Gerry Kelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerry Kelly
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Kelly in January 2015
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| Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister | |
| In office 8 May 2007 – 16 May 2011 |
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| Deputy FM | Martin McGuinness |
| Preceded by | Denis Haughey |
| Succeeded by | Martina Anderson |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast North |
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| Assumed office 25 June 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Northern Ireland Forum Member for Belfast North |
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| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gerard Francis Kelly
5 April 1953 Lower Falls, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin (since 1989) |
| Spouse | Margaret Kelly |
| Children | 7 |
| Residences | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Alma mater | St Peter's Secondary School, Britton's Parade, Belfast |
| Portfolio | Policing |
| Website | North Belfast - Gerry Kelly |
| Military service | |
| Paramilitary | Fianna Éireann (1971–1972) Provisional IRA (1972–1990s) |
| Rank | Volunteer |
| Unit | Belfast Brigade |
| Battles/wars | The Troubles
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Gerard Kelly (born 5 April 1953) is a politician from Northern Ireland. He is known for his role in the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. This agreement was a big step towards peace in Northern Ireland.
Today, Gerry Kelly is a member of the Sinn Féin party's main committee. He is also a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Belfast.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Gerard Francis Kelly was born on 5 April 1953. His birthplace was Raglan Street in the Lower Falls area of Belfast. He went to St Finian's Primary School on the Falls Road.
His family was not very involved in politics. However, his grandfather supported the Labour Party. Kelly later attended St Peter's Secondary School. He earned his O-Levels there. At 17, he started his first job. He worked for the Belfast Corporation Electricity Department.
In 1971, Kelly joined Fianna Éireann. This was a youth group linked to Irish republicanism. He was arrested in August 1971. He was held in Mountjoy prison for several months. In January 1972, he escaped. He then joined the Provisional IRA when he returned to Belfast.
Key Events and Imprisonment
The 1973 London Bombings
On 8 March 1973, the IRA placed four car bombs in London. Two of these bombs were found and made safe. However, two others exploded. One was near the Old Bailey court building. The other was near the Ministry of Agriculture in Whitehall. One person died and nearly 200 people were hurt.
Gerry Kelly was 19 years old at the time. He and eight others were found guilty of charges related to these bombings. This happened on 14 November 1973. Kelly was convicted of causing explosions. He received two life sentences.
Prison Life and Escape
While in prison in Britain, Kelly and other prisoners went on a hunger strike. They wanted to be seen as political prisoners. They also wanted to be moved to prisons in Northern Ireland. After 60 days, during which he was force-fed, Kelly was moved. He went to HMP Maze prison in Northern Ireland in April 1975.
While at the Maze, Kelly continued to protest. He tried to escape several times. These attempts were in 1977, 1982, and 1983. On 25 September 1983, Kelly was part of the Maze Prison escape. This was a very large prison break. It was one of the biggest in Europe since World War II.
Kelly and 37 other prisoners escaped. They used six handguns. They took over a prison food truck. They broke out of the Maze, getting past many officers and alarm systems. During the escape, a prison officer was shot. The officer survived.
After the escape, Kelly was on the run for three years. He became involved in IRA activities in Europe. He said that many people helped him escape. This included supporters of political parties in the Republic of Ireland.
On 16 January 1986, Kelly was arrested in the Netherlands. He was found with Brendan "Bik" McFarlane in Amsterdam. Police found money, maps, and fake passports. They also found keys to a storage unit. This unit held rifles, ammunition, and other materials.
On 4 December 1986, Kelly and McFarlane were sent back to the UK. They were returned to the Maze prison. On 2 June 1989, Kelly was released. This was part of the agreement made with the Dutch authorities.
Political Career and Peace Efforts
After leaving prison, Gerry Kelly became very active in politics. He became a key member of the Sinn Féin party. From 1990 to 1993, Kelly and Martin McGuinness had secret talks. They met with representatives from the British Government. In 1989, Kelly also published a book of poems called Words from a Cell.
Kelly played an important part in the Northern Ireland peace process. This led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998. To promote peace, he met with many world leaders. These included Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, and Bertie Ahern.
On 27 June 1998, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. He was Deputy Chair of the Social Development Committee from 1998 to 2003. He is currently Sinn Féin's spokesperson for Policing and Justice. He is also a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
In 2013, when he was 60, Kelly faced criticism. This happened when he held onto a Police Service of Northern Ireland vehicle. The vehicle drove away with him during a protest.
Kelly was a Sinn Féin representative in talks led by Richard Haass in 2013. These talks focused on difficult issues in Northern Ireland.
In January 2024, Kelly's legal case against a journalist was dismissed. He had sued the journalist for comments made in 2019 radio interviews. The court found his case to be without merit.
