Catherine Nelson

{{Short description|Northern Irish politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Catherine Nelson

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Catherine Seeley 2015.jpg

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption = Nelson in 2015

| office = Member of
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council

| constituency = Craigavon

| term_start = 2 May 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Fergal Lennon

| successor =

| constituency1 = Lurgan

| term_start1 = 19 June 2018

| term_end1 = 2 May 2019

| predecessor1 = Máire Cairns

| successor1 = Sorchá McGeown

| constituency2 = Lurgan

| term_start2 = 22 May 2014

| term_end2 = 5 May 2016

| predecessor2 = Council established

| successor2 = Liam Mackle

| constituency_AM3 = Upper Bann

| assembly3 = Northern Ireland

| majority3 =

| term_start3 = 5 May 2016

| term_end3 = January 2017

| predecessor3 = Dolores Kelly

| successor3 = Dolores Kelly

| office4 = Member of
Craigavon Borough Council

| constituency4 = Loughside

| term_start4 = 25 January 2014

| term_end4 = 22 May 2014

| predecessor4 = Johnny McGibbon

| successor4 = Council abolished

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|11|26|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lurgan, Northern Ireland

| birthname =

| nationality = Irish

| party = Sinn Féin

| alma_mater = Queen's University Belfast

| profession = Teacher

}}

Catherine Nelson (born Catherine Seeley; 26 November 1987){{Cite web|last=Hughes|first=Brendan|date=2018-06-19|title=Ex-Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Nelson appointed as councillor for Lurgan|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2018/06/19/news/ex-sinn-fe-in-mla-catherine-nelson-appointed-as-councillor-for-lurgan-1359161/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=The Irish News|language=en}} is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and schoolteacher, serving as an Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon councillor for the Craigavon DEA since 2019.

Nelson was previously a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann from the 2016 to 2017.

==Background==

Previously a schoolteacher at the non-denominational Belfast Boys' Model School, she resigned after allegedly enduring a campaign of harassment, which began after she was co-opted as a Sinn Féin councillor on Craigavon Borough Council in 2014. The Protestant Coalition opposed her employment at the school over her affiliation with Sinn Féin.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26097570 "Catherine Seeley thanks Boys' Model pupils for support"], BBC News, 8 February 2016.

At the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, she was elected as one of two Sinn Fein representatives for the Upper Bann constituency.

On 16 January 2017, it was announced she would not seeking re-election at the 2017 assembly election and would return to work as a schoolteacher.[http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2017-01-16/sinn-feins-catherine-seeley-will-not-stand-in-next-assembly-election "Sinn Féin's Catherine Seeley will not stand in next Assembly election"] ITV News. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.

In 2018, she was co-opted as a councillor onto Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

On 25 May 2024, Nelson was announced as the Sinn Fein candidate for Upper Bann in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.{{cite tweet |number=1794315874184352063 |user=sinnfeinireland |title=Announcing our first Sinn Féin Westminster election candidates. In this election you can send a clear message for a better future. By voting for Sinn Féin you are endorsing strong leadership, positive change, and a commitment to work for all. On July 4th, vótáil Sinn Féin X |url=https://x.com/sinnfeinireland/status/1794315874184352063}}