Irish Examiner view: Paying tribute to trailblazer Currie

Co-founder of the SDLP fought tirelessly against inequality and discrimination

The late Austin Currie never lost his passion for the pursuit of social justice. Picture: Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography

There are few of us who will leave behind a legacy similar to that of Austin Currie, who died at the age of 82 on Tuesday.

In a political career that spanned over 40 years, Mr Currie fought doggedly against inequality and discrimination even when his own personal safety and that of his family were at risk. 

He found his voice as one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland at a time when tensions were rising over discrimination against Catholics.

A co-founder of the SDLP, he was unique in so far as he served in parliament on both sides of the border, elected to Stormont from 1964 to 1972; in later life moving to Dublin where he became a Fine Gael TD from 1989 to 2002, serving at a time as Minister of State in the Department of Justice.

A courageous trailblazer who was first motivated by the injustice he saw growing up in Northern Ireland, Mr Currie never lost his passion for the pursuit of social justice and his belief in the power of people to make change, as he did throughout his life.

May he rest in peace.