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Roles of Prominent People Listed by Position Held



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Text and Research: Brendan Lynn ... Edited and Compiled: Martin Melaugh
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change

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Surname: A B C D E F G H I J K L M Mc N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

The following page contains details of the roles and responsibilities of people who were prominent figures in the history of Northern Ireland since 1968. The page is divided into roles and individuals are listed within these roles in reverse chronological order. Users can click on the surnames to read a short biography.

British Prime Minister

Cameron, David (b. 9 October 1966) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Conservative Party MP; British Prime Minister 2010-present
Brown, Gordon (b. 20 February 1951) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Labour Party MP; British Prime Minister 2007-2010
Blair, ('Tony') Anthony Charles Lynton (b. 6 May 1953)
Politician; Labour Party MP; British Prime Minister 1997-2007
Major, John (b. 29 March 1943)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; British Prime Minister 1990-97
Thatcher, Margaret Hilda (Life Peerage 1992) (b. 13 October 1925)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; British Prime Minister 1979-90
Callaghan, ('Jim') Leonard James (Life Peerage 1987) (b. 27 March 1912)
Politician; Labour Party MP; British Home Secretary 1967-1970; British Prime Minister 1976-79
Wilson, Harold James (Life Peerage) (b. 11 March 1916)
Politician; Labour Party MP; British Prime Minister 1964-70 and 1974-76
Heath, Edward (b. 9 July 1916)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; British Prime Minister 1970-74

See also: details of Westminster Governments, Prime Ministers, and Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, 1968 to the present


Chief Constable of the RUC / PSNI

Baggott, Matt (b. 1959) [Biography to be added later]
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 2009-present
Orde, Hugh (b. 27 August 1958)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 2002-2009
Cramphorn, Colin (b. )
Police Officer; (Acting) Chief Constable of the RUC 2002-2002
Flanagan, ('Ronnie') Ronald (Sir) (b. 23 March 1949)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 1996-2002
Annesley, Hugh Norman (Sir) (b. 22 June 1939)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC June 1989 - November 1996
Hermon, John ('Jack') (Sir) (b. 1928)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 1980-89
Newman, Kenneth Leslie (b. 15 August 1926)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 1976-79
Shillington, Graham (b. 2 April 1911)
Police Officer; Chief Constable of the RUC 1970-73
Young, Arthur (Sir) (b. 1907)
Police Officer; Inspector-General of the RUC November 1969 - November 1970

General Officer Commanding (GOC) British Army in Northern Ireland

Brown, Chris (Major General) (b.) [Biography to be added later]
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 2008-2009
Parker, Nick (Lieutenant General) (b.) [Biography to be added later]
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 2006-2008
Watt, Redmond (General Sir) (b.) [Biography to be added later]
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 2005-2006
Trousdell, Phillip (Major General) (b. 13 August 1948)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 2003-2005
Irwin, Alistair (Lieutenant General) (b. 1948)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 2000-03
Pike, Hew (Lieutenant General) (b.1943)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1997-2000
Wheeler, Rodger (General) (Sir) (b. 16 December 1941)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1993-96
Wilsey, John (General) (Sir) (18 February 1939)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1990-93
Waters, John (Lieutenant-General) (Sir) (b. 2 September 1935)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1988-90
Pascoe, Robert (Lieutenant-General) (Sir) (b. 21 February 1932)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1985-88
Richardson, ('Francis') Robert (Lieutenant-General) (b. 2 March 1929)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1982-85
Lawson, Richard George (General) (b. 24 November 1924)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1980-82
Creasey, Timothy (Lieutenant-General) (b. 1923)
British Army; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1977-79
House, David (Lieutenant-General) (Sir) (b. 8 August 1922)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1975-77
King, Frank Douglas (General) (b. 9 March 1919)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1973-75
Tuzo, Harry Craufield (General) (b. 26 August 1917)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1971-73
Freeland, Ian (Lieutenant General) (b. 14 September 1912)
British Army Soldier; General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland 1969-71

Northern Ireland Prime Minister

Faulkner, Brian Arthur Deane (Life Peerage 1977) (b. 18 February 1921)
Politician; Unionist MP (Stormont); Prime Minister of Northern Ireland March 1971 - March 1972; Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Power-Sharing Executive January 1974 - May 1974
Chichester-Clark, James Dawson (Life Peerage 1971) (b. 12 February 1923)
Politician; Unionist MP (Stormont); Prime Minister of Northern Ireland April 1969 - March 1971
O'Neill, Terence (Life Peerage 1970) (b. 10 September 1914)
Politician; Unionist MP (Stormont); Prime Minister of Northern Ireland March 1963 - April 1969

Political Party Leader

    Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)

    Ford, David (b. 24 February 1951)
    Politician; Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) MLA; Leader of the APNI 2001-present
    Neeson, Sean (b. 9 February 1946)
    Politician; Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) MLA; Leader of the APNI 1998-2001
    Alderdice, John (Life Peerage 1996)(Doctor of Psychiatry), (b. 28 March 1955)
    Politician; Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) 1987-1998; Speaker of Northern Ireland Assembly 1998-present
    Cushnahan, John Walls (b. 23 July 1948)
    Politician; Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) 1984-87
    Napier, Oliver (b. 11 July 1935)
    Politician; Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) 1972-84; Northern Ireland Executive Minister January-May 1974

    Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

    Robinson, Peter (b. 29 December 1949) [Biography to be added later]
    Politician; Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 2008-present; DUP MP 1979-2010; DUP MLA 1998-present, First Minister 2008-present
    Paisley, Ian Richard Kyle (Reverend) (b. 6 April 1926)
    Politician; Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 1971-2008; DUP MP 1970-2010; DUP MEP 1979-2008

    Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)

    Ritchie, Margaret (b. 1958) [Biography to be added later]
    Politician; Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 2010-present; SDLP MP 2010-present; SDLP MLA 1998-present
    Durkan, Mark (b. 26 June 1960)
    Politician; Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 2001-2010; SDLP MP 2005-present; SDLP MLA 1998-2010; Deputy First Minister November 2001 - October 2002
    Hume, John (Nobel Laureate) (b. 18 January 1937)
    Politician; Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 1979-2001; SDLP MP 1983-present; SDLP MEP 1979-present
    Fitt, ('Gerry') Gerard (Life Peerage 1983) (b. 9 April 1926)
    Politician; MP (Stormont); Leader of Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 1971-79

    Sinn Féin

    Adams, ('Gerry') Gerard (b. 6 October 1948)
    Politician; President of Sinn Féin (SF) 1983-present; SF MP for West Belfast 1983-1992 and 1997-present
    Ó Brádaigh, Ruairí (b. 1932)
    Republican Activist; President of Provisional Sinn Féin (PSF) 1970-81; President of Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) 1986-present

    Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)

    Elliott, Tom (b. 11 December 1963) [Biography to be added later]
    Politician; Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 2010-present; UUP MLA 2003-present
    Empey, Reg (b. 26 October 1947) [Biography to be added later]
    Politician; Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 2005-2010; UUP MLA 1998-2011
    Trimble, David William (Nobel Laureate) (b. 15 October 1944)
    Politician; Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP 1995-2005; UUP MP 1995-2005; First Minister 1999-2001 and 2001-2002
    Molyneaux, ('Jim') James (Life Peerage 1997) (b. 28 August 1920)
    Politician; Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP; Leader of UUP 1979-95
    West, ('Harry') Henry William (b. 27 March 1917)
    Politician; Unionist MP (Stormont); Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 1974-79

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Paterson, Owen (b. 24 June 1956)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2010-present
Woodward, Shaun (b. 26 October 1958) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2007-2010
Hain, Peter (b. 16 February 1950) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2005-2007
Murphy, Paul (b. 25 November 1948)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2002-2005
Reid, John (b. 8 May 1947)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland January 2001 - October 2002
Mandleson, Peter (b. 21 October 1953)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland October 1999 - January 2001
Mowlam, ('Mo') Marjorie (b. 18 September 1949)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland May 1997 - October 1999
Mayhew, Patrick (Life Peerage 1997) (b. 11 September 1929)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland April 1992 - May 1997
Brooke, Peter (b. 3 March 1934)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland July 1989 - April 1992
King, ('Tom') Thomas Jeremy (Life Peerage 2001) (b. 13 June 1933)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland September 1985- July 1989
Hurd, Douglas Richard (Life Peerage 1997) (b. 8 March 1930)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland September 1984 - September 1985
Prior, ('Jim') James Michael Leathes (Life Peerage 1987) (b. 11 October 1927)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland September 1981 - September 1984
Atkins, Humphrey Edward Gregory (Life Peerage 1987) (b.12 August 1922)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland May 1979 - September 1981
Mason, Roy (Life Peerage 1987) (b. 18 April 1924)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland September 1976 - May 1979
Rees, Merlyn (Life Peerage 1992) (b. 18 December 1920)
Politician; Labour Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland March 1974 - September 1976
Pym, Francis (Life Peerage 1983) (b. 13 February 1922)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland November 1973 - February 1974
Whitelaw, ('Willie') William Stephen Ian (Life Peerage 1983) (b. 28 June 1918)
Politician; Conservative Party MP; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland March 1972 - November 1973

Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland)

Kenny, Enda (b. 24 April 1951) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Fine Gael (FG) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 2011-present
Cowan, Brian (b. 10 January 1960) [Biography to be added later]
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 2008-2011
Ahern, Bertie (b. 12 September 1951)
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1997-2008
Bruton, John (b. 18 May 1947)
Politician; Fine Gael (FG) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1994-97
Reynolds, Albert (b. 3 November 1932)
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1992-94
Haughey, Charles (b. 16 September 1925)
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) December 1979 - June 1981, March - December 1982, and March 1987 - February 1992
Fitzgerald, Garret (b. 9 February 1926)
Politician; Fine Gael (FG) TD; Irish Foreign Minister 1973-77; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1981-82 and 1982-87
Lynch, Jack (b. 15 August 1917)
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1966-73 and 1977-79
Cosgrave, Liam (b. 13 April 1920)
Politician; Fine Gael (FG) TD; Taoiseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1973-1977
Lemass, Séan (b. 15 July 1899)
Politician; Fianna Fáil (FF) TD; Taioseach (Prime Minister Republic of Ireland) 1959-66


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