Bernadette Devlin

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey is a prominent Irish civil rights leader, socialist, and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Ulster. Born on April 23, 1947, in Cookstown, County Tyrone, she rose to national prominence at the age of 21 when she became the youngest woman ever elected to the British Parliament at that time. Devlin McAliskey was a vocal advocate for the rights of the Catholic nationalist community in Northern Ireland during the early years of the Troubles, a period marked by intense ethno-nationalist conflict. She notably broke with traditional Irish republican policy by taking her seat in Westminster, a move that underscored her commitment to challenging the status quo .

Throughout her political career, Devlin McAliskey was involved in several significant events. She participated in the Battle of the Bogside in 1969, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. In 1972, she witnessed the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry, where 14 unarmed civil rights protesters were killed by British soldiers. The following day, she famously slapped the British Home Secretary, Reginald Maudling, in the House of Commons after he falsely claimed that the soldiers had acted in self-defense .

Devlin McAliskey's activism extended beyond her parliamentary work. She co-founded the Irish Republican Socialist Party in 1974 and was a strong supporter of the Smash H-Block Campaign, which opposed the treatment of Irish republican prisoners. In 1981, she survived an assassination attempt by loyalist paramilitaries, an event that further solidified her status as a resilient and dedicated activist. Later in life, she continued her advocacy through the South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP), focusing on community development and support for marginalized groups .

Some of her notable quotes include:

"We were born into an unjust system; we are not prepared to grow old in it."

"Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win."

"To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else."

These statements reflect her unwavering commitment to justice and equality, principles that have guided her throughout her life and activism.