Niall O Donnghaile, the Sinn Fein Senator

Niall O Donnghaile, an Irish former Sinn Fein politician, served as a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 2016 to 2024. He became the Leader of Sinn Fein in 2020.

O Donnghaile was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on May 28, 1985. He hails from a republican background, with his father being a former IRA member. O Donnghaile studied at Coláiste Feirste and the University of Ulster, where he earned a degree in politics and sociology.

O Donnghaile began his political career in 2011 when he was elected as a Sinn Fein Councillor for Belfast City Council. He made history by becoming the youngest person to hold the position of Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2011.

In 2016, O Donnghaile was elected to the Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Irish parliament. He served as the Leader of Sinn Fein in the Seanad from 2020 to 2023.

O Donnghaile has been a vocal advocate for Irish language rights and has campaigned for the introduction of an Irish-language Act. He is also a supporter of the Good Friday Agreement and has called for its full implementation.

O Donnghaile resigned from the Seanad in 2023, citing personal reasons. He has since returned to working as a teacher and is still a member of Sinn Fein.