Bríd Rodgers

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Bríd Rodgers
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Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
In office
2 December 1999 – 14 October 2002[1]
Leader John Hume
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 the 17th Seanad Éireann
In office
23 February 1983 – 25 April 1987
Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald
Constituency Nominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born (1935-02-20) 20 February 1935 (age 89)
Gweedore, Republic of Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party SDLP Fine Gael
Spouse(s) Antoin Rodgers
Children 6
Residence Lurgan, County Armagh
Alma mater University College Dublin
Religion Roman Catholicism

Bríd Rodgers (born Bríd 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 Civil Rights Movement from 1965. She was a founder member of the SDLP, becoming Chairman in 1978 and General Secretary in 1981. In 1983 she was appointed to the Irish Senate by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, and served until 1987.[2]

Rodgers was a 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 is married with six children. She is a distant relative of Irish American mobster Vincent Coll. She speaks fluent Irish and Italian.

References

  1. Office suspended 11 February 2000 - 30 May 2000
  2. http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=7823
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairperson of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
1978–1980
Succeeded by
Sean Farren
Preceded by 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
Alasdair McDonnell
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
New creation
MLA for Upper Bann
1998 - 2003
Succeeded by
Dolores Kelly
Political offices
Preceded by
New office
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
1999 - 2000
Succeeded by
Office suspended
Preceded by
Office suspended
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
2000 - 2002
Succeeded by
Office suspended