Saddened to learn of the death of Hugh News, former SDLP Assembly Member for Armagh (his area being North Armagh particuarly Lurgan). Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. Hugh News was elected in 1973, held his seat in the 1975 Convention and again in the short-lived 1982 Assembly. He was also a long serving member on Craigavon Council.

As a member of the SDLP in 197os, I often read “SDLP history” of that period. While the star SDLP performers such as Gerry Fitt, John Hume, Paddy Devlin get a lot of credit…..too little is spoken about the SDLPs quiet men such as (to name but a few) Desmond Gillespie, Vincent McCloskey, Frank Feely and……..Hugh News.

But he also made a contribution. Not least to his constituents in Lurgan.