Frank Feely

Frank Feely is a nationalist politician in Ireland.

Feely worked as a teacher in Newry. [http://www.ruralcommunitynetwork.org/Board%20details.htm Rural Community Network board details] ] At the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973, he was elected for the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in South Down. He held this seat at the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, and at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/csd.htm South Down 1973-85] ] In common with other SDLP members, he did not take his seat on the Constitutional Convention, and instead acted as an alternate at the New Ireland Forum. [ [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/nifr.htm New Ireland Forum Report, 2 May 1984] , CAIN Web Service]

He was elected to Newry and Mourne District Council in 1989 representing Newry Town, [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/85-89lgnandm.htm Local Government Elections 1985 - 1989: Newry and Mourne] ] and has held his seat at each subsequent election. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgnandm.htm Newry & Mourne District Council Elections, 1993 - 2005] ]

In 1996, Feely was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, representing Newry and Armagh, but he was not able to hold his seat at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/ananda.htm Newry and Armagh] ]

In the late 1990s, Feely was Vice Chairman of the District Council, and played a prominent role in Newry's successful bid for city status. Following this, he became the first Mayor of Newry. [http://www.sdlparchive.com/party/Cllrprofiles/ffeely.shtm Frank Feely] , Social Democratic and Labour Party]

In November 2005, Feely and sixteen other nationalist councillors were jointly surcharged £10,000 and barred from public office for five years for refusing the victims group FAIR the use of Newtownhamilton Community Centre. This was overturned on appeal, but left five of the councillors including Feely to share a large legal bill. [" [http://www.newrydemocrat.com/news/story/?trs=idojidmh&cat=news SDLP dismiss cash crisis reports after FAIR case] ", "Newry Democrat", 16 January 2008]

Feely sits on the East Border Region Committee, the Carlingford / Foyle Loughs Commission and the Rural Communities Network (NI).

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