Seamus Lynch

Seamus Lynch (born 1945) is a former Irish republican politician.

Born in North Belfast," [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9AE667CA87AC&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Pain will linger in Ireland] ", "Buffalo News", 21 May 1998] Lynch became a republican activist around the start of The Troubles, and sided with the Official wing of Sinn Féin in the split of 1970.Ian S. Wood, "Crimes of Loyalty"] He was imprisoned from October 1971 until the following year. He was a strong supporter of the Official IRA's ceasefire in 1972 and Official Sinn Féin's vocal socialism. As a result, he became active in the Republican Clubs movement, and stood for the organisation in Belfast North at the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. He received only 1.7% of the first preference votes cast and was not elected. He stood again for the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, but his vote dropped to just 1.3%. He was elected to Belfast City Council in 1977, representing the G district, but lost his seat in 1981. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/73-81lgbelfast.htm Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Belfast] , Northern Ireland Elections] ]

Lynch next stood in the Westminster seat of Belfast North at the 1979 UK general election, increasing his vote to 4.5%, the best result for Republican Clubs in Northern Ireland, and at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982, he increased his share to 7.1%. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/cnb.htm North Belfast 1973-82] , Northern Ireland Elections]

Workers' Party

In 1982, Republican Clubs was renamed the Workers' Party of Ireland and Lynch became its Northern Chairman and national Vice-President He then stood in the 1983 UK general election, receiving 5.7% of the vote, [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/bnb.htm North Belfast, 1983-1992] , Northern Ireland Elections] but did less well in the Northern Ireland-wide European election, 1984, taking only 1.3% and seventh position of eight candidates. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fe84.htm The 1984 European election] , Northern Ireland Elections] He was re-elected to Belfast City Council in 1985, representing Oldpark, and held his seat in 1989.

Lynch's best result in a Westminster election came when he took 11.8% of the vote in a three-way contest in the Belfast North by-election, 1986. At the following year's general election, he dropped back to 8.3%. He also stood in the European election, 1989, placing eighth out of ten candidates. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fe89.htm The 1989 European elections] , Northern Ireland Elections]

Democratic Left

In 1992, Lynch sided with the split from the Workers' Party which produced Democratic Left, and he became the new group's main figure in Northern Ireland. [Oliver McGuckin, " [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/paul-leads-the-charm-offensive-13868736.html Paul leads the charm offensive] ", "Belfast Telegraph", 30 May 1996] Standing for the new organisation, at the 1992 UK general election his vote fell to 3.7% and he lost his council seat the following year. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgbelfast.htm Belfast City Council, 1993-2005] , Northern Ireland Elections] His last contest for the party was heading its North Belfast list for the Northern Ireland Assembly election in 1996, but the list took only 123 votes. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/96nb.htm 1996 Forum Elections: Candidates in North Belfast] , Northern Ireland Elections] Democratic Left dissolved in 1998, its members invited to join the Irish Labour Party but not permitted to organise in Northern Ireland. [ [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/steven-king-on-thursday-13764190.html Steven King on Thursday] , Steven King, "Belfast Telegraph", 17 December 1998]

In 2003, Lynch was elected Chairman of the North Belfast sub-group of the Belfast District Policing Partnership. [ [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/belfast-police-groups-select-leaders-13654359.html Belfast police groups select leaders] , Jonathan McCambridge, "Belfast Telegraph" ,17 April 2003] He is a Public Affairs Officer with Help the Aged.

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