Murtagh Morgan (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

1925–1981) was a

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

and

Irish republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. Morgan lived in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

and had a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

background. In the 1920s, he became a republican labour activist in the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP), claiming to act in the spirit of James Connolly.Graham S. Walker, ''The Politics of Frustration'' By 1925, he had become the President of the Belfast section of the

Irish Transport and General Workers' Union The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), was a trade union representing workers, initially mainly labourers, in Ireland. History The union was founded by James Larkin in January 1909 as a general union. Initially drawing its memb ...

. By the 1930s, he was Chairman of the union, and was active on

Belfast Trades Council Belfast Trades Council, also known as Belfast & District Trades Union Council, brings together trade unionists in and around Belfast in Northern Ireland. History The council was founded on 29 October 1881 at a meeting of eleven trade unionists. T ...

. He supported the Republican Congress initiative, started in 1934. During this period, he was close to the Socialist Party of Northern Ireland faction of the NILP. At some point Morgan left the NILP, and at the

1953 Northern Ireland general election The 1953 Northern Ireland general election was held on 22 October 1953. Like all previous elections to the Parliament of Northern Ireland, it produced a large majority for the Ulster Unionist Party. Results ''All parties shown ...

, he was elected as the

Irish Labour Party The Labour Party ( ga, Páirtí an Lucht Oibre, literally "Party of the Working People") is a centre-left and social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. Founded on 28 May 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, ...

MP for Belfast Dock. He stood down at the 1958 general election, and Gerry Fitt stood as the group's candidate. Morgan nominated Albert Price as in independent

candidate for Belfast West at the February 1974 general election He was also named as a possible Republican Labour Party candidate in Belfast North, but in the event the party disbanded and did not stand any candidates."S.D.L.P. to contest North's 12 seats", ''

Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'', 18 February 1974

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Murtagh Year of birth missing Year of death missing Labour Party (Ireland) members of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland Irish republicans Irish trade unionists Members of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland 1953–1958 Northern Ireland Labour Party politicians Members of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland for Belfast constituencies