fee was elected to newry and mourne district council for the sdlp in 1989, and in 1998 was chosen as one of northern ireland's representatives on the european committee of the regions. he served on the rural development council for northern ireland from 1990 to 1994. fee was physically assaulted, apparently by republicans in 1994, shortly he made criticisms of the ira over a mortar attack carried out in his home village of crossmaglen.