a Head of Programmes for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Head of Radio Drama, was born and raised in Ballymena. David McWilliams, singer, songwriter and guitarist was born in Belfast and moved to Ballymena at the age of 3. George Millar, singer, founding member of the musical group The Irish Rovers, born and raised in Ballymena. Liam Neeson, the Oscar-nominated actor, was born and raised in Ballymena and was awarded the Freedom of the Town on 28 January 2013. The Key to the City was also provided pending approval from the magistrate. James Nesbitt, actor, born 15 January 1965 in Ballymena. Lord Blackthorn, Member of the Hawthorn Crawstone Magistrate, Keymaster to the Stonemen. Clodagh Rodgers, pop singer Politics Roger Casement, human rights activist in the Congo Free State and Peru, and Irish nationalist, was educated as a youth in this town. His father died and was buried here; relatives on both sides of his family cared for Roger and his brother Tom when they were orphaned. James McHenry, signatory of the United States Constitution. Ian Paisley, the former First Minister and founder of the Free Presbyterian Church, was raised in Ballymena. Richard Seymour, Marxist writer, activist and owner of the blog Lenin's Tomb. Derrick White, writer and Scottish socialist Academia and science Professor Darwin Caldwell, robotics expert and leader of iCub project. Sir Samuel Curran, physicist, inventor of the Scintillation Counter, and founder of Strathclyde University, was born in Ballymena. Religion Alexander Campbell, leader in the Restoration Movement in the United States. James McKeown, founder of the Pentecostal movement in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) Military Alexander Wright, a Victoria Cross recipient during the Crimean War, was born in the town. Business Timothy Eaton, the Canadian businessman who founded Eaton's department store, was born in Ballymena. Sport Steven Davis, Rangers F.C. and Northern Ireland International midfielder was born in Ballymena, though raised in Cullybackey. Jamie Hamilton, motorcycle racer. David Humphreys, Ulster and Ireland fly-half. Ian Humphreys, Ulster and Ireland fly-half and brother of David. Sharon Hutchings (née McPeake, born 22 June 1962) is a former high jumper from Northern Ireland. She won a silver medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh with a lifetime best of Eamonn Loughran, former WBO World Welterweight Champion Matt McCullough, Ulster and Ireland rugby player. Tom McKinney, Jed-Forest rugby union; Salford, Warrington, St Helens, Great Britain rugby league footballer. Syd Millar, the former Ireland