Michelle O’Neill is a prominent Irish politician who has served as Vice President of Sinn Féin, Ireland’s largest republican party, since 2018.
She also served as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, the second-highest position in the devolved government, from 2020 to 2022.
She is known for her strong advocacy of Irish unity, social justice and women’s rights.
File
- Full Name: Michelle O’Neill
- Date of birth: January 10, 1977
- Age: 46 years old
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Clonoe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- Nationality: Irish
- Occupation: Politician
- Height: 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
- Parents: Kathleen and Brendan Doris
- Siblings: Two brothers and one sister
- Spouse: Paddy O’Neill
- Children: Saoirse O’Neill, Ryan O’Neill, Cillian O’Neill
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $3.5 million
Early life and education
Michelle O’Neill, now 46, was born on January 10, 1977 in Clonoe, a rural village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
She is the eldest of four children of Kathleen and Brendan Doris, active members of Sinn Féin and former political prisoners during the Troubles.
She grew up in a staunch republican family and community and witnessed the violence and discrimination that plagued Northern Ireland during the conflict. O’Neill attended St. Patrick’s Primary School in Annaghmore and St. Patrick’s Academy in Dungannon, where she excelled academically.
She took nine GCSEs and three A-levels, then enrolled at Ulster University in Jordanstown, where she studied English and Irish.
However, she dropped out of university after a year to pursue a career in politics, following in the footsteps of her parents and her uncle, Francie Molloy, a Sinn Féin MLA representing Mid Ulster.
Personal life
Michelle O’Neill is married to Paddy O’Neill, a plasterer and former Gaelic footballer for Coalisland Fianna.
They have three children: Ryan, Saoirse and Cillian. O’Neill is a devoted mother and wife and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
She is also an avid sports fan and supports Tyrone GAA and Manchester United FC. She is fluent in English and Irish and is passionate about Irish culture and history.
Career
Michelle O’Neill began her political career in 2005 when she was elected to Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council as the Sinn Féin member for the Torrent area.
She served on the council until 2011 and was the first female mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone from 2010 to 2011. She was also a member of the South East Education and Libraries Council from 2005 to 2007.
In 2007, O’Neill was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as the Sinn Féin Member of Parliament for Mid Ulster, succeeding his uncle Francie Molloy, who resigned to concentrate on his role as Member of Parliament for the same constituency.
She has been re-elected to Parliament four times, in 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2022. She is currently the leader of the Sinn Féin group in Parliament.
In 2011, Deputy Prime Minister Martin McGuinness appointed O’Neill to the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.
She held the position until 2016 and was praised for her contributions to improving animal welfare, supporting rural communities and promoting cross-border cooperation.
In 2016, she was promoted to Minister for Health, becoming the first Sinn Féin minister to hold the position.
She has faced many challenges in this role, such as responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, reforming the health service and addressing the waiting list crisis.
In 2018, O’Neill was elected Deputy President of Sinn Féin, succeeding Mary Lou McDonald, who became the party’s president.
She is the second most senior official in Sinn Féin and oversees the party’s strategy, policy and campaigns in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
In 2020, O’Neill was nominated by Sinn Féin to become Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland after a power-sharing government was restored after a three-year hiatus.
She worked alongside Prime Minister Arlene Foster of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the largest unionist party, in a joint office based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and consensus.
O’Neill and Foster have had a difficult relationship, marked by disagreements over Brexit, Irish language rights and COVID-19 restrictions. O’Neill has also faced criticism from unionists and some nationalists for attending the funeral of Bobby Storey, a former IRA leader, in June 2020, which was accused of breaking social distancing rules.
In 2022, O’Neill resigned as Deputy Prime Minister, leading to the collapse of the devolved government after the DUP refused to implement the Irish Language Act, part of the New Decade, New Approach deal that restored power-sharing in 2020.
O’Neill accused the DUP of acting in bad faith and breaking promises and called for a new election to be held as soon as possible.
She also reiterated Sinn Féin’s call for a referendum on Irish reunification in light of demographic and political changes in Northern Ireland and the impact of Brexit on the border issue.
Argumentative
Michelle O’Neill has been involved in a number of controversies throughout her political career, mostly due to her Republican views and actions. Some of the most notable controversies include:
In 2017, she caused outrage among unionists and some victims’ groups when she described four IRA men killed by the SAS in Clonoe in 1992 as “martyrs” and “heroes” at a memorial event.
She defended her remarks, saying she was honoring the memory of friends and neighbors and that she had a right to remember the deceased with respect.
In 2018, she faced criticism from some feminists and LGBTQ+ activists when she voted against a motion calling for the extension of abortion and same-sex marriage laws from England to Northern Ireland.
She explained that she personally supports the right to choose and equality but she believes these issues should be decided by the Northern Ireland Assembly and not Westminster.
In 2020, she attended the funeral of former IRA leader Bobby Storey, along with thousands of mourners, despite COVID-19 restrictions limiting the number of people who could gather for funerals.
She is accused of breaking the law and undermining public health guidance she endorsed as deputy prime minister.
She apologised for any hurt or distress her attendance may have caused but insisted she had not broken any rules. She was later cleared of any wrongdoing by police, who found no evidence that she had committed any crime.
Social media
- Instagram name: @michelle.oneill.sf
- Twitter Username: @moneillsf
Net worth
According to some sources, Michelle O’Neill’s net worth is estimated to be around $3.5 million.
She earned a salary of £120,000 as Vice President of Sinn Féin and MLA for Mid Ulster.
