Declan Kearney (born 19 December 1964) is an Irish republican politician in Northern Ireland who is the current National Chairman of Sinn Féin.[1] Kearney was a Junior Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive from 2020 to 2022, and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim since 2016.[2]
Declan Kearney | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kearney in 2022 | |
| Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister | |
| In office 11 January 2020 – 5 May 2022 Serving with Gordon Lyons, Gary Middleton | |
| Deputy FM | Michelle O'Neill |
| Preceded by | Megan Fearon |
| Succeeded by | Pam Cameron (2024) |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Antrim | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Mitchel McLaughlin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 December 1964 Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
Background edit
Originally from Antrim, he is the son of Oliver and Brigid (née Totten) Kearney.[2] He lived in Derry at the time of his election.[3][2]
Before his election as an MLA, Kearney served as National Chairman of Sinn Féin, in which capacity he apologised "for all the lives lost during the Troubles".[4] His brother, Ciarán Kearney, husband of Jane (née Donaldson), is the son-in-law of the late Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer and Sinn Féin politician Denis Donaldson, who was assassinated near Glenties in County Donegal after having been exposed as a British agent.[5]
Kearney was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as one of six MLAs for South Antrim at the 2016 Assembly election,[6] retaining his seat at the 2017 and 2022 elections.[7]
He was later appointed as a Junior Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, following the restoration of the Assembly in January 2020;[8] remaining in this position until May 2022.[9]
References edit
- ^ "Declan Kearney MLA". Sinn Féin. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
Currently he is the Sinn Féin National Chairperson and has been central to the Party's all-Ireland development, and its negotiations and reconciliation strategies.
- ^ a b c "Assembly Election 2016: Kearney 'delighted' to be elected in South Antrim". Newtownabbey Times. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
- ^ "Four SF city SPADS include bomber". Londonderry Sentinel. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
- ^ "Sinn Féin chairman Declan Kearney 'sorry' for all Troubles victims". BBC News. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Anatomy of murder". Belfast Telegraph. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ McKeown, Gareth (9 May 2016). "DUP candidates take three seats in South Antrim". The Irish News. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
Elected: Paul Girvan (DUP), Pam Cameron (DUP), Declan Kearney (SF), David Ford (Alliance), Steve Aiken (UUP) and Trevor Clarke (DUP).
- ^ Kula, Adam (12 May 2022). "ELECTION 2022: South Antrim – Sinn Fein's all-Ireland chairman Declan Kearney trounces all to seize seat". The Newsletter. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Manley, John (13 January 2020). "John O'Dowd misses out on executive seat". The Irish News. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
SINN Féin national chairman Declan Kearney has been appointed as a Stormont junior minister alongside the DUP's assembly chief whip Gordon Lyons.
- ^ "MLA Details: Mr Declan Kearney". www.niassembly.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
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