Eamonn O'Kane

Eamonn Rory O'Kane (21 August 1945 – 22 May 2004) was a Northern Irish trade unionist.

Born in Belfast to a Catholic family, O'Kane studied at St Malachy's College and Queen's University, Belfast. He spent a short time at Cardiff University, where he got to know Neil Kinnock, before returning to Belfast at the start of The Troubles to become a teacher at St Patrick's College, Belfast. In 1977, he became the first president of the Campaign for Labour Representation in Northern Ireland, which advocated that the British Labour Party organise and stand candidates in Northern Ireland.

In 1990, O'Kane ran in the election to become General Secretary of the NASUWT. He was defeated by Nigel de Gruchy, but de Gruchy supported O'Kane's subsequent successful campaign to become his deputy. In 2002, he succeeded de Gruchy as General Secretary, and immediately negotiated a merger with the NUT and Association of Teachers and Lecturers. However, this merger was opposed by de Gruchy, and the union's conference voted against it.

O'Kane died of cancer in May 2004, still in post.