Nikki Bradley
{{Short description|Irish politician and disability activist (born 1986)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Senator
| image = Newly Elected Senator Nikki Bradley (cropped).jpg
| caption = Bradley in 2025
| office = Senator
| term_start = 10 July 2024
| term_end =
| constituency = Nominated by the Taoiseach
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = County Donegal, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Fine Gael
| spouse =
| children =
| alma_mater =
| website =
}}
Nikki Bradley (born 23 January 1986){{cite news |last1=McNulty |first1=Chris |title=Inspirational Nikki Bradley shares engagement news |url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/letterkenny-milford/726483/inspirational-nikki-bradley-shares-engagement-news.html |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=Donegal Live |date=24 January 2022}}{{cite news |last1=McLoughlin |first1=Laura |title=Two big surprises on the same day |url=https://donegalnews.com/two-big-surprises-on-the-same-day/ |access-date=10 July 2024 |work=Donegal News |date=1 February 2022}} is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a senator since July 2024. She is also a disability rights advocate and a motivational speaker.{{cite web |last1=Hosford |first1=Paul |title=Motivational speaker Nikki Bradley to be appointed to Seanad |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41433337.html |website=Irish Examiner |access-date=10 July 2024 |language=en |date=10 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Nikki Bradley |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Nikki-Bradley.S.2024-07-10/ |work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=12 July 2024}}
Disability work
Bradley is from Milford, County Donegal. Diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2002, at age 16, she has used crutches since 2013, following two hip replacements.{{cite book |last1=Ryan |first1=Órla |title=Irish cancer survivor loses out on world record by just ONE second |date=14 August 2016 |publisher=thejournal.ie |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/nikki-bradley-donegal-challenge-2921072-Aug2016/ |access-date=10 July 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Nikki Bradley |url=https://childhoodcancer.ie/story/nikki-bradley/ |website=Childhood Cancer Ireland |access-date=10 July 2024 |quote=I’ve had two hip replacements following a rare childhood cancer diagnosis (Ewing’s Sarcoma) in 2002, when I was 16}} Since 2013, she has undertaken a variety of physical-fitness challenges, such as climbing four mountains (Carrauntoohil, Croagh Patrick, Slieve Donard and Errigal) in 32 hours.{{cite web |last1=O’Muiri |first1=Orla |title=Nikki Bradley: The Four Peaks Challenge |url=https://outsider.ie/challenges/nikki-bradley-four-peaks-challenge/ |website=Outsider |access-date=10 July 2024 |date=2018}} She has documented these challenges as part of her "Fighting Fit for Ewing's" online awareness campaign.{{cite web |title=Ewing's Sarcoma — Fighting Fit for Ewing's |url=https://themotivationfactory.ie/fffe |website=The Motivation Factory |access-date=10 July 2024}} She has also worked with other disability organisations. In 2022, she had a partial leg amputation and rotationplasty.{{cite AV media |title=Adventurer Nikki Bradley on her decision to have a rotationplasty |url=https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2022/0711/1309614-adventurer-nikki-bradley-on-her-decision-to-have-a-rotationplasty/ |work=Ray Darcy Show |publisher=RTÉ Radio 1 |access-date=10 July 2024 |language=en |date=6 July 2022}}
Political career
On 10 July 2024, Bradley was nominated to the 26th Seanad by the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Regina Doherty to the European Parliament.{{cite news |last1=Lehane |first1=Mícheál |title=Disability advocate Nikki Bradley appointed to the Seanad |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0710/1459227-nikki-bradley/ |access-date=10 July 2024 |date=10 July 2024 |language=en |work=RTÉ News}} In a statement accepting the nomination, she said that she planned to speak on disability issues, the defective block crisis, and voter turnout among young voters.{{cite press release |title=Nikki Bradley receives Taoiseach's nomination to Seanad |url=https://www.finegael.ie/nikki-bradley-receives-taoiseachs-nomination-to-seanad/ |website=Fine Gael |access-date=10 July 2024 |language=en |date=10 July 2024}} On 11 July she was formally introduced to the Seanad and made her maiden speech.{{multiref|
{{cite web |title=Nomination of Member |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2024-07-11/9/ |work=Seanad Debates – Vol. 302 No. 3|access-date=12 July 2024 |language=en-ie |date=11 July 2024}}|
{{cite web |first=Nikki |last=Bradley |title=Order of Business |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2024-07-11/speech/31/ |work=Seanad Debates – Vol. 302 No. 3 |access-date=12 July 2024 |language=en-ie |date=11 July 2024}}}}
Bradley contested the 2024 general election, standing as one of two Fine Gael candidates in the Donegal constituency.{{cite news |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Rachel |title=Fine Gael selects Nikki Bradley and John McNulty to contest in General Election |url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2024/08/26/fine-gael-selects-nikki-bradley-and-john-mcnulty-to-contest-in-general-election-2/ |access-date=8 November 2024 |work=Donegal Daily |date=26 August 2024}} She received 3,658 first-preference votes (4.7%) and was eliminated on the 14th count with 6,176 votes overall.{{Cite web |title=Election 2024: Donegal results |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/11/30/election-2024-donegal-constituency-results/ |access-date=2 December 2024|website=The Irish Times |language=en}} Neither she nor her Fine Gael running mate was elected, marking the first time since the 1930s that the party did not win a seat in Donegal.{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Emma |date=1 December 2024 |title='In certain parts, we need to start again' – Senator Nikki Bradley reacts as Fine Gael loses seat in Donegal |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/donegal/news/in-certain-parts-we-need-to-start-again-senator-nikki-bradley-reacts-as-fine-gael-loses-seat-in-donegal/a1071825312.html |access-date=2 December 2024|website=Irish Independent |language=en}} Bradley's post-election interviews sparked anger and went viral after she claimed that a "negative attitude" persisted in Donegal and that voters were "moaning and groaning" about issues.{{Cite web |last=Ó Broin |first=Cian |date=2 December 2024 |title='I let myself down' - Election candidate apologises following backlash over negative comments about Donegal voters |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2024/i-let-myself-down-election-candidate-apologises-following-backlash-over-negative-comments-about-donegal-voters/a1773868489.html |access-date=2 December 2024|website=Irish Independent |language=en}} She later issued an apology for her comments.{{Cite web |last= |date=2 December 2024|title=Senator Nikki Bradley apologises for any hurt she caused |url=https://highlandradio.com/2024/12/02/senator-nikki-bradley-apologises-for-any-hurt-she-caused/ |access-date=2 December 2024|website=Highland Radio |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2 December 2024|title=Nikki Bradley issues apology for election comments |url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2024/12/02/nikki-bradley-issues-apology-for-election-comments/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |website=Donegal Daily |language=en-US}}
On 7 February 2025, Bradley was nominated to the 27th Seanad by the Taoiseach.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/02/07/taoiseach-appoints-seven-women-and-four-men-to-seanad/|title=Former RTÉ broadcaster Evanne Ní Chuilinn named as a Fine Gael senator|work=The Irish Times|date=1 February 2025|access-date=7 February 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=12561|title=Nikki Bradley|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=17 March 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/senators/donegal/nikki-bradley/ Nikki Bradley's page on the Fine Gael website]
{{Members of the 26th Seanad}}
{{Members of the 27th Seanad}}
{{Fine Gael}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, Nikki}}
Category:21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann
Category:Irish disability rights activists
Category:Irish motivational speakers
Category:Members of the 26th Seanad
Category:Members of the 27th Seanad
Category:Nominated members of Seanad Éireann
Category:People from Milford, County Donegal
Category:Politicians from County Donegal