The president of Sinn Féin () is the most senior politician within the Sinn Féin political party in Ireland. Since 10 February 2018, the office has been held by Mary Lou McDonald, following the decision of Gerry Adams to stand down as leader of the party and not seek re-election again. Unlike other political parties, the president of Sinn Féin does not have the power to dismiss or appoint their deputy and to dismiss or appoint parliamentary party members to front bench positions. These decisions are taken by the Ard Chomhairle (National Executive).
If the president is not a member of Dáil Éireann, then a TD is appointed in their place to act as the leader of the parliamentary party.
The vice president of Sinn Féin is Michelle O'Neill.
Background
Although Sinn Féin was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, Griffith did not initially take the presidency. Edward Martyn, a cultural activist and playwright, was elected president at the party's first annual convention on 28 November 1905. He was succeeded in 1908 by John Sweetman. Griffith served as vice president until he was finally elected president in 1911. At the Ard Fheis of 1917, which followed the Easter Rising, Griffith stepped down in favour of Éamon de Valera.
De Valera is the only one of the fifteen leaders to date to have been head of government while serving as leader. Griffith and de Valera were elected in the 1918 general election and were involved in the creation of the First Dáil. De Valera served as President of the Dáil and Griffith served first as Minister for Home Affairs, then as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and finally, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty, as President of the Dáil. De Valera, as an anti-Treaty republican, did not sit in the 3rd Dáil. He resigned from both the leadership and the party in 1926, when his motion to allow elected members to sit in the Dáil was defeated at the party's Ard Fheis. De Valera's successor John J. O'Kelly was one of four leaders who served for brief periods of time as Sinn Féin's party membership declined in favour of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
In 1937, Margaret Buckley became the first female President of Sinn Féin. During her thirteen years as leader, she vastly improved the relations between the IRA and the party. She was succeeded by Paddy McLogan and Tomás Ó Dubhghaill who both helped rebuild party support in the aftermath of World War II. Tomás Mac Giolla became president in 1962 and served for over eight years as leader of the party. When the party split, Mac Giolla remained leader of Official Sinn Féin. Official Sinn Féin was later renamed the Workers' Party. Ruairí Ó Brádaigh was elected as the new leader of the Provisional Sinn Féin in 1970. Ó Brádaigh's presidency was shaped by relentless violence between republican and loyalist paramilitaries and the British security forces. He was one of the republican representatives which met with the British representatives in hope of ending the Troubles.
Ó Brádaigh resigned in 1983, due to dissatisfaction among party activists in Northern Ireland. Vice President Gerry Adams became the fourteenth President of the party in 1983. He became the longest serving president in the party's history. During his presidency, the IRA declared a ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Party support rose as Sinn Féin became the largest nationalist party in Northern Ireland. In 2011, Gerry Adams left the Northern Ireland Assembly and won a seat in Dáil Éireann. He was the first president since 1926 to also sit in Dáil Éireann. His successor, Mary Lou McDonald, also sits in Dáil Éireann.
Presidents
1905–1926 No.Name(Birth–death) PortraitTerm of office Comments1Edward Martyn(1859–1923) 19051908 2 John Sweetman(1844–1936) 1908 19113Arthur Griffith(1872–1922)19111917President of Dáil Éireann (1922)4Éamon de Valera(1882–1975)19171926Laffan (1999), pp. 117, 441President of Dáil Éireann/President of the Irish Republic (1919–1922)
1926–present No.Name(Birth–death) PortraitTerm of office Comments5John J. O'Kelly (1872–1957) 192619316Brian O'Higgins(1882–1963) 193119337Fr. Michael O'Flanagan(1876–1942) 193319358Cathal Ó Murchadha(1880–1958) 193519379Margaret Buckley(1879–1962) 19371950First female leader of an Irish political party10Paddy McLogan(1899–1964)1950195211Tomás Ó Dubhghaill(1917–1962)19521954(10)Paddy McLogan(1899–1964)1954196212Tomás Mac Giolla(1924–2010) 19621970Leader of Official Sinn Féin (1970–1988)13Ruairí Ó Brádaigh(1932–2013) 19701983Leader of Republican Sinn Féin (1986–2009)14Gerry Adams(born 1948) 1983201815Mary Lou McDonald(born 1969) 2018Incumbent First female Leader of the Opposition
Vice presidents Unlike other political party leaders, the president of Sinn Féin does not have the power to appoint or dismiss their deputy. The position is elected by members of the party at the Ardfheis. The vice-president has a seat on the Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) Officer Board.
1905–1983 PresidentVice-president(Birth–death) Portrait Took office Left officeVice-president(Birth–death) Portrait Took office Left officeEdward MartynArthur Griffith(1872–1922)19051911John Sweetman(1844–1936)19051908Bulmer Hobson(1883–1969)19081910Thomas Kelly(1868–1942)1910UnknownArthur GriffithJennie Wyse Power(1858–1941)1911UnknownÉamon de ValeraFr. Michael O'Flanagan(1876–1942)19171923Arthur Griffith(1872–1922)19171922Kathleen Lynn(1874–1955)19231927P. J. Ruttledge(1892–1952)19231926John J. O'KellyMary MacSwiney(1872–1942)1927UnknownJohn Madden(died 1954)UnknownBrian O'HigginsUnknownFr. Michael O'FlanaganMargaret Buckley(1879–1962)19331937John J. O'Kelly(1872–1957)19331934Liam Raul(died 1945)19341935Cathal Ó MurchadhaLiam Raul(died 1945) and Tom Maguire(1892–1993)19351937Margaret BuckleySeamus Mitchell1937UnknownPadraig de Paor1937UnknownCriostóir O'NeillUnknownUnknownPaddy McLoganTomás Ó Dubhghaill(1917–1962)19501952Michael Traynor(born 1917)19501954Tomás Ó DubhghaillMargaret Buckley(1879–1962)19521960Paddy McLoganTomás Ó Dubhghaill(1917–1962)19541962Paddy McLoganTony Magan(1911–1981)19601962Tomás Mac GiollaMichael Traynor(born 1917)1962Rory O'Driscoll19621963Larry Grogan(1899–1979)19621969Seán Caughey(–2010)19631965None (1965–1966)Joe Clarke(1882–1976)19661972Cathal Goulding(1922–1998)19691970Ruairí Ó BrádaighLarry Grogan(1899–1979)19701971Dáithí Ó Conaill(1938–1991)19711978Máire Drumm(1919–1976)19721976Joe Cahill(1920–2004)19761978Gerry Adams(born 1948)19781983Dáithí Ó Conaill(1938–1991)19781983
1983–present Following the election of Gerry Adams as the 14th President of Sinn Féin, the position of co-vice presidents was removed. Instead, a single vice-president was elected at the 1983 Ard Fheis to serve in place of the two former vice-presidents. PresidentVice-president(Birth–death) Portrait ConstituencyTerm of officeGerry AdamsPhil Flynn(born 1940)None19831985John Joe McGirl(1921–1988)Councillor for Ballinamore(Leitrim County Council)19851988Pat Doherty(born 1945)MLA for West Tyrone (1998–2012)MP for West Tyrone (2001–2017)19882009Mary Lou McDonald(born 1969)MEP for Dublin (2004–2009)TD for Dublin Central (2011–present)20092018 Mary Lou McDonaldMichelle O'Neill(born 1977)MLA for Mid Ulster (2007–present)2018Incumbent
Parliamentary party leaders Leader in Dáil Éireann Name of TD(Birth–Death)PortraitConstituency Term of officeElected(Dáil)Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin(born 1953)Cavan–Monaghan26 June 19979 March 20111997(28th)2002(29th)2007(30th)Gerry Adams(born 1948)Louth9 March 201110 February 20182011(31st)2016(32nd)Mary Lou McDonald(born 1969)Dublin Central10 February 2018Incumbent2020(33rd)2024(34th)
Leader in Seanad Éireann Name of Senator(Birth–Death)PortraitConstituency Term of officeElected(Seanad)Pearse Doherty(born 1977)Agricultural Panel13 September 200726 November 20102007(23rd)None26 November 201027 May 20112011(24th)David Cullinane(born 1974)Labour Panel27 May 201127 February 2016None27 February 201613 May 2016Rose Conway-Walsh(born 1969)Agricultural Panel13 May 20169 February 20202016(25th)None9 February 202029 June 2020Niall Ó Donnghaile(born 1985)Administrative Panel29 June 202022 January 20242020(26th)None22 January 202412 February 2025Conor Murphy (born 1963)Industrial and Commercial Panel12 February 2025Incumbent2025(27th)
Leader in European Parliament Name of MEP(Birth–Death)PortraitConstituency Term of officeElected(Parliament)Mary Lou McDonald(born 1969)Dublin200420092004(6th)Bairbre de Brún(born 1954)Northern Ireland20093 May 20122009(7th)None3 May 201212 June 2012Martina Anderson(born 1962)Northern Ireland12 June 201231 January 20202014(8th)2019(9th)Matt Carthy(born 1977)Midlands–North-West31 January 20209 February 2020None9 February 20206 March 2020Chris MacManus(born 1973)Midlands–North-West6 March 202017 July 2024None17 July 2024present2024(10th)
See also History of Sinn Féin Leader of Fianna Fáil Leader of Fine Gael Leader of the Labour Party
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