Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gerry MacLochlainn


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   keep.  MBisanz  talk 00:09, 28 March 2009 (UTC)

Gerry MacLochlainn

 * ( [ delete] ) – (View AfD) (View log)

Non-notable local councillor Kernel Saunters (talk) 14:12, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Gerry MacLochlainn is a leading Sinn Fein Councillor in Derry and is a leading fuigure in Northern Ireland local governmnet. Prior to returning to Ireland he was the party's principle representative in England and was involved in the developing peace processm and jointly announced the Sinn Fein response to the IRA cease fire in 1994 alongside Mitchel McLaughlin.

He is a senior spokesperson on environmental matters and represents Derry City Council on the North West Region Cross Border Waste Management Group, a leading member of the major Cross Border Information Technology Committee called ERNACT. He is a leadin g member of the Derry Airport Management board of the regional Airport Advisory Boards with senior buinsess leaders from the region.

He has been chair person of most major committees of Derry City Council and represents the council on many occasions.

This and his general poilitical work where he has been referemced in a number of  political theses dealing with the Irish situation suggests that he is relevant to a political database. He has a considerable google presence and seems to be searched for on regular occasions.

I think he does meet the criteria for inclusion in a comprehensive database. —Preceding unsigned comment added by PONeil (talk • contribs) 14:29, 18 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Large numbers of previous AFDs mean that local councillors are not notable. Why is this person any different? Kernel Saunters (talk) 14:52, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

His council work is only one aspect of his work and there is provsion for prominent councillors if there are other matters of note. His work in London was very significant over many years - He was the major face of Sinn Fein in London for the final years of the conflict. He has been referenced in several theses dealing with peace processes and is referenced in among sources the autobiography of Tony Benn. He also worked as personal assistant to Mitchel Mclaughlin and accompanied Gerry Adams on all his major visits to England during the peace process period before MacLochlainn's return to Ireland.
 * Delete non notable RP459 (talk) 14:54, 18 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Weak Keep'  If Derry is a large enough city and the council important enough, city councilors might be notable. If so there will be sources. Add them.   DGG (talk) 04:43, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

It is the second city in the north of Ireland - the fourth largest in Ireland but it is of significance because of its historical relevance in the in the history of the conflict and the peace process. MacLochlainn as one of the leading political firgures here is involved in much of the regional political activity in the North. Most recently he was involevd in the campaign to bring the transatlantic cable (Hibernia North) to Derry. Project Kelvin it is called and was almost aken from Derry until MacLochlainn and others became involved in a battle to force a rethink by Government (added by PONeil)


 * I'm sure DGG meant for this information to be added to the article, not to this discussion. Drmies (talk) 02:56, 23 March 2009 (UTC)--
 * I think it was added by PONeil in response to my comment, with the intention of showing Derry as large enough that its mayor was a significant government official. DGG (talk) 22:49, 24 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Comment -- Being a member of the Sinn Fein leadership may be more significant than being a city councilor. I am going to return back and see if the sources have been regularized, and express a keep.  Cheers!  User:Geo Swan 23:02, 2009 March 18


 * Delete unless independent sources can be produced that substantiate notability.Broadweighbabe (talk) 03:16, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so consensus may be reached. Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks,  MBisanz  talk 00:04, 23 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Keep - searching ProQuest turned up 63 news articles. He seems to be a notable politician in northern Ireland. twirligig T tothe C 02:16, 23 March 2009 (UTC)


 * KEEP This person's work in Britain was most prominent before much material was stored on the Internet but he was well reported as being the Sinn Fein representative to Britain and was subject to much television, radio and the press including major coverage of visits made by him to meet politicians in Westminster.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hill32 (talk • contribs) 15:38, 23 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Keep and clean up - He seems to be a nationally notable politician. However, the current article is a wall of text that I'm having difficulty reading. A collaborative effort to improve the article could be valuable. If sufficient sources fail to turn up after all, so be it, but at present it looks like a keeper. AlexTiefling (talk) 17:08, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

* Weak keep - I've done a bit of tidying, but it still needs a great deal of work. However I believe he is probably notable, more for his role within Sinn Fein than being a City Counciller in Derry. The sources provided in the article aren't yet sufficent to justify notability, more evidence needs to be provided that he is a leading member of Sinn Fein rather than just a counciller. Lord Cornwallis (talk) 01:23, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Switched to a delete unless as, Broadweighbabe says, independent sources can be produced that substantiate notability. Closer examination of the sources currently provided suggest to me they do not meet WP:RELIABLE SOURCES and the article has a self-promotional flavor, it uses the word "leading" too much.Lord Cornwallis (talk) 01:49, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Delete A local politician in Northern Ireland, the SF politics stuff is a red herring as he seems to have been at most an assistant to a notable politician. The sources provided as suggested above are not reliable or in some cases neutral. I have concerns here that this AFD is opening up the floodgates to establishing that local councillors are notable. I see NO evidence from neutral sources he is a nationally notable politician Kernel Saunters (talk) 10:06, 24 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Living people-related deletion discussions. --Erwin85Bot (talk) 00:02, 25 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Keep* I think people are not fully aware of the role played by this person in England in the run up to the cease-fire. He was not an assistant to antone but the party's representative to Britian and was involved in much of the early talks with British political leaders. He accompanied the top leadership on all visits to Britain for many years.

Much of the public record about McLaughlin dates back to a time when little was on the internet but there are many reports in newspapers about McLaughlin uncluding an article in the Sun newspaper that was challenged in the Press Council after it described McLaughlin as one of the most senior IRA members arrested in Britain.

He is also referenced in Tony Benn's autobiography. I understand that a council role is insufficient but this person has a very long political record and even on council he is considered a 'heavy hitter'. I think his role may well be more evident in the future as the record is filled out with any truth process that might be initiated. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.165.63.255 (talk) 18:22, 25 March 2009 (UTC)


 * But the onus is on those who support the articles existence to provide evidence that this is the case. WP:Verification and WP:RS set out what is required. If he is mentioned by Benn, or in fact in any of the dozens of books that have been written about the peace process, then these need to be added to the article - otherwise it should be deleted for failing WP:N.


 * If as you suggest his role will become clearer in the future then we should wait until it does and then create the article. Lord Cornwallis (talk) 00:54, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

I am collecting some of this information now but here is an example of his work in the Asian community in Britain where he was often welcomed alongside Diplomatic delegates from Asian Comunit Countries.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.161.93.39 (talk) 16:57, 26 March 2009 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.