A veteran and leader of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement Ivan Cooper has died.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said:
‘Mr Cooper embodied the “contrasting traditions of this island but that his driving ambition was to deliver civil rights, equality and fairness for people regardless of their background”.
He said: “Ivan Cooper was born to break the mould. A working class Protestant man who saw a common injustice and inequality that had taken root in Protestant and Catholic communities, he dedicated his life to fighting it.
“As an early leader in the Civil Rights Movement, few have contributed as much to peace and equality on this island than Ivan.
“Organising marches in Derry for the right to a home, the right to a job and the right to a vote, Ivan often put himself in the path of danger to secure justice for people in every community.
“And on many occasions that meant that he suffered vilification and violence for his convictions. It never stopped him. “
Full report here in the Belfast Telegraph:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/…/ivan-cooper-civil-righ…
Image: Ivan Cooper (first right) with other SDLP MPs visiting internees 1971
Bernard Moffatt
Assistant General Secretary
Celtic League
