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Bríd Rodgers

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Irish politician (born 1935)

Bríd Rodgers
Rodgers in 2007
Deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
In office
2001–2004
LeaderMark Durkan
Preceded bySeamus Mallon
Succeeded byAlasdair McDonnell
Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
In office
2 December 1999 – 14 October 2002
First MinisterDavid Trimble
Preceded byNew Creation
Succeeded byMichelle Gildernew
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Upper Bann
In office
25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded byNew Creation
Succeeded byDolores Kelly
Northern Ireland Forum Member
for Upper Bann
In office
30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded byNew forum
Succeeded byForum dissolved
Senator
In office
23 February 1983 – 25 April 1987
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
BornBríd Stratford
(1935-02-20) 20 February 1935 (age 89)
Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland
Political partySocial Democratic and Labour Party
SpouseAntoin Rodgers (d. 2021)
Children6
Residence(s)Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Bríd Rodgers (née Stratford; born 20 February 1935) is an Irish nationalist former politician. She was born and raised in Gweedore in the west of County Donegal, Ireland.

Although born and brought up in a Gaeltacht area within the Republic of Ireland, she was politically active in Northern Ireland, where she was Deputy-Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2001 to 2004, and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann from 1998 until 2003.

Political career

Rodgers was educated in Monaghan and University College Dublin (UCD), and has lived in Northern Ireland since 1960. She was involved in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) from 1965. She was a founder member of the SDLP, becoming Chairman in 1978 and General Secretary in 1981. In 1983, she was nominated to Seanad Éireann by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, and served until 1987.

Rodgers was the leader of the SDLP team in the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the constituency of Upper Bann in June 1998. She was appointed to the first Northern Ireland Executive in November 1999 as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, the first woman ever appointed as a full-ranking Agriculture Minister anywhere in Ireland; she remained in that position until the suspension of the Executive in October 2002. She became deputy leader of the SDLP in November 2001. She stood down as MLA at the Assembly elections of November 2003, and as deputy leader in February 2004, when she was replaced by Alasdair McDonnell.

Personal life

Rodgers was married to Antoin Rodgers until his death in 2021. They had six children. She is a distant relative of Irish American mobster Vincent Coll. She is a native Irish-language speaker and also speaks French and Italian.

References

  1. Office suspended 11 February 2000 - 30 May 2000
  2. "Brid Rodgers". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  3. "Brid Rodgers". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
Party political offices
Preceded byDenis Haughey Chairperson of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
1978–1980 		Succeeded bySean Farren
Preceded byDon Canning General Secretary of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
1981–1983 		Succeeded byEamon Hanna
Preceded bySeamus Mallon Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
2001–2004 		Succeeded byAlasdair McDonnell
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum Member for Upper Bann
1996–1998 		Forum dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly
New assembly MLA for Upper Bann
1998–2003 		Succeeded byDolores Kelly
Political offices
New office Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
1999–2000 		VacantOffice suspendedTitle next held byself
VacantOffice suspendedTitle last held byself Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
2000–2002 		VacantOffice suspendedTitle next held byMichelle Gildernew
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Administrative Panel
Agricultural Panel
Cultural and Educational Panel
Industrial and Commercial Panel
Labour Panel
Dublin University
National University
Nominated by the Taoiseach
Nominated 1987
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Leadership
Leader
Deputy Leader
Chair
General Secretary (until 2016)
Party Manager (since 2016)
  • Paddy Wilson (1970–1972)
  • John Duffy (1972–1975)
  • Dan McAreavey (1975–1980)
  • Don Canning (1980–1981)
  • Bríd Rodgers (1981–1983)
  • Eamon Hanna (1983–1986)
  • Patsy McGlone (1986–1992)
  • Gerry Cosgrove (1992–2016)
  • Catherine Matthews (2016–present)
Elected representatives
Members of the
Northern Ireland Assembly
Members of Parliament
Related organisations
Leadership elections
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