Jim McAllister

James McAllister (18 September 1943 – 9 April 2013), known as Jim McAllister, was an Irish republican activist and former politician from Ireland.

Born in Crossmaglen, County Armagh, McAllister first became involved in the republican movement in the 1950s, at the end of the Border Campaign. He joined Sinn Féin in 1962, but moved to England later in the decade. He returned to South Armagh in 1974, and rejoined Sinn Féin. During the 1981 Irish hunger strike, he became a full-time activist.[1]

At the 1982 Northern Ireland Assembly election, McAllister was elected in Armagh.[2] He stood for the Westminster seat of Newry and Armagh at the 1983 general election, taking 20% of the votes cast, but his vote share fell to 13.2% at the 1986 Newry and Armagh by-election, and to 11.8% at the 1987 general election.[3]

McAllister was also elected to Newry and Mourne District Council, representing Slieve Gullion, at the 1985 Northern Ireland local elections, a seat he held in 1989 and 1993.[4] He left Sinn Féin in the 1990s, in protest at their advocacy of a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) ceasefire and their participation in the Northern Ireland Assembly.[5]

In the 2000s, McAllister campaigned against IRA intimidation in south Armagh.[6] In 2008, his son, Turloch McAllister, was charged with possessing explosives and alleged involvement in a dissident republican group.[5]

He died on 9 April 2013 of cancer at his home at 4 o'clock in the morning.[7] His son Turloch was eventually allowed compassionate leave for the funeral at Cullyhanna, South Armagh.