven children, McGrady was educated at St. Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick and at Belfast Technical College, where he trained as a chartered accountant, subsequently entering his family's accountancy firm. He entered politics in 1961 as an independent nationalist councillor on Downpatrick Urban Council, serving as chairman from 1964 until the council was replaced by Down District Council
in 1973. In the late 1960s he joined the National Democrats
and stood for the party in the 1969 election
to the Parliament of Northern Ireland
in East Down
, losing to the sitting MP and future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Brian Faulkner
. In 1970, he became a founder member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP) later serving as its first chairman (from 1971-1973.) He sat on Down district council from 1973 to 1989, serving as chairman from 1974–1975 and was also elected to all three regional assemblies in 1973
, 1975
and 1982 representing South Down
. In the 1973 power sharing executive he was appointed as Head of the Department of Executive Planning and Co-ordination serving from January to May 1974.
In Westminster elections he contested South Down unsuccessfully in 1979, 1983 and at the by-election of January 1986, losing on each occasion to Enoch Powell
, the sitting MP. He succeeded at the fourth attempt in the general election of 1987 and has held the seat since then. His tenure was briefly threatened in the mid 1990s when the Boundary Commission suggested merging much of his constituency with the neighbouring Newry and Armagh constituency to form a new 'Newry and Mourne' constituency. This was overturned during a local review which preserved his seat and actually removed more Unionist sections such as Dromore
. McGrady's support has held solid over the years despite talk of a slippage and this was reinforced in the last Westminster election with his re-election to the House of Commons.
McGrady formerly sat on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
and was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
between 1998 and 2003.
On 25 February 2010, McGrady announced that he will stand down at the 2010 General Election.
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, 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...
) is an Irish nationalist politician and a former member of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Parliament.
One of eleven children, McGrady was educated at St. Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick and at Belfast Technical College, where he trained as a chartered accountant, subsequently entering his family's accountancy firm. He entered politics in 1961 as an independent nationalist councillor on Downpatrick Urban Council, serving as chairman from 1964 until the council was replaced by Down District Council
Down District Council
Down District Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. The Council is headquartered in Downpatrick. Other towns in the Council area are Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Dundrum, Killough, Killyleagh, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde and Strangford...
in 1973. In the late 1960s he joined the National Democrats
National Democrats (Northern Ireland)
The National Democratic Party was an Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland.-Origins:The organisation's origins lay in National Unity, a political study group founded in 1959...
and stood for the party in the 1969 election
Northern Ireland general election, 1969
-References:*...
to the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
in East Down
East Down (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
East Down was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:East Down was a county constituency comprising the towns of Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Crossgar, Downpatrick, Dunmore, Killinchy, Killyleagh, Kilmore, Saintfield and Strangford, all in the current Down District Council...
, losing to the sitting MP and future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
. In 1970, he became a founder member of 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...
(SDLP) later serving as its first chairman (from 1971-1973.) He sat on Down district council from 1973 to 1989, serving as chairman from 1974–1975 and was also elected to all three regional assemblies in 1973
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
The Northern Ireland Assembly was a legislative assembly set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland with the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive made up of unionists and nationalists....
, 1975
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the UK Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
and 1982 representing South Down
South Down (Assembly constituency)
South Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
. In the 1973 power sharing executive he was appointed as Head of the Department of Executive Planning and Co-ordination serving from January to May 1974.
In Westminster elections he contested South Down unsuccessfully in 1979, 1983 and at the by-election of January 1986, losing on each occasion to Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
, the sitting MP. He succeeded at the fourth attempt in the general election of 1987 and has held the seat since then. His tenure was briefly threatened in the mid 1990s when the Boundary Commission suggested merging much of his constituency with the neighbouring Newry and Armagh constituency to form a new 'Newry and Mourne' constituency. This was overturned during a local review which preserved his seat and actually removed more Unionist sections such as Dromore
Dromore, County Down
Dromore is a small market town in the Banbridge District of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast – Dublin road. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 4,968 people....
. McGrady's support has held solid over the years despite talk of a slippage and this was reinforced in the last Westminster election with his re-election to the House of Commons.
McGrady formerly sat on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
and was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
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...
between 1998 and 2003.
On 25 February 2010, McGrady announced that he will stand down at the 2010 General Election.