Michelle O'Neill

Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill has arrived at the Magherafelt count centre. The Mid Ulster candidate is tipped to become first minister of ...

NI Election 2022: slight drop expected in overall voter turnout NI Election 2022: 'a really positive campaign' Michelle O'Neill NI Election 2022: Key points from party manifestoes

The former deputy first minister secured 10,845 first preference votes to set her party up for a potentially historic day at the polls. Ms O'Neill eased past ...

"I was content with anything over 8,000. "I have always been very proud and privileged to be placed in a position to represent people and help people to maybe face difficult circumstances. "I am hoping with the transfers and the way the transfers are likely to go that, fingers crossed, I should be elected," he said.

Michelle O'Neill has topped the poll for Sinn Fein in Mid-Ulster. Ms O'Neill was surrounded by party colleagues and supporters as the result was announced ...

It was a day of few surprises in Mid Ulster with Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill topping the poll and elected with 10845 first -preference votes.

Sandra Overend had held a seat for the UUP previously but lost out in 2017 when the number of seats was reduced from six to five. “That’s the only way we can achieve more for people here in terms of cost of living or fixing the health service. “We did say this was going to be an election about the future.

SINN FÉIN'S Michelle O'Neill has been re-elected on her first count in Mid-Ulster.The results we...

But yeah it looks like it has been a good day for Alliance.” I’m absolutely delighted to top the poll. She was elected on the first stage of the count with 7,015 votes.

Both Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party are expected to have a good day, with Alliance leader Naomi Long topping the poll in East Belfast to be re-elected on the ...

“People decided to send a very clear message that nationalists should not be locked out of the first minister position. “I think there has been a big vote for Sinn Féin on the nationalist side. I’m absolutely delighted to top the poll. “I’m absolutely delighted,” Ms Armstrong said. He told the: “I’ll tell you one thing, if there’s no legislation in the Queen’s Speech and no plans to deal with the protocol then we’ve made it very clear the assembly can’t function if the poison of the protocol is still there.” Speaking during a visit to a school in his constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, he was asked by reporters about the possibility of a majority of people in Northern Ireland voting for parties that support the current trading arrangements with the EU, and if he will work with those parties to make the Northern Ireland Protocol work. “It is going to be tough for us, because so many people have wanted to send a message to the DUP that nationalists shouldn’t be locked out of the top position,” he said. Mr Johnson said: “The most important thing is that we continue to support the balance of the Good Friday Agreement across all communities in Northern Ireland. That’s what we’re going to do. “It’s going to be a long day and maybe a long night as well,” he told the PA news agency. “It’s been a good day so far for Alliance and obviously it’s been a good day for me personally in East Belfast, and also for Peter McReynolds, and we expect that we will hold the two seats there. “I think it is going to be very tight at the end as to who will emerge as the largest party,” he said. Both Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party are expected to have a good day, with Alliance leader Naomi Long topping the poll in East Belfast to be re-elected on the first count.

Yet almost three decades later, O'Neill, now 45, is on the verge of making history as the first nationalist leader of Northern Ireland. Personable and cheerful, ...

When the Guardian asked O’Neill about making history as the region’s first nationalist leader, she stayed on message and spoke of a need to to “stand up for everybody” and fix the health service. “She’s not the person who sets Sinn Féin policy on a wide range of issues. Mary Lou McDonald, a member of the Irish parliament in Dublin, succeeded Gerry Adams as the party’s overall leader. Deirdre Heenan, a social policy professor at the University of Ulster, said suspicions would endure. She was born Michelle Doris into a prominent republican family at the height of the Troubles. Her father, Brendan Doris, was an IRA prisoner. “It was shrewd of Martin to pick a working-class woman with republican credentials. But winning the more prestigious title is a psychological breakthrough for Irish nationalism and a gut-punch to unionism. She has come on leaps and bounds from when she first started.” There is no short-term prospect of a border poll for a united Ireland, let alone victory in such a referendum. Most people in Northern Ireland wish to remain in the UK. Nor would O’Neill becoming first minister signify radical change. In May 1993, as the IRA edged towards the end of its armed campaign, Michelle O’Neill was beginning her own struggle. As the biggest party it can nominate her for first minister.