Drew Nelson

Drew Nelson (3 August 1956 – 10 October 2016) was a Northern Irish solicitor and politician. He was the Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland from 2005 to 2016.

Biography Nelson grew up on a family farm in the town land of Listullycurran, Dromore, County Down. He went on to study at Wallace High School and then to Queen's University Belfast and attained his Bachelor of Laws in 1981. He set up his own law practice two years after graduation. In 1989, he topped the poll in Dromore DEA and was elected to Banbridge District Council. He retained his seat in 1993 and went on to become Chairman of the Council before standing down in 1997. In 1996, he was fourth on the UUP list for election to the Northern Ireland Forum in South Belfast He supported John Taylor (now Lord Kilclooney) in his bid to replace James Molyneaux as Leader in 1995. In 2004, he left the UUP. The following year, he became Grand Secretary of the Orange Institution.

Political stances In 1996, Nelson expressed support for the UUP ending or reforming its link with the Orange Order in an attempt to broaden its appeal, for which he was heckled.

He supported power sharing with the SDLP in a devolved unitary legislature, but opposed the 1998 Belfast Agreement.