William James McClure MBE (15 June 1926 – 3 August 2014)[1] was a Unionist politician based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, who served as President of the Democratic Unionist Party.[2] McClure died on 3 August 2014 at the age of 88.[3]

McClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry.[4] He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for the same constituency.[5] In 1977 he was elected to Coleraine Borough Council and remained a member until his death,[6] serving as Mayor from 1983–84, and from 1997–99, and as Deputy Mayor from 1982–83, 1985–93, and 2004–05. He served on the Coleraine Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

McClure was a fundamentalist Protestant and a member of the Independent Orange Order. He was an opponent of commercial trading, gambling and football games being played on Sundays, arguing that "the Christian Sabbath is a day for God not for gambling. It is a day for worshipping the Saviour, not for sport."[7]

References

  1. ^ "Obituary: James McClure 1926-2014". NewsLetter. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  2. ^ Belfast Newsletter 08-08-08
  3. ^ Former Coleraine DUP mayor James McClure dies, aged 88, bbc.co.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
  4. ^ Convention election results 1975 Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, eoni.org.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
  5. ^ Londonderry election results, ark.ac.uk, accessed 2 June 2017
  6. ^ Northern Ireland elections site
  7. ^ Belfast Newsletter, 15-07-08, Portglenone 12th speech, newsletter.co.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention New convention Member for Londonderry 1975–1976 Convention dissolved Northern Ireland Assembly (1982) New assembly MPA for Londonderry 1982–1986 Assembly abolished Civic offices Preceded byG. A. McIlraith Mayor of Coleraine 1983–1984 Succeeded byWilliam King Preceded byPauline Armitage Mayor of Coleraine 1997–1999 Succeeded byNorman Hillis Party political offices Preceded byWilliam Beattie Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party 1981?–2000? Succeeded byMaurice Morrow
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