Hugh Logue
Encyclopedia
Hugh Logue is a Northern Irish
former Social Democratic and Labour Party
politician and economist who now works as a commentator on political and economic issues. He is also a director of two renewable energy companies in Europe and the United States. He is the father of author Antonia Logue
.
– the only SDLP member of the executive. He stood as a candidate in elections to the new Northern Ireland Assembly
in 1973 and was elected for Londonderry
, aged 24.
The Northern Ireland State Papers of 1980 show that together with John Hume and Austin Currie he played a key role in presenting the SDLP'S 'Three Strands' approach to the Thatcher Government's Secretary of State Humphrey Atkins
in April 1980 (Irish Times, 30 December 2010). The "Three Strands" approach eventually became the basis for the Good Friday Agreement. The Irish State papers from 1980 reveal that Logue was a confidante of the Irish Government of that time briefing it regularly on SDLP's outlook.
He is also known for his controversial comments at Trinity College Dublin at the time of the power-sharing Sunningdale Agreement
, which many blame for helping to contribute to the Agreement's defeat, to wit, that: [Sunningdale was] "the vehicle that would trundle Unionists into a united Ireland".
Logue unsuccessfully contested the Londonderry
seat in the February 1974
and 1979
Westminster Elections. He was elected to the 1975 constitutional convention
and the 1982 Assembly. He was a member of the New Ireland Forum
in 1983.
In the 1980s he was a member of the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace and played a prominent part in its efforts to resolve the 1981 Irish hunger strike
. His role was credited in Ten Men Dead by David Beresford
,Biting the Grave by P. O'Malley and, more recently, in Blanketmen and Afterlives by former Provisional Irish Republican Army
volunteer Richard O'Rawe.
Following the 1994 IRA ceasefire, Logue with two EU colleagues was asked by EU President Jacques Delors
to consult widely throughout Northern Ireland and the Border regions and prepare recommendations for a Peace and Reconciliation Fund to underpin the peace process
. Their community based approach became the blue print for the Peace Programme.
into Bloody Sunday
. He was special adviser to the Office of First and Deputy First Minister from 1998 to 2002 and as an official of the European Commission
In July 2006, Logue was appointed as a Board Member of the Irish Peace Institute, based at Limerick University and in 2009 was appointed Vice Chairman.
On 17 December 2007, Logue was appointed to Inter-Trade Ireland, the North South Body established under the Belfast Agreement
to promote economic development in Ireland. Integrating Ireland economically has been a theme of Logue's writing throughout his career, most recently in the Irish Times and in earlier publications as economic spokesman for the Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP). He was economist at the Dublin-based National Board for Science and Technology from 1981-84.
, Logue pioneered policies to promote and fund Science and Research in Europe’s Less Developed Regions. He created the EU initiative STRIDE (Science and Technology for Regional Innovation and Development in Europe). While in Brussels
, Logue was chairman of the Northern Ireland Group between 1991-94.
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...
former 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...
politician and economist who now works as a commentator on political and economic issues. He is also a director of two renewable energy companies in Europe and the United States. He is the father of author Antonia Logue
Antonia Logue
Antonia Logue is an Irish novelist from Park, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She grew up in Brussels, and was educated at Trinity College Dublin and Cambridge University....
.
Background
Hugh Logue first came to prominence as a member of the executive of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights AssociationNorthern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
– the only SDLP member of the executive. He stood as a candidate in elections to the new Northern Ireland Assembly
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....
in 1973 and was elected for Londonderry
Londonderry (Assembly constituency)
Londonderry was a constituency used for the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. Members were then elected from the constituency to the 1975 Constitutional Convention and the 1982 Assembly...
, aged 24.
The Northern Ireland State Papers of 1980 show that together with John Hume and Austin Currie he played a key role in presenting the SDLP'S 'Three Strands' approach to the Thatcher Government's Secretary of State Humphrey Atkins
Humphrey Atkins
Humphrey Edward Gregory Atkins, Baron Colnbrook KCMG PC was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from 1979-82....
in April 1980 (Irish Times, 30 December 2010). The "Three Strands" approach eventually became the basis for the Good Friday Agreement. The Irish State papers from 1980 reveal that Logue was a confidante of the Irish Government of that time briefing it regularly on SDLP's outlook.
He is also known for his controversial comments at Trinity College Dublin at the time of the power-sharing Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
, which many blame for helping to contribute to the Agreement's defeat, to wit, that: [Sunningdale was] "the vehicle that would trundle Unionists into a united Ireland".
Logue unsuccessfully contested the Londonderry
Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
seat in the February 1974
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
and 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
Westminster Elections. He was elected to the 1975 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....
and the 1982 Assembly. He was a member of the New Ireland Forum
New Ireland Forum
The New Ireland Forum was a forum in 1983–84 at which Irish nationalist political parties discussed potential political developments that might alleviate the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Forum was established by Garret FitzGerald, then Taoiseach, under the influence of John Hume. The Forum was...
in 1983.
In the 1980s he was a member of the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace and played a prominent part in its efforts to resolve the 1981 Irish hunger strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
. His role was credited in Ten Men Dead by David Beresford
David Beresford
David Beresford is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder.-Playing career:After starting his career with Oldham Athletic he was bought by Huddersfield Town for £350,000 in March 1997. He only made 35 league appearances in his four years with the club, loan spells with Preston...
,Biting the Grave by P. O'Malley and, more recently, in Blanketmen and Afterlives by former Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
volunteer Richard O'Rawe.
Following the 1994 IRA ceasefire, Logue with two EU colleagues was asked by EU President Jacques Delors
Jacques Delors
Jacques Lucien Jean Delors is a French economist and politician, the eighth President of the European Commission and the first person to serve three terms in that office .-French Politics:...
to consult widely throughout Northern Ireland and the Border regions and prepare recommendations for a Peace and Reconciliation Fund to underpin the peace process
Peace process
Peace process may refer to:* in general:** Peacebuilding** Conflict resolution* specifically:** Northern Ireland peace process, efforts from c.1993 to end "the Troubles"...
. Their community based approach became the blue print for the Peace Programme.
Recent times
As the former vice-chairman of the North Derry Civil Rights Association gave evidence at the Saville InquiryBloody Sunday Inquiry
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, also known as the Saville Inquiry or the Saville Report after its chairman, Lord Saville of Newdigate, was established in 1998 by British Prime Minister Tony Blair after campaigns for a second inquiry by families of those killed and injured in Derry on Bloody Sunday...
into Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
. He was special adviser to the Office of First and Deputy First Minister from 1998 to 2002 and as an official of the European Commission
In July 2006, Logue was appointed as a Board Member of the Irish Peace Institute, based at Limerick University and in 2009 was appointed Vice Chairman.
On 17 December 2007, Logue was appointed to Inter-Trade Ireland, the North South Body established under the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
to promote economic development in Ireland. Integrating Ireland economically has been a theme of Logue's writing throughout his career, most recently in the Irish Times and in earlier publications as economic spokesman for 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). He was economist at the Dublin-based National Board for Science and Technology from 1981-84.
European Union
In Brussels, at the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, Logue pioneered policies to promote and fund Science and Research in Europe’s Less Developed Regions. He created the EU initiative STRIDE (Science and Technology for Regional Innovation and Development in Europe). While in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Logue was chairman of the Northern Ireland Group between 1991-94.