Francie Brolly

Francie Brolly
Brolly in 2012
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for East Londonderry
In office
26 November 2003 – 12 January 2010
Preceded by Michael Coyle
Succeeded by Billy Leonard
Personal details
Born (1947-01-13) 13 January 1947
Dungiven, Northern Ireland
Political party Sinn Féin (until 2018)
Spouse(s) Anne Brolly
Children Joseph (Joe), Proinnsías, Conal, Áine & Nollaig
Website Sinn Féin Website

Francie (formally Francis) Brolly is a musician, retired teacher and republican politician from Dungiven, Northern Ireland. He was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2003 and was re-elected in 2007 as a Sinn Féin member for the East Londonderry constituency. He resigned in 2010. In February 2018 , He left the Sinn Fein Party over its support for abortion [1]

His wife, Anne Brolly was the first Sinn Féin Mayor and the first female Mayor of Limavady between 2003 and 2004, the council to which she was elected in 2001.

In 2005, he was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and questioned about a bombing incident in the village of Claudy in 1972.[2] An official complaint was lodged with the Police Ombudsman regarding the lawfulness of the arrest and this investigation is ongoing. Brolly mounted a legal challenge in relation to the arrest against the PSNI, which settled out of court.

Interests

Brolly is an Irish culture enthusiast. A lyricist and musician, he has written many well-known Irish republican songs, most famously The H-Block Song. His daughter, Nollaig, is also a well-known singer and Celtic harpist.[3] He served as the Assembly spokesperson for Sinn Féin on Culture, Arts and Leisure, sitting on that Department's oversight committee. He is also an Irish language enthusiast and is a fluent speaker of the language.[4]

He is a long-standing member of the GAA[4] and has played football for Derry. He is an Executive Committee Member of St Canice's GAC Dungiven.[5] His son Joe Brolly was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side and has won two All Stars.

References

  1. ↑ Young, Connla. "Former MLA Francie Brolly resigns from Sinn Féin over abortion". The Irish News. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  2. ↑ Peterkin, Tom (30 November 2005). "Belfast bank man held over £26m robbery". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Nollaig". Wren Records. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  4. 1 2 Sinn Féin Assembly members
  5. ↑ 2007 Committee Officers – Na hOifigigh Archived 30 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
Michael Coyle		 MLA for East Londonderry
2003–2010		 Succeeded by
Billy Leonard
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