RITA Higgins, a lifelong activist for workers' rights, women’s rights, prisoners' rights and the rights of undocumented immigrants and refugees, has passed away, aged 70.
As well as her activism, Rita was also widely known for her advice column ‘Dear Bridget’ in the Irish-American newspaper, ‘The Irish Voice’. Her columns were widely read, and her advice which was often laced with Belfast humour, would also be thoughtful and heart warming.
Rita is survived by her husband, acclaimed director Terry George, who directed Hotel Rwanda, Some Mother’s Son and wrote the screenplays for In The Name of the Father and The Boxer. Rita is also survived by her daughter Oorlagh, who produced the Academy Award winning short film ‘The Shore’ with her father, and her son Seamus who also works in the creative business.
Rita Higgins was born into a large family in Belfast’s Short Strand, and during the 1970s moved to Luton with her family. Michael George, Rita’s brother-in-law, said it was during her time working in a manufacturing firm that she first showed her drive for activism.
“Rita’s father worker there also as a manager and her first bout of activism was actually taking on her father on behalf of the workers, as she was always very involved in working-class politics. But it just so happened that the first person she took on was her dad.”
Rita and her family subsequently returned to Belfast where she became involved in the campaign for prisoners' rights and was involved in many of the prisoners' support organisations.
Rita Higgins, bottom left, with fellow women's rights activists in Bainbridge, The Bronx, New York City
Michael George said: “It was around then Rita met my brother Terry and they got married and soon after the birth of their daughter Oorlagh they immigrated to New York and lived in The Bronx.
"Within a few months of arriving Rita had already set up a women’s rights group and began writing her advice columns in The Irish Voice.”
In recent years, Rita lived in California, before returning to Ireland with her daughter. Upon winning the Oscar for The Shore in 2012, both Terry and Oorlagh George dedicated the award to Rita saying she was "a truly awesome woman".
Michael George added: “Rita will be deeply missed by all who knew her, especially within the Higgins and George family. We all deeply miss her, but her spirit will stay with us.”
