Eileen Paisley, Baroness Paisley of St George's
Encyclopedia
Eileen Emily Paisley, Baroness Paisley of St George's (née Cassells) (born 1934, Belfast
) is a Northern Irish
Unionist politician
, a vice-president of the Democratic Unionist Party
, and the wife of Ian Paisley, now Lord Bannside
, former leader of the DUP. She became a life peer
in 2006.
Eileen Cassells married Ian Richard Kyle Paisley on 13 October 1956. They have five children, a daughter Rhonda
(a graduate of Bob Jones University
, who served as a member of Belfast City Council
but has long since left politics), and two further daughters Sharon and Cherith. They also have twin
sons, Kyle and Ian
(the former a Free Presbyterian
minister, the latter a DUP MP
).
Eileen Paisley was elected as a councillor in Belfast in 1967 for the Protestant Unionist Party
, the forerunner to the DUP, three years before her husband was elected to Stormont
and Westminster
. She was also elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
in 1973 and the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
in 1975, representing Belfast East
both times.
It was announced on 11 April 2006 that she would be one of the first three members of the DUP to be created a life peer
. She was gazetted as Baroness Paisley of St George's, of St George's in the County of Antrim
, after the ward that she represented on Belfast City Council, on 14 June 2006, and was introduced to the House of Lords on 3 July 2006.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/minutes/060703/ldminute.htm Following her husband's elevation in July 2010, she and her husband now both hold seats in the House of Lords.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) is a Northern Irish
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...
Unionist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, a vice-president of the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic 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...
, and the wife of Ian Paisley, now Lord Bannside
Ian Paisley
Ian 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...
, former leader of the DUP. She became a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 2006.
Eileen Cassells married Ian Richard Kyle Paisley on 13 October 1956. They have five children, a daughter Rhonda
Rhonda Paisley
Rhonda Paisley is an author, and former politician from Northern Ireland. She is the daughter of DUP leader and Northern Ireland's former First Minister Ian Paisley, is unmarried, and lives with her parents in the family home...
(a graduate of Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
, who served as a member of Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
but has long since left politics), and two further daughters Sharon and Cherith. They also have twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sons, Kyle and Ian
Ian Paisley, Jr.
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr., MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley.In 1990, he married Fiona, and they have four children...
(the former a Free Presbyterian
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
minister, the latter a DUP MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
).
Eileen Paisley was elected as a councillor in Belfast in 1967 for the Protestant Unionist Party
Protestant Unionist Party
The Protestant Unionist Party was a unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1966 to 1971. It was set up by Ian Paisley, and was the forerunner of the modern Democratic Unionist Party and emerged from the Ulster Protestant Action movement.The UPA had two councillors elected,...
, the forerunner to the DUP, three years before her husband was elected to Stormont
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...
and Westminster
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. She was also elected to 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...
in 1973 and the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
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....
in 1975, representing Belfast East
Belfast East (Assembly constituency)
Belfast East 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...
both times.
It was announced on 11 April 2006 that she would be one of the first three members of the DUP to be created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
. She was gazetted as Baroness Paisley of St George's, of St George's in the County of Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, after the ward that she represented on Belfast City Council, on 14 June 2006, and was introduced to the House of Lords on 3 July 2006.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/minutes/060703/ldminute.htm Following her husband's elevation in July 2010, she and her husband now both hold seats in the House of Lords.
External links
- Eileen Paisley, Trimble new peers, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 11 April 2006 - Baroness Paisley takes Lords seat, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 3 July 2006