Sean Farren facts for kids

Sean Nial Farren was born on September 6, 1939, in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He is an Irish politician and a former university professor. He was a member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). From 1998 to 2007, he served as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for the area of North Antrim.

Sean Farren's Education and Teaching Career

Sean Farren studied at several universities. He earned his first degree from the National University of Ireland, University College Dublin. Later, he continued his studies at the University of Essex and the University of Ulster, where he earned his PhD.

Before becoming a university lecturer, Farren worked as a teacher. He taught in different countries, including Dublin, Switzerland, and Sierra Leone. After this, he became a lecturer at the University of Ulster.

Since 2008, he has been a visiting professor at Ulster University's School of Education. He has also worked on projects to help build stronger democratic systems in places like the Middle East and parts of Africa.

Currently, he is involved with several important groups. He is a member of the Governing Authority for Dublin City University. He is also a Trustee for Concern Worldwide (UK), which is a charity. Additionally, he is part of the Development Studies Association of Ireland (DSAI) and the Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership (SLIP).

Sean Farren's Political Journey

Sean Farren began his political career by running for a seat in the United Kingdom Parliament in 1979. He represented the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in the North Antrim area. He continued to run in general elections until 2005.

In 1982, Farren was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim. However, following his party's decision, he chose to be part of the New Ireland Forum instead. This forum was a special meeting held from 1983 to 1984.

Farren was also elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996, again representing North Antrim. He then held this seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly in both 1998 and 2003. He decided not to run for re-election in the 2007 election.

Family Life

Sean Farren is married to Patricia Clarke. They have four children together. Sean and Patricia live in Portstewart, which is located in County Londonderry.