Mark Durkan

For the current Northern Ireland Minister of the Environment, see Mark H. Durkan.
Mark Durkan
MP
deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
In office
6 November 2001 – 14 October 2002
Serving with David Trimble
First Minister David Trimble
Preceded by Seamus Mallon
Succeeded by Martin McGuinness
Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
In office
6 November 2001 – 7 February 2010
Deputy Bríd Rodgers
Alasdair McDonnell
Preceded by John Hume
Succeeded by Margaret Ritchie
Member of Parliament
for Foyle
Assumed office
5 May 2005
Preceded by John Hume
Majority 6,046 (16.3%)
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Foyle
In office
25 June 1998 – 9 November 2010
Preceded by Constituency Created
Succeeded by Pól Callaghan
Personal details
Born John Mark Durkan
(1960-06-26) 26 June 1960
Derry, Northern Ireland
Political party SDLP
Spouse(s) Jackie Durkan
Children 1
Alma mater Queen's University Belfast
University of Ulster
Website Website

Mark Durkan MP (born 26 June 1960) is an Irish SDLP politician from Northern Ireland. Durkan was the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2001 to 2002, and the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.[1][2]

Early life

John Mark Durkan was born in Derry; his father, Brendan, was a Royal Ulster Constabulary District Inspector in Armagh.[3] He was raised by his mother, Isobel, after his father was killed in a road accident in 1961. He was educated at St. Patrick's Primary School and at St. Columb's College, where he was Head Boy.

He studied politics at the Queen's University of Belfast (QUB), and later did a part-time postgraduate course in Public Policy Management with the University of Ulster at Magee.[4] While at QUB Durkan served as Deputy President of Queen's Students' Union from 1982 to 1983. He was also elected Deputy President of the Union of Students in Ireland from 1982 to 1984.

Political career

He became involved in politics in 1981 when he became a member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party. In 1984 he went to work for John Hume as his Westminster Assistant. He became a key figure in organising by-election campaigns for Seamus Mallon and Eddie McGrady in the 1980s.

In 1990 Durkan became chairperson of the SDLP, a position he served in until 1995. He was a key member of the party's negotiating team in the run up to the Good Friday Agreement. Following the Agreement he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, and became a member of the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister for Finance and Personnel. He served in that position until 2001 when he replaced Seamus Mallon as Deputy First Minister. He was also elected Leader of the SDLP the same year. Durkan was re-elected to the Assembly in the election of November 2003. However, the Assembly and the Executive remained suspended. In the 2005 general election he retained the Foyle seat at Westminster for the SDLP. While down on Hume's vote, Durkan won with a comfortable majority, despite a strong effort by Sinn Féin to take the seat. He won 21,119 votes which was 46.3% of the total.

Durkan announced his intention to stand down as leader of the SDLP in September 2009[5] so he could concentrate on his parliamentary career.[5] He was replaced as leader by Margaret Ritchie in February 2010.[6] He is a Fellow of the British-American Project.

Durkan has publicly supported gay rights by supporting the Gay Pride parade in solidarity with those who suffer homophobic prejudice and in some cases violent hate attacks. He said: “First and foremost, I want to show my solidarity with the founders, volunteers and supporters of the Foyle Pride Festival. Through their courage, inspiration and tireless work in tackling all forms of homophobia, they are helping so many people in Derry and throughout the North West to enjoy equality in their lives."[7]

Family

He and his wife Jackie have one child. He attends mass regularly each week in St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry with his family. His nephew Mark H. Durkan is an SDLP MLA for Foyle and Minister of the Environment in the Executive.

References

  1. ↑ Who's Who (UK) profile (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Debrett's profile of Mark Durkan
  3. ↑ House of Commons Hansard Debates for 20 April 2006 (pt 32)
  4. ↑ Mark Durkan biodata at the Northern Ireland Assembly website
  5. 1 2 Durkan announces intention to step down RTÉ News, 20 September 2009
  6. ↑ Cowen congratulates new SDLP leader RTÉ News, 7 February 2010
  7. ↑ "The londonderry sentinel – Durkan urges people to support Gay Pride". The londonderry sentinel. The londonderry sentinel.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
Constituency Created		 Member of the Legislative Assembly for Foyle
1998–2010 		Succeeded by
Pol Callaghan
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Hume		 Member of Parliament for Foyle
2005–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Constituency Created		 Minister of Finance and Personnel
1999–2001 		Succeeded by
Sean Farren
Preceded by
Seamus Mallon		 deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
2001–2002 		Succeeded by
Martin McGuinness
Party political offices
Preceded by
Alban Maginness		 Chairman of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
1990–1995 		Succeeded by
Jonathan Stephenson
Preceded by
John Hume		 Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
2001–2010 		Succeeded by
Margaret Ritchie
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