Michelle O'neill

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill has recalled being “prayed over” at the Catholic grammar school she attended when she became pregnant at 16.While she paid tribute to her form teacher at the time, she said not everyone at St Patrick’s Girls’ Academy in Dungannon, Co Tyrone had been as supportive.Ms O’Neill also spoke about having had negative experiences with police growing up as the daughter of an ex-republican prisoner.The Mid-Ulster representative is currently in line to become Northern Ireland’s first non-unionist First Minister.It comes after a historic election result in May when Sinn Fein became the largest party at...

Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O'Neill has said she was prayed over at her school when she became pregnant. Ms O'Neill also said that the school created a "huge fuss" when she returned to do A-levels after her daughter was born. She recalled her experiences to host Mark Carruthers,...

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill says the DUP is "punishing the public" by its "refusal to govern". She was speaking during a recall of Stormont, spearheaded by the SDLP, aimed at electing a Speaker. However, no speaker was elected, which means the Northern Ireland Assembly still cannot function fully. Full...

Sinn Fein’s leader in Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill says the country is being “pulled out of Europe against our will” as she visits Washington to shore up support for the Brexit deal, parts of which the UK is planning to scrap

Northern Ireland should be defined by its rainbow of cultures, not divisions between orange and green, Michelle O’Neill has said.The Sinn Fein vice president was commenting as she joined members of the Islamic community to celebrate the festival of Eid in Belfast.More than 1,000 people gathered on the pitches at Davitts GAA club in the west of the city for the largest open air Eid event ever organised in Northern Ireland.Ms O’Neill, who is line to become Stormont first minister when or if the current powersharing impasse is resolved, wore a hijab as she joined in prayers on Saturday morning.Later,...

The outgoing Northern Ireland secretary has been blasted for having “shamefully placated the DUP”. Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill was critical of Brandon Lewis as he joined the ranks of Conservative ministers leaving office in a move against Prime Minister Boris Johnson. She claimed he “abandoned...

Sinn Féin's vice-President Michelle O'Neill has laid a wreath in Belfast to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. It is the first time a leader of the party has done so in Belfast. Last year, when she was deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, she attended a Somme commemoration...

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill has laid a wreath in Belfast in memory of those who died at the Battle of the Somme.While Sinn Fein lord mayors in the capital have laid a laurel wreath on the anniversary of the First World War battle in previous years, this is the first time a member of the party’s leadership has taken part.Ms O’Neill joined the current Belfast Lord Mayor Tina Black to lay wreaths in a low-key ceremony on Friday morning, ahead of the official commemorative event marking the first day of the battle.The Sinn Fein Stormont leader, who will...

Scotland's first minister has held talks with Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O'Neill at her official Bute House residence in Edinburgh. The meeting came just two weeks after Sinn Féin finished as the largest party in the Northern Irish election. The two leaders said they discussed issues surrounding...

The public should be given clarity on the criteria for calling a poll on Irish unification, Michelle O’Neill has said. The Sinn Fein vice president said there was a need to fill in the “grey” area of the Good Friday Agreement on the circumstances for holding a referendum on constitutional change.

Northern Ireland must not be caught in the middle of a game of chicken between London and Brussels over post-Brexit trading arrangements, Michelle O’Neill has warned. The Sinn Fein vice president said the Stormont institutions were at risk due to an “ideological war” between the UK Government and EU.