Desmond Gillespie

Desmond Gillespie (February 1912 – 22 May 1986) was an

Irish nationalist politician

Born in Kilnaleck, County Cavan, Gillespie worked as a publican in Belfast before joining the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). He stood for Belfast City Council at the 1973 local elections, but was not elected.^[1] However, he fared better at the 1973 Northern Ireland Assembly election, where he was elected to represent Belfast West.^[2] For the February 1974 UK general election, he moved to stand in Belfast East, but he took only 2.6% of the votes cast, and the SDLP decided not to stand any candidate in the seat at the October general election.^[3]

At the elections for the 1975 Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, Gillespie stood in Belfast West again, but narrowly lost his seat to independent unionist Hugh Smyth.^[2] He did not contest any further elections.

References

^ Ted Nealon, Ireland: a parliamentary directory, 1973–1974, p.197
^ ^a ^b West Belfast 1973–82, Northern Ireland Elections
^ East Belfast 1973–82, Northern Ireland Elections

Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
New assembly	West Belfast 1973–1974	Assembly abolished

[1] Ted Nealon, Ireland: a parliamentary directory, 1973–1974, p.197

[wbelfast-2] West Belfast 1973–82, Northern Ireland Elections

[3] East Belfast 1973–82, Northern Ireland Elections

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