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11 Dec 2025
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11 Dec 2025
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Civil rights veteran Eamon Melaugh
Derry City and Strabane District Council has paid tribute to the prominent civil rights campaigner Eamon Melaugh, age 92, who died this week.
Melaugh, a widely respected figure credited with founding key activist groups such as the Derry Housing Action Committee (DHAC) and the Derry Unemployment Action Committee (DUAC), was remembered by councillors across party lines for his lifelong dedication to social change and justice.
At December’s Business and Culture Committee meeting, People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin said Mr Melaugh was among a generation who were “central to the civil rights movement” in Derry.
Councillor Harkin added: “He was an organiser of the October 5th, 1968 March.
“I think that Eamon was one of those people who just said no and that we needed to organise; we needed to change. He was a campaigner all his life, and a very important person in the civil rights movement.”
SDLP councillor Rory Farrell, who chaired the Committee meeting, said Mr Melaugh was “very well respected across the city” and asked that council send a letter of condolence to his family.
“He was heavily involved in the civil right campaign, he was one of the main organisers, he was a stalwart,” Councillor Farrell added. “He will be missed by a lot of people across this city and district.”
Sinn Féin councillor Aisling Hutton concluded: ”On behalf of our team I send Solidarity to Eamon’s family and friends.”
“He lived a great life but I’m sure they will miss him dearly, as will other members of our community that relied on him for advice and guidance.
“Eamon helped found DHAC and the DUAC, which campaigned throughout the years for a lot of people within our community.
“He was a man of great knowledge, he was a man of sound advice. He will be missed dearly.”
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