Education
Born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, Duffy studied at Street Patrick"s Academy in Dungannon and then Queen"s University Belfast before becoming a solicitor.
Born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, Duffy studied at Street Patrick"s Academy in Dungannon and then Queen"s University Belfast before becoming a solicitor.
He became politically active in the Nationalist Party, then in the Unity movement, acting as agent for Frank McManus, the successful candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone at the 1970 United Kingdom general election. He also retained his council seat in 1977 and 1981. However, he proved less successful on the national stage, taking second place in Mid Ulster at the 1979 United Kingdom general election.
In the late 1970s, Duffy became known for his outspoken support of Northern Irish independence, although he did concede that there would need to be some form of federal structure covering the entire island.
He objected to the arrangements for the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982, refused to stand, and unsuccessfully attempted to persuade the Social Democratic and Labour Party to boycott the election, and called for its assembly members to withdraw after Seamus Mallon was disqualified. Following this, he withdrew from involvement in the Social Democratic and Labour Party, although he was re-elected as a nominal party member to Cookstown District Council in 1985 and 1989.
Outside politics, Duffy built up a large legal practice, with offices in small towns across Northern Ireland. He was also active in the cr union and co-operative movements.
After the election, Duffy was a key founder member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (Social Democratic and Labour Party), and served as its first treasurer. He was elected to Cookstown District Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1973, and then at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973 he won a seat in Mid Ulster, which he successfully defended on the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975.
1st Northern Ireland Assembly (1973–1974)]
At the time of his death in 1996, he was a member of the board of the International Fund for Ireland.
