), ▁but ▁res igned ▁a ▁year ▁later . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁she ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁Rel atives ▁Action ▁Committee : ▁an ▁organisation ▁campaign ing ▁for ▁prisoners ' ▁rights . ▁Two ▁of ▁her ▁sons ▁were ▁imprison ed ▁in ▁the ▁H ▁Block s ▁in ▁H MP ▁Maz e . ▁Her ▁work ▁with ▁young ▁people ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁setting ▁up ▁of ▁D ove ▁House , ▁a ▁resource ▁centre ▁in ▁the ▁Bog side . ▁She ▁later ▁established ▁the ▁Temple mor ▁Co - op , ▁a ▁craft ▁co - oper ative ▁for ▁women ▁with ▁exception al ▁se wing ▁skills . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Nel is ▁joined ▁S inn ▁F é in . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁Der ry ▁City ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁served ▁two ▁terms . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁she ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Forum ▁election ▁in ▁Fo yle . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁four teen ▁women ▁of ▁ 1 0 8 ▁members . ▁She ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁but ▁res igned ▁a ▁year ▁later ▁to ▁care ▁for ▁her ▁husband , ▁who ▁sust ained ▁inj uries ▁in ▁a ▁road ▁traffic ▁accident ; ▁and ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Raymond ▁McC art ney . ▁Nel is ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁Hon . ▁President ▁of ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁in ▁Der ry , ▁the ▁second ▁person