Bríd Rodgers
Bríd Rodgers | |
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Rodgers in 2007 | |
Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development | |
In office 2 December 1999 – 14 October 2002[1] | |
First Minister | David Trimble |
Preceded by | New Creation |
Succeeded by | Michelle Gildernew |
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann | |
In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003 | |
Preceded by | New Creation |
Succeeded by | Dolores Kelly |
Senator | |
In office 22 February 1983 – 5 April 1987 | |
Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
Personal details | |
Born | Bríd Stratford (1935-02-20) 20 February 1935 (age 89) Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland |
Political party | Social Democratic and Labour Party |
Spouse | Antoin Rodgers (d. 2021) |
Children | 6 |
Residence(s) | Lurgan, Armagh, Northern Ireland |
Alma mater | University College Dublin |
Bríd Rodgers (née Stratford; born 20 February 1935) in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland, is an Irish nationalist former politician.
Although born and brought up in a Gaeltacht area in the west of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, she was politically active in Northern Ireland, where she was Deputy-Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann.
Political career
Rodgers was educated in Monaghan and University College Dublin, and has lived in Northern Ireland since 1960. She was involved in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association from 1965. She was a founder member of the SDLP, becoming Chairman in 1978 and General Secretary in 1981. In 1983 she was nominated to Seanad Éireann by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, and served until 1987.[2][3]
Rodgers was the leader of the SDLP team in the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the constituency of Upper Bann in June 1998. She was appointed to the first Northern Ireland Executive in November 1999 as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and remained in that position until the suspension of the Executive in October 2002. She became deputy leader of the SDLP in November 2001. She stood down as MLA at the Assembly elections of November 2003, and as deputy leader in February 2004, when she was replaced by Alasdair McDonnell.
Personal life
Rodgers was married to Antoin Rodgers until his death in 2021. They had six children. She is a distant relative of Irish American mobster Vincent Coll. She speaks fluent Irish, French and Italian.
References
Party political offices | ||
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Preceded by | Chairperson of the Social Democratic and Labour Party 1978–1980 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by Don Canning | General Secretary of the Social Democratic and Labour Party 1981–1983 | Succeeded by Eamon Hanna |
Preceded by | Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party 2001–2004 | Succeeded by |
Northern Ireland Forum | ||
New forum | Member for Upper Bann 1996–1998 | Forum dissolved |
Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
New assembly | MLA for Upper Bann 1998–2003 | Succeeded by |
Political offices | ||
New office | Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 1999–2000 | Vacant Office suspended Title next held by self |
Vacant Office suspended Title last held by self | Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 2000–2002 | Vacant Office suspended Title next held by Michelle Gildernew |
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- Cathaoirleach Patrick J. Reynolds (FG)
- Leader of the Seanad James Dooge (FG)
- Luke Belton (FG)
- Katharine Bulbulia (FG)
- Tras Honan (FF)
- Patrick Kennedy (FG)
- Michael Lynch (FF)
- Martin O'Donoghue (FF)
- Flor O'Mahony (Lab)
- Ulick Burke (FG)
- John Ellis (FF)
- Michael Ferris (Lab)
- Richard Hourigan (FG)
- Thomas Hussey (FF)
- Rory Kiely (FF)
- Joseph Lennon (FG)
- Charles McDonald (FG)
- Martin O'Toole (FF)
- Michael Quealy (FG)
- William Ryan (FF)
- Séamus de Brún (FF)
- Brian Fleming (FG)
- Joachim Loughrey (FG)
- Helena McAuliffe-Ennis (Lab)
- Michael Smith (FF)
- Timmy Conway (Lab, then PD)
- Jack Daly (FG)
- Seán Fallon (FF)
- Alexis FitzGerald Jnr (FG)
- Jack Fitzsimons (FF)
- Michael Howard (FG)
- Mick Lanigan (FF)
- Patrick J. Reynolds (FG)
- Eoin Ryan Snr (FF)
- Donie Cassidy (FF)
- Denis Cregan (FG)
- Des Hanafin (FF)
- Jack Harte (Lab)
- Jim Higgins (FG)
- Brian Hillery (FF)
- Peter Kelleher (FG)
- Mark Killilea Jnr (FF)
- Larry McMahon (FG)
- Brian Mullooly (FF)
- Andy O'Brien (FG)
- Catherine McGuinness (Ind)
- Mary Robinson (Ind)
- Shane Ross (Ind)
- James Dooge (FG)
- Michael D. Higgins (Lab)
- Brendan Ryan (Ind)
- John Browne (FG)
- John Connor (FG)
- Jimmy Deenihan (FG)
- Patrick Durcan (FG)
- Brendan Howlin (Lab)
- Christy Kirwan (Lab)
- Pat Magner (Lab)
- Stephen McGonagle (Ind)
- Seán O'Leary (FG)
- John Robb (Ind)
- Bríd Rodgers (Ind)
- Nuala Fennell (FG)
- Paddy O'Toole (FG)
- FF: Fianna Fáil
- FG: Fine Gael
- Lab: Labour Party
- PD: Progressive Democrats
- Ind: Independent