Catherine Nelson

Catherine Nelson (born Catherine Seeley; 26 November 1987)^[1] is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and schoolteacher, serving as an Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon councillor for the Craigavon DEA since 2019.

Catherine Nelson
Nelson in 2015
Member of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 May 2019
Preceded by	Fergal Lennon
Constituency	Craigavon
In office 19 June 2018 – 2 May 2019
Preceded by	Máire Cairns
Succeeded by	Sorchá McGeown
Constituency	Lurgan
In office 22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016
Preceded by	Council established
Succeeded by	Liam Mackle
Constituency	Lurgan
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann
In office 5 May 2016 – January 2017
Preceded by	Dolores Kelly
Succeeded by	Dolores Kelly
Member of Craigavon Borough Council
In office 25 January 2014 – 22 May 2014
Preceded by	Johnny McGibbon
Succeeded by	Council abolished
Constituency	Loughside
Personal details
Born	(1987-11-26) 26 November 1987 (age 37) Lurgan, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin
Alma mater	Queen's University Belfast
Profession	Teacher

Nelson was previously a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann from the 2016 to 2017.

Background

Previously a schoolteacher at the non-denominational Belfast Boys' Model School, she resigned after allegedly enduring a campaign of harassment, which began after she was co-opted as a Sinn Féin councillor on Craigavon Borough Council in 2014. The Protestant Coalition opposed her employment at the school over her affiliation with Sinn Féin.^[2]

At the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, she was elected as one of two Sinn Fein representatives for the Upper Bann constituency.

On 16 January 2017, it was announced she would not seeking re-election at the 2017 assembly election and would return to work as a schoolteacher.^[3]

In 2018, she was co-opted as a councillor onto Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.^[1]

On 25 May 2024, Nelson was announced as the Sinn Fein candidate for Upper Bann in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.^[4]