Mallon, Seamus (1936– )

Northern Irish Social and Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) politician. Mallon was deputy leader of the SDLP from 1979 and deputy first minister (December 1999 to February 2000) in the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive.

Born in Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Mallon first became involved in politics during the campaign for civil rights in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. In 1973 he was elected a member, for the Catholic community-oriented SDLP, of Armagh district council and the Northern Ireland Assembly. In 1982 he was appointed to the Irish Senate, which led to his expulsion from the Northern Ireland Assembly. A blunt-speaking spokesman for the nationalist cause, he gained respect through also being ready to denounce IRA atrocities.

Mallon was elected to the Westminster Parliament as member for Newry and Armagh, in 1986. A firm supporter of the peace process, he became a member of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, established in 1994 by the Irish government, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly from June 1998.