Albert McElroy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albert McElroy |
|
|---|---|
| Religion | Christian |
| Denomination | Non-subscribing Presbyterian |
| Church | 1st Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church, Newtownards |
| Alma mater |
|
| Personal | |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 14 February 1915 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 13 March 1975 (aged 60) |
| Senior posting | |
| Period in office | 1954-75 |
Albert Horatio McElroy (born February 14, 1915 – died March 13, 1975) was an important person in Northern Ireland. He was a church minister and also a politician, meaning he helped make decisions for the country.
Contents
A Life of Service
Albert McElroy was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He went to college at Trinity College Dublin and later studied at Manchester College in Oxford. This college is now known as Harris Manchester College.
Getting Started in Politics
Albert McElroy first joined a political group called the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP). A political party is a group of people who share similar ideas about how the country should be run. He became a close helper of another politician named Harry Midgley. Albert McElroy was even chosen to be the leader, or "chair," of the NILP for a time. He also became a local councillor, which means he helped make decisions for his local town or area.
In 1942, Harry Midgley decided to start a new political group called the Commonwealth Labour Party. Albert McElroy followed him and joined this new party. He even ran for election in an area called Ards in 1945. He did quite well, getting a lot of votes, but he wasn't elected that time.
A few years later, in 1947, Harry Midgley closed down his party and joined a different one, the Ulster Unionist Party. Albert McElroy, along with a few others, decided to go back to the NILP instead.
Running for Parliament
Albert McElroy tried to get elected to the UK Parliament several times. In 1950, he ran for the NILP in an area called North Down. He came in second place, but he didn't win the election. He tried again in 1951, but he still wasn't elected.
A New Political Party
In the 1950s, Albert McElroy left the NILP again. This time, he started his own political party called the Ulster Liberal Party. He became the leader of this new party.
He ran for election again in 1958, trying to win a seat for Queen's University Belfast. This was a tough election, and he was just barely defeated.
Later, in 1964, he ran in North Down again, but he didn't get as many votes as he had in his earlier attempts. In 1965, he tried to win a seat in Enniskillen, but he was defeated there too.
Even though Albert McElroy often didn't win elections himself, his party did have some success. His party friend, Sheelagh Murnaghan, was elected for Queen's University in 1961 and again in 1965. When there was another election for that seat in 1966, Albert McElroy ran again. It was a very close vote, but he was defeated by the Ulster Unionist candidate.
Standing Up for Rights
Albert McElroy was very involved in the civil rights protests that happened in the late 1960s. Civil rights protests are when people gather peacefully to demand fair treatment and equal rights for everyone. He spoke at these events alongside other important politicians like Eddie McAteer and Austin Currie.
Church Minister
Besides his political work, Albert McElroy also served as a church minister. In 1954, he became the minister for the 1st Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church in Newtownards. He continued in this important role until he passed away in 1975.
