Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey is a Northern Irish civil rights leader, activist and former politician who rose to prominence during the Northern Ireland civil rights movement of the late 1960s. At age 21, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the British Parliament, serving as an MP from 1969 to 1974. A key figure in the Battle of the Bogside in 1969, McAliskey helped defend the Catholic community against attacks and later wrote "The Price of My Soul," detailing her experiences during the early years of The Troubles. She survived an assassination attempt by Ulster loyalist paramilitaries in 1981 and has remained active in socialist republican politics and community activism. Her political career was marked by direct action and confrontation, including famously slapping Conservative Home Secretary Reginald Maudling in Parliament after Bloody Sunday. McAliskey continues to work as a community activist and campaigner for civil rights, focusing on issues like housing, poverty, and migrants' rights through the South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP), which she founded. Throughout her career, McAliskey has maintained a strong critique of both British government policy in Northern Ireland and what she sees as the compromises made in the peace process. She remains an influential voice in Irish politics and civil rights activism, though she now operates primarily at a grassroots level rather than through electoral politics.

Readers praise McAliskey's 1969 autobiography "The Price of My Soul" for its raw honesty and first-hand perspective on Northern Ireland's civil rights movement. Multiple reviewers note her unflinching portrayal of poverty and discrimination in Tyrone. Critics point to her partisan perspective and say the book reflects her youth (she wrote it at age 22). Some readers find the political details overwhelming and the writing style unpolished. Reviews highlight her courage in documenting police brutality and housing inequalities. Readers appreciate her detailed accounts of student protests and the Battle of the Bogside. Goodreads rating: 4.0/5 (112 ratings) Amazon UK rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews) Amazon US rating: 4.2/5 (15 reviews) Common review comment: "Provides vital context for understanding The Troubles from a participant's view" Note: Limited review data exists as the book is out of print and McAliskey has not published other major works.

The Price of my Soul(1969) A political memoir written when McAliskey was 23, covering her early life in Northern Ireland, her involvement in the civil rights movement, and her election as the youngest woman ever to enter British Parliament.

Daughter of the Revolution@ (1971) A collection of speeches and writings documenting McAliskey's perspective on the escalating conflict in Northern Ireland and her role in the republican movement during the early years of The Troubles.