Richard Ferguson

Richard (Dick) Ferguson QC, SC (22 August 1935 – 26 July 2009) was a Northern Irish barrister and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician.

Background

Born in Derrygonnelly in the west of County Fermanagh, Ferguson was the son of a sergeant in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), and he later attended Rainey Endowed School in Magherafelt in South Londonderry and Methodist College ('Methody') in Belfast. He went on to study law at Trinity College, Dublin (TCD), and The Queen's University of Belfast.

Political career

Although he rapidly established a reputation as one of the jurisdiction's ablest young advocates, in 1968, Ferguson was elected to the Parliament of Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), representing South Antrim. Before his election, he had called for local government reform including a one man, one vote system. O'Neill in his autobiography praised Ferguson as 'the most liberal supporter I had'.

Ferguson held his seat at the 1969 general election. In August, he resigned from the Orange Order, and was subsequently subject to intimidation. He stood down from Parliament in 1970 alongside O'Neill, citing ill health.

Legal career

In 1971, Ferguson joined the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland,