Mary Lou McDonald
Encyclopedia
Mary Lou McDonald is an Irish politician, the current Vice President of Sinn Féin
and a Teachta Dála
(TD) for Dublin Central
. McDonald was a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP), from 2004–2009 representing the Dublin constituency
.
, the University of Limerick
and Dublin City University
studying English Literature, European Integration Studies and Human Resource Management. Her career to date has her involved in diverse roles, including consultant for the Irish Productivity Centre, Institute of European Affairs researcher and trainer in the Partnership Unit of the Educational and Training Services Trust.
Originally a member of Fianna Fáil
, she left the party in 1998 in opposition to its economic and social policies. Her sister, Joanne, is a member of the republican group éirígí
.
polling 8.02% of first preference votes. She was an unsuccessful candidate in the Dublin Central
constituency at the 2007 general election.
She contested the Dublin Central again in the 2011 general election this time picking up 13.1% of first preference; she was successful in picking up the last seat in the constituency ahead of the Fianna Fáil candidate Mary Fitzpatrick
.
in the Republic of Ireland
when she was elected at the 2004 European Parliament election
for the Dublin constituency
, receiving over 60,000 first preference votes. She served as one of two Sinn Féin MEP
s (the other being Bairbre de Brún
representing Northern Ireland
). During her time in office she led the Sinn Féin "No" campaign against the Treaty of Lisbon
, which was rejected in Ireland 2008. McDonald sat as a member of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, and as a substitute of the Civil Liberties Committee.
For the 2009 European Parliament election
, the number of seats for Dublin in the European Parliament were reduced from four to three. McDonald was in a tight race for the last seat against Fianna Fáil's Eoin Ryan and the Socialist Party
leader Joe Higgins
. McDonald lost her seat to the Socialist Party candidate, being eliminated at the fifth count. Her first preference vote had declined to nearly 48,000.
It was announced that she would be running in Dublin Central in the 2011 General Election, and she was elected as a TD on the eighth count.
following the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis
on 22 February 2009.
In September 2003, Mary Lou McDonald attracted criticism when she spoke at a rally in Dublin to commemorate Seán Russell
, an IRA leader during World War II
.
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for Dublin Central
Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
. McDonald was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP), from 2004–2009 representing the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
.
Background
Mary Lou McDonald was educated in Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
and Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
studying English Literature, European Integration Studies and Human Resource Management. Her career to date has her involved in diverse roles, including consultant for the Irish Productivity Centre, Institute of European Affairs researcher and trainer in the Partnership Unit of the Educational and Training Services Trust.
Originally a member of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
, she left the party in 1998 in opposition to its economic and social policies. Her sister, Joanne, is a member of the republican group éirígí
Éirígí
-External links:*...
.
Dáil Éireann
McDonald first ran for office when she unsuccessfully contested the Dublin West constituency for Sinn Féin at the 2002 general electionIrish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
polling 8.02% of first preference votes. She was an unsuccessful candidate in the Dublin Central
Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
constituency at the 2007 general election.
She contested the Dublin Central again in the 2011 general election this time picking up 13.1% of first preference; she was successful in picking up the last seat in the constituency ahead of the Fianna Fáil candidate Mary Fitzpatrick
Mary Fitzpatrick
Mary Fitzpatrick is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a member of Dublin City Council, representing the Cabra-Glasnevin electoral area. She was the party spokesperson on Housing & Urban Development in 2011.-Personal:...
.
European Parliament
In 2004 McDonald became Sinn Féin's first Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
when she was elected at the 2004 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
, receiving over 60,000 first preference votes. She served as one of two Sinn Féin MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
s (the other being Bairbre de Brún
Bairbre de Brún
Bairbre de Brún is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Northern Ireland.- Political work :...
representing Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (European Parliament constituency)
Northern Ireland is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects three MEPs using the Single Transferable Vote, the only United Kingdom constituency to do so.- Members of the European Parliament :- 2009 :...
). During her time in office she led the Sinn Féin "No" campaign against the Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
, which was rejected in Ireland 2008. McDonald sat as a member of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, and as a substitute of the Civil Liberties Committee.
For the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
, the number of seats for Dublin in the European Parliament were reduced from four to three. McDonald was in a tight race for the last seat against Fianna Fáil's Eoin Ryan and the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Party is a socialist political party active in Ireland. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International .Formerly known as Militant Tendency, then Militant Labour, it adopted the name The Socialist Party in 1996. From their foundation in 1972 until the 1980s, members of...
leader Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins is an Irish Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007...
. McDonald lost her seat to the Socialist Party candidate, being eliminated at the fifth count. Her first preference vote had declined to nearly 48,000.
It was announced that she would be running in Dublin Central in the 2011 General Election, and she was elected as a TD on the eighth count.
Party activity
She is a member of the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle (party leadership), as of 2001, and is the party's Vice President, replacing Pat DohertyPat Doherty
Patrick "Pat" Doherty is an Irish republican politician and abstentionist Member of Parliament for West Tyrone. He has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the same constituency since 25 June 1998...
following the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis
Ard Fheis
Ardfheis or Ard Fheis is the name used by many Irish political parties for their annual party conference. The term was first used by Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language cultural organisation, for its annual convention....
on 22 February 2009.
In September 2003, Mary Lou McDonald attracted criticism when she spoke at a rally in Dublin to commemorate Seán Russell
Seán Russell
Seán Russell was an Irish republican who held senior positions in the IRA until the end of the Irish War of Independence...
, an IRA leader during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.