Bernadette Devlin

Bernadette Devlin is best known for being the youngest woman elected to the British Parliament at the age of 21.

Political Figure

April 23, 1947

Taurus

78

County Tyrone, Northern Ireland

Bernadette Devlin, a Northern Irish civil rights activist, feminist, and former politician, played a significant role in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s. She is well-known for her vocal opposition to the British presence in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Among her notable accomplishments are founding the People’s Democracy political party, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the British Parliament at 21, serving time in prison for her political activities, and receiving various awards for her civil rights activism.

Devlin also embarked on a tour of the United States in August 1969, where she met with Black Panther Party members and offered her support. She survived an assassination attempt and was a key figure in the events of Bloody Sunday, witnessing the conflict between Irish nationalists and British paratroopers. The documentary “Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey” chronicled her political career and won the Best Feature Documentary prize at the Galway Film Fleadh. Devlin remains an influential and memorable figure in British and Irish politics.