Gerry MacLochlainn

Gerry MacLochlainn (born Gerard McLaughlin in 1954) is a Sinn Fein politician from Derry in Northern Ireland. A councillor in Derry he has chaired several of the council's major committees including regional and cross border committees.

Early life

He was born in Derry in 1954 as Gerard McLaughlin, educated at Christian Brothers Brow of the Hill School, St Columb's College Derry, later Clacton County High School, Essex in England, St Mary's Grammar School Glen Road Belfast, Nantyglo Senior Comprehensive School Monmouthshire, South Wales, and University College of Wales Aberystwyth (1973 -77)Aberystwyth_University#Political_alumni. He later taught maths at Ebbw Vale Senior Comprehensive School until 1980.-

Political Prisoner

- Gerry MacLochlainn was arrested in 1980, during a major police raid in Wales Operation Tan directed at Welsh nationalists suspected of involvement in the Holiday Homes Arson Campaign. He was transferred to Luton and after some 8 days charged with conspiracy to cause explosions and possession of explosives on behalf of the IRA. His co-defendent, Jimmy Reilly fron Belfast,would die of chronic lung disease before the trial but MacLochlainn would be convicted and sentenced to 6 years imprisonment. - He was sent to Wormwoood Scrubs and later to Maidstone prison in Kent. Here he was involved in numerous protests over prison conditions and in particular against his assignment to a workshop making shorts for NATO forces. After several spells in solitary confinment he was transferred to full-time education and he studied a number of courses. He was offered a place at Cantebury University to read for a master's degree in philosophy although this offer was withdrawn weeks before he was due to begin. The students union held protests about the withdrawel of the offer and granted MacLochlainn honourary life time membership of the students union.[1]

Sinn Fein representative

He was the Sinn Fein representative to Britain[2] for the next 14 years and was in the first delegation to meet the British Labour Party[3] front Bench along with Francie Molloy. He was the Sinn Fein representative to Britain for the years leading up to the ceasefires and was the co presenter of the Sinn Fein announcement in England alongside Mitchel McLaughlin MLA.

Gerry MacLochlainn (used to be known as Gerry McLaughlin) caused controversy[4] some years ago when he was in the House of Commons as a guest of Labour MP many years before the Good Friday Agreement. At the time the was the subject of news and television coverage. During his time in England he was part of the camapign to free the Guildford 4 and Birmingham 6. When the Broadcasting ban on Sinn Fein was introduced MacLochlainn became the first member of Sinn Fein to break the ban by appearing on the Kilroy chat show on the firts morning of the ban. He appeared alongside Gregory Campbell of the DUP. The Kilroy researchers had asked if he was a Sinn Fein voter but as a London resident he stated that he answered truthfully that he was not although he was a member of the party. A member of Sinn Fein's International Department he was involved in the party's relationships in Europe and within the international community in London and represented Sinn Fein in many countries. He was the Sinn Fein link with North Korea. He also represented Sinn Fein to the Inaugural Meeting of the Kurdish Parliament in Exile in the Hague and addressed that conference alongside parliamentarians from around the world. He was the only Irish representative attending the parliament.

Community Leader

During his years in London MacLochlainn worked for the Irish In Islington Project (funded by Greater London Council and London Borough of Islington) and was one of the founders of the Roger Casement Irish Centre where he worked as a community development worker and later as the Centre's first Director. He worked with others to found the London wide Migrant Training Company which provided training in Information Technology to members of teh various migrant communities in London including young Irish people. The company also provided advice an dguidance as well as housing to many migrants helping them to escape from unemployment and homelessness.

Elected Representative

A leading Sinn Fein Councillor in Derry he is the party spokesperson on environmental matters and has been chair of the Environmental Services Committee, ERNACT (European Region Network for the Application of Communications Technology), and represents the City on the North West Regional Waste management Committee.

Gerry macLochlainn is one of leaders of Sinn Fein in Derry where he is the chief spokesperson on environmental matters, Information technology. He is also chair of the management committee of Derry Airport and represents council's interests on the Airport Advisor Board which brings regional business leaders and local government leaders togther to develop the regional airport. He represents his party on a number of international matters and recently took part in a visit to the National Assembly for Wales where he met with a range of political leaders from all the parties. A strong supporter of the Palestinians he was one of the leaders of the campaign against the Israeli invasion of Gaza. He proposed and gained acceptance of a city policy of boycott of Israeli goods until Israel withdrew from Gaza and entered dialogue with the Palestinian representatives.