He studied medicine at QUB and then Philosophy, Politics & Economics at Oxford.
He was Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1998/9 welcoming many Presidents and Heads of State to the City after the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
He was a Councillor in Belfast and North Down from 1997-2010.
He has been a Consultant Dermatologist for over 20 years and in addition to being the Clinical Director for Cancer Services at the South Eastern Trust, he runs the Regional Psychodermatology service for Northern Ireland. He is the current President of the Irish Association of Dermatologists. He is Chair of the Church Committee of First Church Belfast which is the city’s oldest surviving place of worship.
