Goretti Horgan
Encyclopedia
Goretti Horgan is an Irish
socialist activist and a lecturer in social policy at the University of Ulster
in Northern Ireland
.
Born in Ireland, Horgan was named for Maria Goretti
. She attended university before moving to England
. She later returned to Dublin, where she became involved in pro-choice campaigning.
Before becoming a lecturer, she worked as a Research Fellow at the University and as a researcher for Save the Children and the National Children’s Bureau. Before training as a researcher, she worked as a community worker in Derry city and County Londonderry
. Before moving to Northern Ireland in 1986, she worked in television production in RTE in Dublin. She was Chair of the Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network (NIAPN) from 2005-2008 and remains a member of the Board of Directors of NIAPN.
Horgan is also a socialist and women’s rights activists, particularly known for her pro-choice campaigning. She was a member of the first Women’s Right to Choose Group in Ireland in the early 1980s and a founder of the Anti Amendment Campaign – the campaign to oppose the Eighth (anti-abortion) amendment to the Irish Constitution. She was later National Organiser of the Anti Amendment Campaign. In Northern Ireland, she was a founder member of the Derry Women’s Right to Choose Group and of Alliance for Choice. She is also a campaigner for children’s rights and for the rights of disabled people.
A member of the Socialist Workers Party
since the early 1980s, her partner is Eamonn McCann
the writer, journalist and fellow socialist. They live in the Bogside in Derry with their daughter, Matty, who is in her 20s. She was the official leader of the Socialist Environmental Alliance
until its dissolution in 2008.
Like her partner, she has been on trial, and acquitted of all charges, for anti-war activity. She was one of nine women who occupied the Raytheon facility in Derry in Jan 2009, during the Israeli assault on Gaza. All were charged with burglary and criminal damage but argued in court that they were trying to stop Raytheon’s collusion in Israeli war crimes. The jury unanimously found them not guilty.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
socialist activist and a lecturer in social policy at the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Born in Ireland, Horgan was named for Maria Goretti
Maria Goretti
Maria Goretti is an Italian virgin-martyr of the Roman Catholic Church, and is one of its youngest canonized saints. She died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by her attempted rapist after she refused him...
. She attended university before moving to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She later returned to Dublin, where she became involved in pro-choice campaigning.
Before becoming a lecturer, she worked as a Research Fellow at the University and as a researcher for Save the Children and the National Children’s Bureau. Before training as a researcher, she worked as a community worker in Derry city and County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
. Before moving to Northern Ireland in 1986, she worked in television production in RTE in Dublin. She was Chair of the Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network (NIAPN) from 2005-2008 and remains a member of the Board of Directors of NIAPN.
Horgan is also a socialist and women’s rights activists, particularly known for her pro-choice campaigning. She was a member of the first Women’s Right to Choose Group in Ireland in the early 1980s and a founder of the Anti Amendment Campaign – the campaign to oppose the Eighth (anti-abortion) amendment to the Irish Constitution. She was later National Organiser of the Anti Amendment Campaign. In Northern Ireland, she was a founder member of the Derry Women’s Right to Choose Group and of Alliance for Choice. She is also a campaigner for children’s rights and for the rights of disabled people.
A member of the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Workers Party is an Irish Trotskyist political party.-Foundation and growth:The SWP was originally founded in 1971 as the Socialist Workers Movement by supporters of the International Socialists of Britain living in Northern Ireland, who had previously been members of People's...
since the early 1980s, her partner is Eamonn McCann
Eamonn McCann
Eamonn McCann is an Irish journalist, author and political activist.-Life:McCann was born and has lived most of his life in Derry. He was educated at St. Columb's College in the city. He is prominently featured in the documentary film The Boys of St...
the writer, journalist and fellow socialist. They live in the Bogside in Derry with their daughter, Matty, who is in her 20s. She was the official leader of the Socialist Environmental Alliance
Socialist Environmental Alliance
The Socialist Environmental Alliance is a minor political party operating in Northern Ireland. Based largely in the city of Derry, they are a leftist organisation with Trotskyist leanings...
until its dissolution in 2008.
Like her partner, she has been on trial, and acquitted of all charges, for anti-war activity. She was one of nine women who occupied the Raytheon facility in Derry in Jan 2009, during the Israeli assault on Gaza. All were charged with burglary and criminal damage but argued in court that they were trying to stop Raytheon’s collusion in Israeli war crimes. The jury unanimously found them not guilty.