Campaigner Jack Kennedy is honoured with people's plaque

Jack Kennedy - a dedicated campaigner for justice, equality, and workers' rights - has been honoured with an Islington People's Plaque.

Born in Tipperary in 1935, Jack moved to Drayton Park in Highbury during the 1950s, and was a passionate believer in social justice.

He was a key figure in the successful campaigns to free the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four, wrongly convicted of pub bombings in the 1970s, and in other struggles against miscarriages of justice.

In the 1980s he was a founding member of the Construction Safety Campaign, which exposed deaths on British building sites. The campaign led to new, improved site safety laws to protect workers.

Jack, who worked as a bricklayer for Islington Council and was a member of the Union of Construction and Allied Trades & Technicians (UCATT), died in 2003.

Jack's plaque was unveiled on Saturday, March 16 at 166 Drayton Park, N5 1LX.  Guest of honour was Billy Power, a member of the Birmingham Six.

In his speech at the unveiling, Fintan Tynan, Jack's nephew, said: "People who devote their lives, time and energy trying to make things better for other people         - no matter how big or small - these people are all heroes and deserve to be recognised, and Jack was just one of them."

He added: "As time passes I'm sure his (Jack's) achievements, success and stories are still thought about and talked,  but probably just a bit less each year.

"This plaque brings those achievement and stories back to life, and brings our memories of Jack back to life."

Rosemary Doyle, Islington Council's head of library and heritage services, said: "Jack made a huge difference in many ways, from winning new protection for workers, to helping innocent men win their freedom."

Islington's popular People's Plaques scheme was launched to recognise the people, events and places that have shaped the borough. More than 3,400 people voted in last year's poll.

To vote in the 2013 poll, go to www.islington.gov.uk/plaques or fill in a form at your local library or Islington Local History Centre in Finsbury Library.  The deadline for votes is Monday 8 April.