Willie Clarke (politician)

Willie Clarke (born 13 October 1966) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, serving as a Newry, Mourne and Down Councillor for The Mournes DEA since 2014. He was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Down from 2003 to 2012.

Willie Clarke
Member of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2014
Constituency	The Mournes
Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Down
In office 26 November 2003 – 13 April 2012
Preceded by	Eamon O'Neill
Succeeded by	Chris Hazzard
Personal details
Born	(1966-10-13) 13 October 1966 (age 58) Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin
Website	Willie Clarke MLA

Career

Clarke was first elected to Down District Council at the 2001 election, representing the Newcastle District.^[1]

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 2003 election for South Down.

Clarke retained his Council seat at the 2005 and 2011 local elections. He was also re-elected to the Assembly at the 2011 election.

On 21 February 2012, he announced he would resign as an MLA to concentrate on his work as a Down District councillor. In April 2012, party colleague Chris Hazzard succeeded him as MLA.

Clarke was later elected onto the successor Newry, Mourne and Down District Council at the 2014 local elections, as a representative for The Mournes District, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.