Aoife Finnegan
{{Short description|Irish politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| constituency_AM =
| honorific_suffix = MLA
| term_start = 9 February 2025
| predecessor = Conor Murphy
| office1 = Member of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
| termstart1 = 28 May 2020
| termend1 = 9 February 2025
| predecessor1 = Terry Hearty
| constituency1 = Slieve Gullion
| party = Sinn Féin
| occupation = Politician
| office = Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Newry and Armagh
| image = Aoife Finnegan MLA (cropped).jpg
| caption = Finnegan in 2024
| birth_place = Crossmaglen, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|06|20|df=y}}
}}
Aoife Finnegan is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, who has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Newry and Armagh since February 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title=Sinn Féin: Aoife Finnegan to replace Conor Murphy as MLA |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyer4grv9zo |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
She previously served as a councillor for the Slieve Gullion DEA on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council from 2020 to 2025.
Career
Finnegan has been a Sinn Féin activist since she was a teenager, and worked in Conor Murphy MLA’s constituency office for many years.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title=Sinn Féin: Cllr Aoife Finnegan replaces Conor Murphy as MLA for Newry and Armagh - Northern Ireland Elects |url=https://nielects.com/news/2025/02/09/sinn-fein-cllr-aoife-finnegan-replaces-conor-murphy-as-mla-for-newry-and-armagh/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=nielects.com |language=en-US}}
In May 2020, Finnegan was co-opted onto Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to replace Terry Hearty as a Slieve Gullion councillor.{{Cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2020-05-25 |title=Veteran Sinn Fein councillor stands down and reveals shock decision in letter to constituents |url=https://armaghi.com/news/veteran-sinn-fein-councillor-stands-down-and-reveals-shock-decision-in-letter-to-constituents/109693 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Armagh I |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=O'Hare |first=Columba |date=2020-05-27 |title=Aoife Finnegan is new Slieve Gullion Councillor |url=https://newry.ie/news/aoife-finnegan-is-new-slieve-gullion-councillor |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Newry.ie |language=en-gb}} She was re-elected in 2023 with the highest number of first preference votes in the Slieve Gullion DEA.{{Cite news |title=Newry, Mourne and Down result - Northern Ireland Council Elections 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2023/northern-ireland/councils/N09000010 |access-date=2025-02-09 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
In February 2025, Finnegan replaced Conor Murphy as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Newry and Armagh, after he was elected to the Seanad Éireann.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title=Sinn Féin names Aoife Finnegan as Conor Murphy's Assembly replacement |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/sinn-fein-names-aoife-finnegan-as-conor-murphys-assembly-replacement-XLMLYYU2LRCDFAQMRPWIJCSKOQ/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=The Irish News |language=en}} She was unanimously endorsed by Sinn Féin members at a convention on 8 February.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title=Sinn Féin select Aoife Finnegan as new Newry & Armagh MLA |url=https://vote.sinnfein.ie/sinn-fein-select-aoife-finnegan-as-new-newry-armagh-mla/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Sinn Féin |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Finnegan is a Crossmaglen native, and she currently lives there with her husband and children.