Michael Ferguson (Irish politician)


Michael Ferguson was an Irish Republican politician from Northern Ireland. He served as a councillor on Lisburn City Council and as an MLA for Belfast West.

Politics

Ferguson was convicted in 1975 of firearms offences, kidnapping and bank robbery. He held a bank manager and his family hostage aimed at raising funds for the INLA.
Ferguson graduated from Queen's University Belfast in 1989 and became involved in politics. In 1989, Ferguson was elected as a Sinn Féin representative on Lisburn City Council. In 1996 he was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in Lagan Valley. In 2003, he was also elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly, to represent Belfast West.

Illness and death

Ferguson died on 24 September 2006 from testicular cancer. He had spoken about the illness to the Belfast-based Irish News, saying "Men are neglectful of their own health and do not visit their doctors."