Órfhlaith Acife Begley (/ˈɔːrlə/; born 19 December 1991) is a Sinn Féin politician from Northern Ireland. She is Member of Parliament (MP) for West Tyrone, having first won the seat in a by-election on 3 May 2018. Prior to her political career, Begley was a solicitor.
Órfhlaith Begley | |
|---|---|
 Begley in 2019 | |
| Member of Parliament for West Tyrone | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Barry McElduff |
| Majority | 15,917 (36.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Órfhlaith Acife Begley 19 December 1991 Carrickmore, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse |
Conor Carson (m. 2022) |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Early life and career
editÓrfhlaith Acife Begley[1] was born on 19 December 1991 in Carrickmore, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.[2] She is the daughter of former Sinn Féin Omagh District Council chairman Seán Begley.[3] Begley grew up in Carrickmore, and played Gaelic football at the local club.[4] She studied Law and Politics at the Queen's University Belfast.[5] She then studied at the Institute of Professional and Legal Studies, graduating as a solicitor. Begley then worked as a solicitor in Portadown, County Armagh with her brother.[4]
Political career
editBegley was selected as the Sinn Féin candidate for West Tyrone in the 2018 West Tyrone by-election on 26 February. The by-election had been called following the resignation of the previous Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff on 15 January.[3] She was elected with a majority of 7,956.[6] Begley was the first female MP to represent the constituency since it was created in 1997.[5] She held the seat in the 2019 general election with a majority of 7,478.[7] She does not sit in the House of Commons, given her party's long-standing policy of abstentionism.[5]
Personal life
editBegley became engaged to engineer Conor Carson in February 2021, and they married on 29 December 2022 in Carrickmore.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ "No. 8218". The Belfast Gazette. 23 December 2019. p. 1002.
- ^ Dale, Iain (2019). The Honourable Ladies : Volume II: Profiles of Women MPs 1997–2019. La Vergne: Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781785904479.
- ^ a b Bell, Jonathan (26 February 2018). "Sinn Fein picks solicitor Orfhlaith Begley (26) to fight candidate West Tyrone by-election". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ a b Breen, Suzanne (5 May 2018). "Party's latest female face ticks right boxes but has to up game". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ a b c "Órfhlaith Begley profile: Who is the new West Tyrone MP?". BBC News. 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "SF's Begley wins West Tyrone by-election". BBC News. 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ Keena, Colm (13 December 2019). "West Tyrone: Órfhlaith Begley wins comfortably for Sinn Féin". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ Leebody, Christopher (30 December 2022). "Newly-married Sinn Fein MP's wedding snap sees her inundated with well wishes". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Breen, Nadia (13 January 2023). "Inside My Wedding: Co Tyrone couple's beautiful day at Manor House Hotel". Belfast Live. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
External links
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