Norman Kennedy

Norman Kennedy was a trade unionist and politician in Ireland.

Kennedy worked in a Belfast linen factory for 20 years.^[1] He was a prominent member of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union. He served as President of the Irish Trades Union Congress in 1957.^[2] He worked closely with James Larkin, Jr and John Conroy to complete its reunification with the Congress of Irish Unions,^[3] and became President of the united organisation, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, in 1961.^[4] He also served on the Northern Ireland Economic Council.^[5]

Kennedy served as a Northern Ireland Labour Party member of the Senate of Northern Ireland from 1965 until its proguation in 1972. From 1970 to 1971, he served as a Deputy Speaker.^[6][7] He then withdrew from politics and trade unionism, and led the consortium which established Downtown Radio, Northern Ireland's first commercial radio station.^[8]

References

1. https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/1111/741073-the-work-of-the-weavers/
2. Donal Nevin et al, Trade Union Century, p.437
3. W. J. McCormack, The Blackwell Companion to Modern Irish Culture, p.331
4. "Constitution and Standing Orders Archived 6 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine" (2008), Irish Congress of Trade Unions, p.36
5. "Dáil Éireann - Volume 257 - 25 November 1971". Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
6. Members of the Northern Ireland Senate, 1921-72, Northern Ireland Elections
7. "Contest for 12 seats in N.I. Senate", Irish Times, 21 May 1965
8. "Radio station for Ulster", The Guardian, 28 October 1975, p.15

Trade union offices
Preceded by Sam Kyle	Irish Secretary of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union 1949–1974	Succeeded by John Freeman
Preceded by J. Harold Binks	President of the Irish Trades Union Congress 1957	Succeeded by Jack Macgougan
Preceded by James Larkin Jnr	President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions 1961	Succeeded by W. J. Fitzpatrick