Catherine Nelson

Catherine Nelson
Nelson in 2015
Member of
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 May 2019
Preceded byFergal Lennon
ConstituencyCraigavon
In office
19 June 2018 – 2 May 2019
Preceded byMáire Cairns
Succeeded bySorchá McGeown
ConstituencyLurgan
In office
22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016
Preceded byCouncil established
Succeeded byLiam Mackle
ConstituencyLurgan
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Upper Bann
In office
5 May 2016 – January 2017
Preceded byDolores Kelly
Succeeded byDolores Kelly
Member of
Craigavon Borough Council
In office
25 January 2014 – 22 May 2014
Preceded byJohnny McGibbon
Succeeded byCouncil abolished
ConstituencyLoughside
Personal details
Born (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987 (age 36)
Lurgan, Northern Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partySinn Féin
Alma materQueen's University Belfast
ProfessionTeacher

Catherine Nelson (born Catherine Seeley; 26 November 1987)[1] is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and schoolteacher, serving as an Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon councillor for the Craigavon DEA since 2019.

Nelson was previously a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann from the 2016 to 2017.

Background

Previously a schoolteacher at the non-denominational Belfast Boys' Model School, she resigned after allegedly enduring a campaign of harassment, which began after she was co-opted as a Sinn Féin councillor on Craigavon Borough Council in 2014. The Protestant Coalition opposed her employment at the school over her affiliation with Sinn Féin.[2]

At the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, she was elected as one of two Sinn Fein representatives for the Upper Bann constituency.

On 16 January 2017, it was announced she would not seeking re-election at the 2017 assembly election and would return to work as a schoolteacher.[3]

In 2018, she was co-opted as a councillor onto Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.[1]

On 25 May 2024, Nelson was announced as the Sinn Fein candidate for Upper Bann in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Hughes, Brendan (19 June 2018). "Ex-Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Nelson appointed as councillor for Lurgan". The Irish News. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Catherine Seeley thanks Boys' Model pupils for support", BBC News, 8 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Sinn Féin's Catherine Seeley will not stand in next Assembly election" ITV News. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  4. ^ @sinnfeinireland (25 May 2024). "Announcing our first Sinn Féin Westminster election candidates. In this election you can send a clear message for a better future. By voting for Sinn Féin you are endorsing strong leadership, positive change, and a commitment to work for all. On July 4th, vótáil Sinn Féin X" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Catherine Seeley.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Upper Bann
2016–2017 		Succeeded by