WITHOUT people like Austin Currie, the north would be a very different place today. When Austin was growing up, he enjoyed few of the freedoms and privileges that our community now take for granted.
Prior to the civil rights movement everything was a struggle for the nationalist community. Living in massively overcrowded housing was the norm, it was an uphill struggle to secure a decent education, the best jobs were off-limits and poverty was rife.
Things changed when a generation of nationalists were able to access university education, their best weapon against tyranny was their minds. These young people were all too aware of the rife injustice their community were being subjected to and it soon became clear they would have to do something about it.
For Austin Currie that moment came at Caledon in June 1968. He had become the Nationalist Party MP for East Tyrone at the old Stormont Parliament and learned first hand how difficult it was to change things within that sectarian system.
When a Catholic family was evicted from their home in favour of a single Protestant woman, something within him said ‘no more’. He occupied the house and lit the spark that started the civil rights movement and changed this place forever.
When it became clear that a new political party was necessary to deliver civil rights for nationalists Austin joined with John Hume and others to form our party on the principles of a shared society and giving everyone a fair chance in life.
It’s often overlooked how much Austin and his fellow civil rights campaigners achieved through democratic and peaceful means before the outbreak of violence engulfed the north. They are a shining example of what a group of determined people can do with little resources and it’s a pity others took so long to follow their lead.
In a short period of time the old rotten Stormont institutions fell and we had genuine power-sharing with Austin continuing his long-held passion to improve housing conditions by taking over that ministry.
He is the only person to serve in government in both the north and south of our island, a unique distinction, and no matter what party he represented he always remained an important part of the SDLP family and was a regular attendee at party conferences and functions.
Like many of our civil rights leaders Austin and his family paid a heavy cost for his bravery. His house was regularly attacked by so-called loyalists and republicans and in one incident his wife Annita was subjected to a horrific assault. Despite this ordeal, his commitment to peace and standing up for what’s right never wavered, he was not deterred.
Austin’s contribution to politics right across our island will never be forgotten. When things got difficult he stuck it out, stayed the course and changed people’s lives for the better on both sides of the border.
He was a leader at a time when leaders were required and he showed how one small act of defiance from a man or woman with a voice and righteous indignation could transform the lives of an entire community.
