Patrick Gerard "Paddy" Wilson (c. 1933 – 25/26 June 1973) was an Irish

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

politician in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

who was murdered by the loyalist

Ulster Freedom Fighters The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and undertook an armed campaign of almost 24 years as one of t ...

(UFF).Chronology of the Conflict: June 1973
CAIN Wilson was born in Fleet Street in

Sailortown, Belfast Sailortown was a working-class dockland community in the docks area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Established in the mid-19th century on partly reclaimed land, it had a mixed Protestant and Catholic population. The 1907 dock strike called by ...

, the youngest of seven children in a Catholic nationalist family. He and his wife Bridget had one son, Paul. He was elected as a

Republican Labour Party The Republican Labour Party (RLP) was a political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964, with two MPs at Stormont, Harry Diamond and Gerry Fitt. They had previously been the sole Northern Ireland representatives of the Socialist R ...

member of the

Senate of Northern Ireland The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973. Powers In practice the S ...

in 1969. The following year, he became a founder member of the

Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland ...

,Thomas Hennessey, ''The Evolution of the Troubles, 1970–72''. Irish Academic Press (15 November 2007), ; and its first General Secretary. He was also a

Belfast City Council Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the ...

lor. On 26 June 1973, Wilson (aged 39) and his companion, Irene Andrews (aged 29), a Protestant, were found dead. They had been stabbed to death. Wilson's throat was cut. He was interred in Belfast's

Milltown Cemetery Milltown Cemetery ( ga, Reilig Bhaile an Mhuilinn) is a large cemetery in west Belfast, Northern Ireland. It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and the M1 motorway. History Milltown Cemetery opened in 1869 as part ...

. Loyalist John White was later convicted for his part in the murders.

References

1930s births 1973 deaths Politicians from Belfast Republican Labour Party members of the Senate of Northern Ireland Social Democratic and Labour Party members of the Senate of Northern Ireland Assassinated politicians from Northern Ireland Members of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1969–1973 People killed by the Ulster Defence Association Members of Belfast City Council Deaths by blade weapons Date of birth missing {{Parliament-of-Northern-Ireland-member-stub

See also

References