Ivan Averill Cooper (born 1944) is a former politician from Northern Ireland who was a Member of Parliament of Northern Ireland, and founding member of the SDLP. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule Legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, He is best known for leading an anti-internment march which ended up in the Bloody Sunday incident on the 30th of January 1972, in Derry, Northern Ireland. Bloody Sunday (Domhnach na Fola is the term used to describe an incident in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 30 January 1972 in which 26 Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
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Early years
Cooper was born to a working class Protestant family in Killaloo, County Londonderry, and later moved to the "Bogside" area of Derry City. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Killaloo ( Irish: Cill Dhalua; meaning Dalua's church) is a Townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, about six The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. He was briefly a member of the Claudy Young Unionist Association until April 1965 when he joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party. Claudy ( is a Village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The Young Unionists, formally known as the Ulster Young Unionist Council (UYUC is the youth wing of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP See also Labour Party of Northern Ireland The Northern Ireland Labour Party was a political party which operated from 1924 until 1987 As the Labour candidate in the Stormont general election that year, he attracted a moderate amount of cross-community support, despite not being elected. The Northern Ireland general election 1965 was held on 25 November 1965. [1] Committed to non-violence, he became a major figure in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association during the late 1960s. Nonviolence is a philosophy and strategy for social change that rejects the use of physical Violence. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association ( Cumann Chearta Sibhialta Thuaisceart Éireann) was an organisation which campaigned for Civil rights in Northern In 1968 Cooper resigned from the Labour Party and founded the Derry Citizens' Action Committee. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [2] In the summer of that year, at a protest meeting in the Guildhall foyer, he suggested that people should fight for their rights "as the Blacks in America were fighting". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the [3]
Attempting to rise above sectarian politics, he remained hopeful that both Catholics and Protestants could work together, particularly the working classes of both groups, whom he believed shared the same greater interests. Sectarianism is Bigotry, Discrimination, Prejudice or Hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions His stance as a nationalist however, left many fellow Protestants viewing him as a traitor. Irish nationalism (Náisiúnachas Éireannach refers to political and sociological movements and sentiment that embodies a love for Irish ancestry, culture and language and [4]
Civil rights campaign
Cooper continued his activities with civil rights campaigning, ignoring a month-long ban imposed on marches in Derry in November 1968, organising a march two days later with the DCAC in which up to 15,000 people took part. Following violence resulting from numerous illegal marches in the city, Cooper called for a halt to spontaneous marches. [5] After escalation of street disturbances at the start of the year, following a march by the People's Democracy, which resulted in residents of the Bogside cordoning off areas with impromptu barricades, Cooper managed to persuade locals to remove the barricades. People's democracy is also a term used to refer to the People's Republic. The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The damage seemed irreparable however, after a march in Newry went out of control. Newry ( short form An tIúr, "The Yew" is the fourth largest city in Northern Ireland and eighth on the island of Ireland. Most Protestants and many Catholics who had still remained in support of the civil rights actions now withdrew their support. [6]
Parliament
In the 1969 general election, Cooper was elected as an independent Member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland for Mid Londonderry, defeating the sitting Nationalist Party MP, Paddy Gormley. The Northern Ireland general election 1969 was held on Monday 24 February 1969. In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. Mid Londonderry was a County constituency comprising the central part of County Londonderry. The Nationalist Party † (NP - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition by the Northern Ireland based members Patrick Joseph Gormley, known as Paddy Gormley (1916 - August 2001 was an Irish nationalist Politician.
On the 12th of March - the start of the few intense days of violence which have become known as the Battle of the Bogside - Cooper tried to restrain Catholics protesting a traditional Apprentice Boys of Derry parade in the city by linking arms with John Hume and Eddie McAteer. The Battle of the Bogside was a very large communal Riot between the mostly unarmed residents of the Bogside area of Derry city in Northern Ireland allied The Apprentice Boys Of Derry are a Protestant fraternal society with a worldwide membership founded in 1814 John Hume (born 18 January 1937) is a former Politician in Northern Ireland, founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party They were swept aside however and Cooper was knocked unconscious by a brick. [7]
Cooper was suspended from Stormont for a week on the 20th of March after a protest in the Chamber over a Public Order Bill. Many Parliaments or other Legislatures consist of two chambers (or houses) an elected Lower house, and an Upper house [8]
SDLP
On the 21st of August 1970 Cooper co-founded the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) with Hume, Paddy Devlin and Gerry Fitt. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Social Democratic and Labour Party ( SDLP; Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre is one of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland Paddy Devlin ( March 8 1925 - August 15 1999) was a Northern Irish Social democrat and Labour activist a former Stormont Gerard "Gerry" Fitt Baron Fitt ( 9 April 1926 &ndash 26 August 2005) was a Northern Irish politician [4][9][10]
Cooper organised a civil rights and anti-internment march for the 30th of January 1972 which was to develop into Bloody Sunday, whereupon fourteen unarmed civilians were killed by British soldiers in a division of the Parachute Regiment on duty in Derry. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bloody Sunday (Domhnach na Fola is the term used to describe an incident in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 30 January 1972 in which 26 The Parachute Regiment is the Airborne Infantry element of the British Army.
After the prorogation of the Stormont Parliament, Cooper was elected as one of the representatives of Mid Ulster to the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973 and the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975. The Northern Ireland Assembly was a legislative assembly set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention (NICC was an elected body set up in 1975 by the Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to He was also the SDLP's candidate in the constituency in both the February 1974 and October 1974 Westminster elections. Results |} Total votes 31321982 All parties are shown The seats won by the Ulster Unionists are compared with those won by Unionist MPs in the 1970 election Results |} Total number of votes 29189104 All parties shown Votes summary Seats summary By standing in the first of these, he split the Nationalist vote and in effect ensured the defeat of independent MP Bernadette McAliskey. Josephine Bernadette Devlin McAliskey (born 23 April 1947, in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) also known as Bernadette Devlin
In 1983 Cooper stood aside after the boundary changes for the new Foyle constituency to let colleague and friend John Hume contest the seat. For other constituencies of the same name see Foyle. Foyle is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons John Hume (born 18 January 1937) is a former Politician in Northern Ireland, founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party The increase in levels of violence intertwined with the politics made Cooper slowly move away from politics. He is now an insolvency consultant.
Legacy
Ivan remains a massively influential and loved figure within his constituency and Northern Ireland as a whole. [4]
At the height of his political career, Ivan Cooper commanded the largest support of any nationalist Stormont MP. A film was released in 2002, called Bloody Sunday, in which Cooper is portrayed by actor James Nesbitt. Bloody Sunday is a 2002 Television film about the 1972 " Bloody Sunday " shootings in Derry, Northern James Nesbitt (born 15 January 1965 is a Northern Irish actor [4]
He is the husband of Francis Cooper, and has two daughters; Sinead and Bronagh Cooper.
Fianna Fáil
On 11 December 2007, Cooper called for a merger between Fianna Fáil and the SDLP. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
References
- ^ Bardon, Jonathan [November 1992] (December 1992). Jonathan Bardon (born in Dublin, 1941) OBE, is an Irish Historian and Author. "The O'Neill Era, 1963-1972", A History of Ulster. Dundonald, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, pp. Dundonald ( is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies in the outer suburbs of east Belfast. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. 648. ISBN 0-85640-476-4.
- ^ Bew, Paul; Gordon Gillespie [1993]. Paul Anthony Elliott Bew Baron Bew (born 1950 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish Historian. "1968", Northern Ireland : A Chronology of the Troubles, 1968-1993. Dublin: Gill & MacMillan, pp. 6. ISBN 0-7171-2081-3.
- ^ Bardon, Jonathan [November 1992] (December 1992). Jonathan Bardon (born in Dublin, 1941) OBE, is an Irish Historian and Author. "The O'Neill Era, 1963-1972", A History of Ulster. Dundonald, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, pp. Dundonald ( is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies in the outer suburbs of east Belfast. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. 650. ISBN 0-85640-476-4.
- ^ a b c d Bloody Sunday leader finds faith in film. BBC (2002-01-30). See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Retrieved on 2007-07-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England.
- ^ Bew, Paul; Gordon Gillespie [1993]. Paul Anthony Elliott Bew Baron Bew (born 1950 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish Historian. "1968", Northern Ireland : A Chronology of the Troubles, 1968-1993. Dublin: Gill & MacMillan, pp. 7. ISBN 0-7171-2081-3.
- ^ Bardon, Jonathan [November 1992] (December 1992). Jonathan Bardon (born in Dublin, 1941) OBE, is an Irish Historian and Author. "The O'Neill Era, 1963-1972", A History of Ulster. Dundonald, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, pp. Dundonald ( is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies in the outer suburbs of east Belfast. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. 662. ISBN 0-85640-476-4.
- ^ Ibid pp. 666
- ^ Bew, Paul; Gordon Gillespie [1993]. Paul Anthony Elliott Bew Baron Bew (born 1950 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish Historian. "1968", Northern Ireland : A Chronology of the Troubles, 1968-1993. Dublin: Gill & MacMillan, pp. 14. ISBN 0-7171-2081-3.
- ^ Bardon, Jonathan [November 1992] (December 1992). Jonathan Bardon (born in Dublin, 1941) OBE, is an Irish Historian and Author. "The O'Neill Era, 1963-1972", A History of Ulster. Dundonald, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, pp. Dundonald ( is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies in the outer suburbs of east Belfast. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. 679. ISBN 0-85640-476-4.
- ^ Boothroyd, David. David Boothroyd (born November 9, 1972) is a British political researcher author and local councillor Biographies of Members of the Northern Ireland House of Commons. Retrieved on 2007-07-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England.
| Parliament of Northern Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Patrick Gormley |
Member of Parliament for Mid Londonderry 1969 - 1972 |
Succeeded by Position prorogued 1972 Parliament abolished 1973 |
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