Alban Maginness | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theNorthern Ireland Assembly forBelfast North | |
| In office 25 June 1998 – 30 March 2016 | |
| Preceded by | New Creation |
| Succeeded by | Nichola Mallon |
| 42nd Lord Mayor of Belfast | |
| In office 1997–1998 | |
| Preceded by | Ian Adamson |
| Succeeded by | David Alderdice |
| Member ofBelfast City Council | |
| In office 5 May 2005 – 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Martin Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Nichola Mallon |
| Constituency | Oldpark |
| In office 15 May 1985 – 5 May 2005 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Pat Convery |
| Constituency | Castle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-07-09)9 July 1950 (age 75) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Party | SDLP |
| Spouse | Carmel Maginness |
| Children | 8 |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast University of Ulster |
| Profession | Barrister |
| Website | http://www.albanmaginness.com |
Alban Maginness (born 9 July 1950) is a Northern IrishSocial Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician who was aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) forBelfast North from 1998 to 2016.[1]
Maginness was born inHolywood, County Down. He completed his grammar school education atSt. Malachy's College, Belfast. He then attended theUniversity of Ulster andQueen's University of Belfast where he undertook legal training. He was called to the Bar in 1984.[2]
Whilst at university he became involved in the non-violent protests organised by theNorthern Ireland Civil Rights Association.[3] Maginness participated in the famous civil rights march inDerry in 1972 at which British troops killed 14 unarmed civilians.[citation needed] This event, now termedBloody Sunday, has gone down in Northern Ireland politics as one of the turning points inThe Troubles that contributed to the development of theProvisional IRA.
Maginness became increasingly involved in politics and became a member of theSocial Democratic and Labour Party.[4] He stood unsuccessfully for the party inEast Belfast in the 1975Constitutional Convention election andNorth Belfast in the 1982Assembly election.[5]
He has been an elected member ofBelfast City Council since1985 and in 1997 he became the firstCatholic politician to hold the position ofLord Mayor of Belfast. In 1998 he was elected to theNorthern Ireland Assembly to representBelfast North.
He was Chair of the SDLP from 1984 to 1991.
In November 2008 Maginness had his trademark moustache shaved off for the BBC'sChildren in Need.[6]
Maginness was the SDLP candidate for the 2009 European Election.
Maginness accused theSecretary of State of interning dissident republicanMarian Price without trial, saying "We do not support putting people away in prison because of intelligence or because of some political point of view and we are convinced that she has been detained without trial because of that by the secretary of state."[7]
Having served as anMLA forNorth Belfast from 1998, Maginness decided not to stand for election in 2016.[8] He was replaced byNichola Mallon.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chairman of theSocial Democratic and Labour Party 1984–1990 | Succeeded by |
| Northern Ireland Forum | ||
| New forum | Member forNorth Belfast 1996–1998 | Forum dissolved |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
| New assembly | MLA forBelfast North 1998–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Civic offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lord Mayor of Belfast 1997–1998 | Succeeded by |