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David Allen (politician)

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David Allen
Member of
Ballymena Borough Council
In office
30 May 1973 – 20 May 1981
Preceded byCouncil established
Succeeded byWilliam Brownlees
ConstituencyBallymena Area C
Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
for North Antrim
In office
1975–1976
Preceded byConvention established
Succeeded byConvention abolished
Personal details
Born24 October 1937
Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Died13 December 2011
NationalityBritish
Political partyIndependent Unionist (from 1977)
Ulster Vanguard (before 1977)
OccupationTeacher

Trade Unionist

Politician

David Allen MBE[1] (24 October 1937 – 13 December 2011)[2] was a Northern Irish teacher, trade unionist and politician.

Background

[edit]

A member of the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party, he represented the group in the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention.[3] He was elected to Ballymena Borough Council in 1973, topping the poll in the C District Electoral Area. He retained the seat in 1977, albeit as a "Ratepayers" candidate, having left the Vanguard in the interim.[4]

In November 1976 Allen proposed a motion banning Ballymena's local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) from using council facilities; the motion passed unanimously. Allen described the GAA as "bigoted, sectarian" with an "antiquated" ruleset.[5] In a television interview about the motion, Allen suggested he would be justified in calling for the GAA to be outlawed and made illegal in Northern Ireland.[6]

Allen was a pupil of Ballymena Academy.[7] A teacher by profession, he trained at Queen's University Belfast and Stranmillis College before teaching at primary level in his native Ballymena, initially at Harryville PS before moving to Ballykeel PS.[1] Known to his pupils as "Duck", he was deputy headmaster at the latter school.[7] Allen was active in the Ulster Teachers' Union and became general secretary of the body in 1978, holding the position for twenty years.[1] A prominent media figure during his time in charge, Allen's work earned him the nickname "children's champion".[1]

Allen was married twice and had one daughter.[1] Following his retirement he settled in Banbridge, while also keeping a house in Cornwall.[1] He suffered a stroke in 2011 and died soon after, aged 74. He was buried in Banbridge following a service at the town's Bannside Presbyterian Church.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Belfast Telegraph obituary
  2. ^ UTU News, Spring 2016 ,p. 16
  3. ^ W. D. Flackes & Sydney Elliott, Northern Ireland A Political Directory 1968-1993, Blackstaff Press, 1994, p. 147
  4. ^ The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Ballymena
  5. ^ Belfast Telegraph 8 November 1976.
  6. ^ "Inside Ulster". BBC Rewind.
  7. ^ a b Mr. David Allen - formerly of Ballykeel Primary
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for North Antrim
1975–1976
Convention dissolved
Trade union offices
Preceded by
Brian Toms
General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers' Union
1978–1997
Succeeded by
Ray Calvin