Liadh Ní Riada
{{Short description|Irish politician (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = File:Liadh Ní Riada MLA Oct 2018 (close cropped).jpg
| caption = Ní Riada in 2017
| office = Member of the European Parliament
| term_start = 1 July 2014
| term_end = 1 July 2019
| constituency = South
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|11|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Irish
| party = Sinn Féin
| spouse = {{marriage|Fiachra Ó hAodha|1996|1997|end=d.}}
{{marriage|Nicky Forde|2012}}
| children = 3
| father = Seán Ó Riada
| alma_mater = {{Ubl|Dublin Institute of Technology|Cork Institute of Technology}}
| website = {{URL|liadhniriada.ie}}
|}}
Liadh Ní Riada ({{IPA|ga|ˈl̠ʲiə n̠ʲiː ˈɾˠiəd̪ˠə|pron}}; born 28 November 1966) is an Irish cultural activist and former Sinn Féin politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the South constituency from 2014 to 2019. She was the Sinn Féin candidate in the 2018 presidential election.{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0916/994053-presidential-election/|title=Sinn Féin nominates Liadh Ní Riada to contest the Presidential Election|website=RTÉ|date=16 September 2018|access-date=16 September 2018|archive-date=16 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916164223/https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0916/994053-presidential-election/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://booleweb.ucc.ie/documents/O%20Riada.pdf|title=Seán Ó Riada Collection Descriptive List|publisher=University College Cork Library|date=July 2006|access-date=31 May 2014|archive-date=3 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403004903/https://booleweb.ucc.ie/documents/O%20Riada.pdf|url-status=live}} {{As of|December 2024}}, Ní Riada is director of a cultural centre in Ballyvourney, County Cork.
Media and cultural activity
Ní Riada is a former television producer and director and she served on the board tasked with setting up TG4, the Irish-language television channel. She has directed and produced several documentaries, and ran her own production company for several years. Ní Riada has described herself as passionate about heritage and culture, and she has been a vocal advocate for Irish language rights.
In July 2020, Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí, a Ballingeary-based community development co-operative for the Muskerry Gaeltacht, appointed Ní Riada as language planning officer, to encourage use of Irish in the area.{{cite news |last1=Ó Liatháin |first1=Concubhar |title=Liadh's new language role her focus for the future |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/cork/news/liadhs-new-language-role-her-focus-for-the-future/39348564.html |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=The Corkman |date=10 July 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Fúinn / About Us |url=https://muscrai.org/fuinn-about-us/ |website=Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí Teoranta |access-date=3 February 2025 |language=en, ga}}{{cite web |title=The North/South Language Body Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020 |url=https://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/fs/doc/publications/northern-ireland-version-tuarascail-bhliantuil-annual-report-2020-compressed.pdf#page=89 |access-date=3 February 2025 |page=44 }} In December 2020 she was nominated by Sinn Féin to the board of Foras na Gaeilge.{{cite news |last1=Ó Liatháin |first1=Concubhar |title=Ní Riada named as new Ionad Cultúrtha director |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/cork/news/ni-riada-named-as-new-ionad-culturtha-director/41309261.html |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=The Corkman |date=3 February 2022 |language=en}} In February 2022 she became director of Ionad Cultúrtha an Dochtúir Ó Loingsigh, a cultural centre in Ballyvourney.
Political career
Ní Riada's involvement in politics began in 2011{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-as-close-as-you-could-get-to-the-image-sf-wants-to-project-right-now-1.3665801|title=Liadh Ní Riada as close as you could get to the image SF wants to project right now|date=17 October 2018|access-date=21 October 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|last=McGee|first=Harry|archive-date=17 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017044254/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-as-close-as-you-could-get-to-the-image-sf-wants-to-project-right-now-1.3665801|url-status=live}} when she joined Sinn Féin as the party's national Irish language officer, having been inspired by her first husband Fiachra to get involved in politics.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/profile-liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-s-rapid-sinn-f%C3%A9in-ascent-1.3630909|title=Profile: Liadh Ní Riada's rapid Sinn Féin ascent|date=16 September 2018|access-date=21 October 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|last=Kelly|first=Fiach|archive-date=17 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917143711/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/profile-liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-s-rapid-sinn-f%C3%A9in-ascent-1.3630909|url-status=live}} Three years later, in 2014, Ní Riada was selected as the Sinn Féin candidate for the South constituency for the 2014 European Parliament elections.
=European Parliament=
Ní Riada ran her 2014 campaign for the European Parliament on an anti-austerity message, calling for job creation and an end to forced emigration from Ireland. During the campaign, she also raised awareness of the increase in child poverty in Ireland, and the need for rural regeneration. She secured 125,309 first preference votes, the second highest of all MEPs in Ireland, and was elected on the fourth count with 132,590 votes.{{cite news|first=Barry|last=Roche|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ireland-south-crowley-and-n%C3%AD-riada-elected-1.1809430|title=Ireland South: Crowley and Ní Riada elected|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=26 May 2014|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922214952/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ireland-south-fine-gael-takes-two-seats-1.1809430|url-status=live}}
As an MEP, Ní Riada sat on three Committees of the European Parliament: Budgets, Culture and Education, and Fisheries.
She was a coordinator for the European United Left–Nordic Green Left group on the Budgets Committee.
On the committee on Culture and Education, Ní Riada has highlighted what she called the "language discrimination" in the EU. Through this committee, she has highlighted what she called the "hardships" many artists have to go through to earn a living. Since 2017 Ní Riada has been a member of the Culture and Educations Brexit monitoring group.
On the Fisheries Committee, she has called for a "fairer deal" for Irish fishermen. Ní Riada has been critical of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, saying that she believes Irish fisheries have not received their fair share of the fishing quota. Ní Riada has also campaigned for measures to reduce plastic pollution, particularly in the oceans.{{cite news|url=https://www.radiokerry.ie/ireland-south-mep-says-90-plastic-pollution-ends-ocean/|title=Ireland-South MEP says 90% of plastic pollution ends up in the ocean|date=2 June 2018|access-date=21 October 2018|archive-date=21 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021190905/https://www.radiokerry.ie/ireland-south-mep-says-90-plastic-pollution-ends-ocean/|url-status=live}}
=2018 presidential election=
On 16 September 2018, Ní Riada was selected by Sinn Féin to contest that year's Irish presidential election. The party, in deciding to challenge incumbent Michael D. Higgins, said there was "an appetite for political and social change" in Ireland.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44833439|title=Sinn Féin to challenge Higgins in Irish presidential election|date=14 July 2018|access-date=21 October 2018|archive-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125124306/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44833439|url-status=live}}
Ní Riada's campaign focused on the Irish language, a united Ireland, and social justice. She called for the presidential salary to be cut in half and said that she would only serve a single presidential term if elected.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/presidential-election/2018/1012/1002823-ni-riada-launch/|title=Ní Riada says presidential salary should be halved|date=12 October 2018|access-date=21 October 2018|archive-date=21 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021190843/https://www.rte.ie/news/presidential-election/2018/1012/1002823-ni-riada-launch/|url-status=live}} During the campaign she stated she would wear a remembrance poppy to commemorate the war dead of the First World War.{{Cite news|last=Gallagher|first=Conor|title=Debate hears SF candidate Liadh Ní Riada would wear a poppy|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/debate-hears-sf-candidate-liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-would-wear-a-poppy-1.3664679|access-date=2020-12-13|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|archive-date=21 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321195428/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/debate-hears-sf-candidate-liadh-n%C3%AD-riada-would-wear-a-poppy-1.3664679|url-status=live}}
Ni Ríada received 6.38% of first preference votes in the election, which was held on 26 October 2018.
=Since 2019=
Ní Riada lost her European Parliament seat at the 2019 European election. In March 2021 Sinn Féin selected her to contest Cork North-West at the next Dáil election (which was eventually held in 2024) but in 2023 she announced that she was leaving politics.{{multiref|
{{cite news |last1=Roche |first1=Barry |title=Former Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada is to leave politics |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/02/26/former-sinn-fein-mep-liadh-ni-riada-is-to-leave-politics/ |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=The Irish Times |date=26 February 2023 |language=en}}|
{{cite news |last1=Ó Liatháin |first1=Concubhar |work=The Corkman |title=Cork North West loses second SF candidate as Liadh Ní Riada steps down from politics |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/cork/news/cork-north-west-loses-second-sf-candidate-as-liadh-ni-riada-steps-down-from-politics/42360039.html |access-date=3 February 2025 |date=26 February 2023 |language=en}}
}} However, Foras na Gaeilge nominated her to contest the Cultural and Educational Panel in the 2025 Seanad election.{{cite news |last1=O'Mahony |first1=Kieran |title=Former MEP Liadh Ní Riada is putting Gaeilge first in her run for the Seanad |url=https://www.southernstar.ie/news/former-mep-liadh-ni-riada-is-putting-gaeilge-first-in-her-run-for-the-seanad-4316167 |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=The Southern Star |date=30 December 2024 |language=en}} She ran as an independent and was unsuccessful; Pauline Tully of Sinn Féin was among the five elected.{{cite news |last1=O'Halloran |first1=Marie |title=Marathon five-day Seanad count completed with 49 Senators elected |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2025/02/03/marathon-five-day-seanad-count-completed-with-49-senators-elected/ |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=The Irish Times |date=3 February 2025 |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Liadh Ní Riada}}
- {{Official website|liadhniriada.ie}}
- {{MEP|124987|Liadh Ní Riada}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2014–2019)}}
{{Sinn Féin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ni Riada, Liadh}}
Category:20th-century Irish people
Category:21st-century women MEPs for the Republic of Ireland
Category:Irish television directors
Category:Irish television producers
Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2014–2019
Category:Politicians from County Cork
Category:Candidates for President of Ireland
Category:Women television producers
Category:Women television directors