John Lowry (Irish politician)

John Terence Lowry is the former General Secretary of the Workers' Party in Ireland. He is a native of the Lower Falls area of Belfast.

Lowry first stood for the Workers' Party in the 1986 Lagan Valley by-election. As the only candidate to challenge Jim Molyneaux of the Ulster Unionist Party, he picked up 9.3% of the vote.[1]

Lowry stood again in Lagan Valley at the 1987 general election, but owing to his facing several candidates, his vote dropped below 3%. For the 1992 general election he moved to contest Belfast West, and has contested this unsuccessfully at each subsequent election, except in 2010 and the 2011 by-election when he did not stand.[1]

Lowry was also the Workers' Party's candidate in the Northern Ireland constituency at the European Parliament election in 1994, coming well down the field with only 0.45% of the votes cast.[1] He topped the party's list in Belfast West for the Northern Ireland Forum election of 1996, and has contested the same seat at each election to the Northern Ireland Assembly.[2] Lowry has also stood for Belfast City Council in the Lower Falls ward in each election since 1993.[3]

In 2005, Lowry was one of three people to post bail for Workers' Party President Seán Garland, but forfeited £9,000 after Garland failed to appear in court.[4]

Lowry is registered with the Electoral Commission as the leader and nominating officer of the Workers' Party in Northern Ireland.[5]