Dolores Kelly Explained

Dolores Kelly
Office:Deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
Leader:Alasdair McDonnell
Term Start:2011
Term End:2015
Predecessor:Patsy McGlone
Successor:Fearghal McKinney
Constituency Am1:Upper Bann
Assembly1:Northern Ireland
Term Start1:2 March 2017
Term End1:27 March 2022
Predecessor1:Catherine Seeley
Successor1:Eóin Tennyson
Term Start2:26 November 2003
Term End2:30 March 2016
Predecessor2:Bríd Rodgers
Successor2:Catherine Seeley
Office3:Member of
Craigavon Borough Council
Constituency3:Loughside
Term Start3:19 May 1993
Term End3:5 May 2011
Predecessor3:Catherine McStravick
Successor3:Joe Nelson
Birth Date:3 September 1959
Birth Place:Aghalee, Northern Ireland
Nationality:Irish
Party:SDLP
Spouse:Eamon Kelly
Children:4
Residence:Lurgan, County Armagh
Alma Mater:University of Ulster
Profession:Occupational therapist
Website:SDLP profile

Mary Dolores Kelly (born 3 September 1959) is an Irish nationalist former politician who served as deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician from 2011 to 2015. She was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA)[1] for Upper Bann from 2003 until 2016, and again from 2017 until 2022.

Background

Dolores Kelly attended St Michael's Grammar School, Lurgan and then the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. She worked as an occupational therapist in the Craigavon Area Hospital and in social services in Banbridge. She married Eamon Kelly in 1982 and has four children.[2]

Political career

In May 1993, she was first elected to Craigavon Borough Council for the Loughside District. She sat on all committees and was chair of Technical Services and Environmental Services. In 1996, she was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in Upper Bann.[3] In May 1997, she was re-elected to Craigavon Borough. She was elected deputy mayor in 1998 and, from 1999 to 2000, was the first SDLP mayor of Craigavon.[4] Kelly was also deputy leader of the SDLP from 2011 to 2015.[5]

In 2004, Kelly was the target of death threats from dissident Republicans and her home was attacked.[6] In 2009, Kelly was threatened by a masked gunman while canvassing in the Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan.

In 2003, Kelly was elected to Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.[7] She lost her seat in the 2016 Assembly election[8] but regained it and rejoined the Policing Board in 2017, at the expense of Sinn Féin.

She lost her seat in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.[9]

Political positions

Kelly has called for the establishment of an all-island registry for those convicted of animal cruelty.[10]

Notes and References

  1. BBC television programme Northern Ireland Assembly: 31 January 2009
  2. News: Dolores Kelly: 'I was eight months pregnant when police came to my door to say an SDLP councillor's home was to be targeted that night. After that, I had to learn how to search for car bombs' . Claire . McNeilly . 19 February 2018 . Belfast Telegraph . 18 April 2022 . 0307-1235.
  3. Web site: 1996 Forum Elections: Candidates in Upper Bann . Ark . 5 March 2017.
  4. Web site: SDLP woman elected mayor . 2022-04-18 . The Irish Times.
  5. News: Amanda Ferguson . Upper Bann: SDLP’s Dolores Kelly back in the game . 2022-04-18 . The Irish Times.
  6. News: SDLP woman's home attacked in Co Armagh . 2022-04-18 . The Irish Times.
  7. Web site: The Board . 22 August 2015 . 8 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160508192623/http://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/index/theboard.htm . dead.
  8. News: BBC NI Election 2016 . BBC News . 7 May 2016.
  9. News: Winners and losers of historic Northern Ireland Assembly election 2022 . Belfast Telegraph.
  10. News: SDLP calls for all-island animal cruelty register . Carmel Robinson . 24 May 2021. Farming Life. 2022-04-18.