Dáire Hughes
Dáire Hughes | |
|---|---|
 Hughes in 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Newry and Armagh | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Mickey Brady |
| Majority | 15,493 (33.7%) |
| Mayor of Newry and Mourne | |
| In office 25 May 2014 – 2015 | |
| Deputy | Brian Quinn |
| Preceded by | Michael Ruane |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Member of Newry and Mourne District Council for The Fews | |
| In office January 2014 – 22 May 2014 | |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1989 or 1990 (age 34–35)[1] Newry, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Dáire Hughes (born 1990) is an Irish politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Newry and Armagh since 2024. He is the former and youngest ever Mayor of Newry and Mourne District Council representing Sinn Féin.
Early life and education
[edit]Hughes is from the Meadow in Newry, Ireland. He was educated at St Patrick's Primary School and St Colman's College before attending Queen's University Belfast in Belfast.[2]
Hughes has served as a Union representative and has worked in the community voluntary sector in Newry and Armagh.[2]
Political Career
[edit]Dáire was coopted onto Newry and Mourne District Council for Sinn Féin, and chosen by the party as the youngest-ever mayor on the council.[2] Dáire failed to secure a seat to the new Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
Dáire then served as a political advisor to the Sinn Féin team in the European Parliament, working on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee and the Delegation for Relations with Palestine. Following the 2015 British General Election, Dáire focused on the work of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, charting the impending Brexit referendum.
Dáire was appointed as Sinn Féin's political manager in the European Parliament, working with MEPs Martina Anderson, Matt Carthy, Lynn Boylan and Liadh Ní Riada.
Following the end of the 2014-2019 mandate, Hughes took up a position within Sinn Féin majoring on the growing debate on Irish unity.
In early 2020, Dáire was appointed Leas Ard Runaí (Deputy General Secretary) of Sinn Féin.
2024-present
[edit]In May 2024, Sinn Féin announced that Hughes would run in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, to succeed retiring Sinn Féin politician Mickey Brady as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Newry and Armagh. [3]
Hughes won the seat with 22,299 votes 15,493 more than the next highest performing candidate.[4] Hughes received 2,012 more votes than Brady received in the previous election.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ McKenna, Micheal (11 June 2014). "Dáire Hughes elected Mayor of Newry & Mourne". Armagh I. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b c O'Hare, Columba (27 May 2024). "Dáire Hughes selected by Sinn Féin to Contest Westminster Election". Newry.ie. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Former Mayor of Newry and Mourne, Dáire Hughes, selected to be Sinn Féin candidate in Westminster election". Newry Reporter. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ "Newry and Armagh - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ Graham, Seanín (5 July 2024). "Sinn Féin's Dáire Hughes takes Newry and Armagh seat with ease". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
External links
[edit]
- Living people
- Sinn Féin MPs (post-1921)
- UK MPs 2024–present
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Newry and Armagh (since 1983)
- Trade unionists from Northern Ireland
- People educated at St Colman's College, Newry
- Alumni of Queen's University Belfast
- Sinn Féin councillors in Northern Ireland
- Members of Newry and Mourne District Council
- People from Newry
- Politicians from County Armagh