Background
John Mark Durkan was born in Derry. His father, Brendan, was a Royal Ulster Constabulary District Inspector in Armagh. He was raised by his mother, Isobel, after his father was killed in a road accident in 1961.
John Mark Durkan was born in Derry. His father, Brendan, was a Royal Ulster Constabulary District Inspector in Armagh. He was raised by his mother, Isobel, after his father was killed in a road accident in 1961.
He was educated at Saint Patrick"s Primary School and at Saint Columb"s College, where he was Head Boy. He studied politics at the Queen"s University of Belfast (QUB), and later did a part-time postgraduate course in Public Policy Management with the University of Ulster at Magee.
Durkan was the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2001 to 2002, and the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010. While at QUB Durkan served as Deputy President of Queen"s Students" Union from 1982 to 1983. He was also elected Deputy President of the Union of Students in Ireland from 1982 to 1984.
In 1984 he went to work for John Hume as his Westminster Assistant.
He became a key figure in organising by-election campaigns for Seamus Mallon and Eddie McGrady in the 1980s. In 1990 Durkan became chairperson of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, a position he served in until 1995.
He served in that position until 2001 when he replaced Seamus Mallon as Deputy First Minister. He was also elected Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party the same year.
Durkan was reelected to the Assembly in the election of November 2003.
However, the Assembly and the Executive remained suspended. In the 2005 general election he retained the Foyle seat at Westminster for the Social Democratic and Labour Party. Durkan announced his intention to stand down as leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in September 2009 so he could concentrate on his parliamentary career. He was replaced as leader by Margaret Ritchie in February 2010.
He is a Fellow of the British-American Project.
Durkan has publicly supported gay rights by supporting the Gay Pride parade in solidarity with those who suffer homophobic prejudice and in some cases violent hate attacks. He said: “First and foremost, I want to show my solidarity with the founders, volunteers and supporters of the Foyle Pride Festival.
Through their courage, inspiration and tireless work in tackling all forms of homophobia, they are helping so many people in Derry and throughout the North West to enjoy equality in their lives."
He attends mass regularly each week in Street Eugene"s Cathedral in Derry with his family.
He became involved in politics in 1981 when he became a member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party. He was a key member of the party"s negotiating team in the run up to the Good Friday Agreement.
54th United Kingdom Parliament. 55th United Kingdom Parliament. 56th United Kingdom Parliament.
1st Northern Ireland Assembly.
2nd Northern Ireland Assembly. 3rd Northern Ireland Assembly]
Following the Agreement he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, and became a member of the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister for Finance and Personnel.