Search
30 Sept 2025
Search
30 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Derry journalist Nell McCafferty has died
Tributes have been paid to renowned Derry journalist Nell McCafferty, who has died.
She died in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a Donegal nursing home, her family confirmed this morning.
She was among the early cohorts of Catholics admitted to Queens University in Belfast, where she studied arts and got involved in civil rights politics. She spent time teaching briefly before beginning her journalism career.
She worked for several publications including the Irish Times, the Sunday Tribune and Hot Press and was a regular panellist on radio and television programmes.
Mrs McCafferty was a prominent voice on women’s rights issues across the island of Ireland and in 1970 co-founded the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement.
In 1971, she travelled to Belfast with other members of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement in order to protest the prohibition of the importation and sale of contraceptives in the Republic of Ireland. The incident, which attracted extensive publicity, became known as the 'Contraceptive Train'.
Leading the tributes, Taoiseach Simon Harris described "fierce, fearless and fiery" campaigner who “suffered no fools”.
"If she was in the room or in the debate, you knew about it," he said.
"Her passion and wrath was not scattergun, it had a laser-like focus on calling out inequality and injustice. She suffered no fools but had a kindness and warmth for many. Her wit and Derry turn of phrase made her impossible to ignore.
"As one of the women who took the train in 1971, she set in train an unstoppable wave for equality and a changing of Ireland for the better. That change has not yet reached its conclusion but it would be nowhere if it wasn’t for warriors like Nell.
"In an Ireland trying to emerge from the shadows and find who it was, Nell McCafferty was one of the people who knew exactly who she was and wasn’t afraid to enter every battle for gay and women’s rights. We all owe her a great debt for this.
"Nell McCafferty left Ireland a much better place than she found it and she played her part with spirit and style.
"May she rest in peace."
SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood described her as “an icon”.
“Very sorry to hear about the death of Nell McCafferty. A mould breaker and establishment shaker, she spoke truth to power like only a Derry woman could,” he said.
“An icon for so many people across Ireland. Nell will be sadly missed but her activism will endure.”
Sinn Féin's Michelle O’Neill also paid tribute to Nell McCafferty.
The First Minister said: “I want to express my deep sadness at the death of former journalist, author and campaigner Nell McCafferty today.
“Nell was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. A proud feminist, and a civil rights campaigner who used her voice to promote equality and fight injustices in our society.
“She eloquently spoke up for disadvantaged women through her work with the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement, particularly highlighting the poverty and injustices women faced in the late 20th century across the island.
“Nell McCafferty was a towering figure in Irish journalism with great courage and honesty and was an important figure during the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.
“A proud daughter of Derry, Nell's wisdom, humour and humility will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her. I want to extend my deepest sympathies to her family and friends at this very difficult time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.”
The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr extended her deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the veteran journalist.
Mayor Barr joined people across the country in paying tribute to Nell’s 'unapologetic stance against oppression'.
The Mayor said: “Throughout her life Nell McCafferty stood up against injustice in every form. She was an outspoken and ardent campaigner, who was an inspiration to so many through her writing and her biting commentary.
“Nell is undoubtedly one of the most important female figures of her generation and one of the most respected and trusted journalists in the country. Never afraid to challenge the establishment she was a courageous and compassionate champion for ordinary people, who always found the human voice in a story.
“She will be much missed by her family, friends and colleagues and my thoughts and sympathies are with them today as we say goodbye to a warm, witty and fearless woman, who dedicated her life to speaking out on behalf of the suppressed and silenced.”
Sinn Féin’s Sandra Duffy has expressed sadness at the death of Nell McCafferty.
Cllr Duffy said: “I am deeply sorry to learn of the sad passing of Nell McCafferty today. Nell was a formidable Derry woman and a giant in Irish journalism, but she was also an author and a tireless campaigner for equality.
“She was fearless and used her voice to challenge injustice and to promote the rights of women across our island for decades. She was a trailblazer.
“Everyone who knew Nell will miss her courage, fun and laughter and I want to extend my deepest sympathies to her family and friends today.
“The epitome of a powerful Derry woman, the world and our city has lost some of its colour and one of its most fiery voices.”
Ireland’s Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said: “Deeply saddened to hear today about the death of the wonderful, fearless and unique feminist icon - Nell McCafferty.
“It was an honour and a privilege to have known Nell, and to have had such fun with her over the years. Deep sympathies to all her family and friends.”
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
