Denis Haughey

Who is Denis Haughey?

Denis Haughey is a former nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.

Born in Coalisland, Haughey studied politics at Queens University, Belfast, becoming involved in the civil rights movement and the first Chair of the Tyrone Civil Rights Association and a founder member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, before becoming a teacher. From 1972 until 1977, he was the party's Chairman.

Haughey stood against Frank McManus for the Westminster seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone in February 1974, splitting the nationalist vote and letting in Harry West of the Ulster Unionist Party. He unsuccessfully contested North Antrim in the 1975 election to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention

In 1980, Haughey left teaching to work as the full-time assistant to SDLP leader John Hume. During this period, he served as the party's International Secretary, and represented the SDLP on the Executives of the Party of European Socialists and the Socialist International. At the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982, Haughey was elected to represent Mid Ulster, but with other SDLP candidates did not take his seat, and instead joined the New Ireland Forum.