Pat Doherty
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Pat" Doherty is an Irish republican politician and abstentionist Member of Parliament
for West Tyrone
. He has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for the same constituency since 25 June 1998. Doherty served as Vice President of Sinn Féin
from 1988 to 2009, when Mary Lou McDonald
became the party's new Vice-President.
, Doherty's parents were from County Donegal
in the Republic of Ireland
. Doherty moved to Donegal in 1968, shortly before the Troubles
broke out across the border. He has been an abstentionist Sinn Féin
Member of Parliament
of the British parliament for West Tyrone since 2001, as well as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
since the 1998 elections. He has also stood for election in the Republic of Ireland
, in the constituency of Donegal North East
in 1989 , 1996 (by-election) and 1997 and also in the Connacht–Ulster constituency in the EU elections in 1989 and 1994.
, Ulster Unionist Party
MP David Burnside
named Doherty as a member of the IRA army council
. His brother Hugh Doherty was part of the IRA's Balcombe Street Gang
.
, and is a site engineer who likes building stone walls.
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,...
for West Tyrone
West Tyrone
West Tyrone can refer to:*The western part of County Tyrone*West Tyrone *West Tyrone *West Tyrone...
. He has been 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...
for the same constituency since 25 June 1998. Doherty served as Vice President of 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...
from 1988 to 2009, when Mary Lou McDonald
Mary Lou McDonald
Mary Lou McDonald is an Irish politician, the current Vice President of Sinn Féin and a Teachta Dála for Dublin Central...
became the party's new Vice-President.
Early life
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Doherty's parents were from County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Doherty moved to Donegal in 1968, shortly before the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
broke out across the border. He has been an abstentionist 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...
Member of Parliament
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,...
of the British parliament for West Tyrone since 2001, as well as 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...
since the 1998 elections. He has also stood for election in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, in the constituency of Donegal North East
Donegal North East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal North–East is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
in 1989 , 1996 (by-election) and 1997 and also in the Connacht–Ulster constituency in the EU elections in 1989 and 1994.
In Government
In May 2002, using parliamentary privilegeParliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
, Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
MP David Burnside
David Burnside
David Wilson Boyd Burnside is a Northern Ireland politician, and was Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament for South Antrim....
named Doherty as a member of the IRA army council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
. His brother Hugh Doherty was part of the IRA's Balcombe Street Gang
Balcombe Street Siege
The Balcombe Street Siege was an incident involving members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Metropolitan Police Service of London, England lasting from 6 December to 12 December 1975. The siege ended with the surrender of the four IRA volunteers and the release of their two hostages...
.
Other
According to The Times Guide to the House of Commons, Doherty is married with three daughters and two sons, was educated at St Joseph's College, LochwinnochLochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley...
, and is a site engineer who likes building stone walls.