Michael Ferguson

Michael Ferguson (c. 1953 – 24 September 2006) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician who was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for West Belfast from 2003 until 2006. Ferguson also served as a Lisburn City Councillor for Dunmurry Cross from 1989 to 2006.

Ferguson was convicted in 1975 of firearms offences, kidnapping and bank robbery. He held a bank manager and his family hostage aimed at raising funds for the INLA. Ferguson graduated from Queen's University Belfast in 1989 and became involved in politics. In 1989, Ferguson was elected as a Sinn Féin representative on Lisburn City Council. In 1996 he was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in Lagan Valley. In 2003, he was also elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly, to represent Belfast West.^{[citation needed]}

Ferguson died on 24 September 2006 from testicular cancer. He had spoken about the illness to the Belfast-based Irish News, saying "Men are neglectful of their own health and do not visit their doctors."

Local supporters and community workers renamed the Poleglass Roundabout on Belfast’s Stewartstown Road in honour of Sinn Féin activist and MLA Michael Ferguson. The renaming ceremony took place in the presence of the Ferguson family on the Thursday, 25 September, the second anniversary of the Sinn Féin Assembly member’s death.