Rose Conway-Walsh | |
---|---|
Teachta Dála | |
Assumed office February 2020 | |
Constituency | Mayo |
Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad | |
In office 11 May 2016 – 9 February 2020 | |
Leader |
Gerry Adams Mary Lou McDonald |
Preceded by | David Cullinane |
Succeeded by | Niall Ó Donnghaile |
Senator | |
In office 27 April 2016 – 9 February 2020 | |
Constituency | Agricultural Panel |
Personal details | |
Born | Rose Conway 1969 or 1970 (age 54–55) [1] Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland |
Political party | Sinn Féin |
Spouse |
Noel Walsh (
m. 2000) |
Children | 2 |
Education | Our Lady's, Belmullet |
Alma mater | NUI Galway ( BA) |
Website |
roseconwaywalsh |
Rose Conway-Walsh ( née Conway; born 1964/1965) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo constituency since the 2020 general election. She previously served as a Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad and a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2016 to 2020. [2] [3]
Conway-Walsh grew up in Ballycroy, County Mayo and is one of nine children. She attended primary school in Ballycroy before attending Our Lady's Secondary School in Belmullet. [4] She moved to London when she was 19. On returning to Ireland, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in public management and a Master's degree in Local Government from NUI Galway. [5] Prior to entering politics, she worked in community development. [6]
Conway-Walsh has been a member of Sinn Féin's Ard Comhairle since 1990. [6] She founded the Sinn Féin Mayo Women's Movement in response to the lack of women in politics. [7]
In 2009, she was elected to Mayo County Council for the Belmullet local area, becoming the first female councillor ever elected in Belmullet. [6] She was re-elected in 2014, topping the poll and being elected on the first count. [8]
She was elected to the Seanad in 2016, topping the poll in the Agricultural Panel and being deemed elected on the first count. [9]
She was an unsuccessful candidate for the Mayo constituency at the 2011 and 2016 general elections, [10] before winning election in 2020. Conway-Walsh is the first Sinn Féin TD to represent County Mayo in almost 100 years; the last Sinn Féin TD to be elected in Mayo was John Madden in June 1927. [11]
In July 2021 she attracted criticism for comparing segregated reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic to the segregation of the American South and the struggle of Rosa Parks, for which she later apologised. [12] [13]
She is the party's spokesperson on Higher Education, Innovation, and Science.
Conway married Noel Walsh in 2000. They live in Belmullet with their two sons. [4]