Latest news with #Derry-based
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Who is Deirdre Heenan? The professor tipped for FF Áras bid
The race for who will be Fianna Fáil's presidential candidate remains open but party members believe that Derry-based academic Deirdre Heenan is ticking a lot of the right boxes. It is reported that Deirdre is An Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micháel Martin's preferred choice of candidate due to her political likeness to Mary McAleese. has taken an in-depth look at the Ulster University professor and the background that has led her to potentially run for Áras an Uachtaráin. Deirdre Heenan with President Michael D Higgins in 2018. Pic: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland Born in Annaclone, Co Down, Deirdre was educated at Banbridge Academy and Ulster University. Now, she lives in Derry with her husband and three sons. Deirdre is a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University and a former Provost of its Coleraine and Magee campuses. She is a member of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences and has published widely on healthcare, education policy, social care and devolution. In 2001, Deirdre was the recipient of a Distinguished Teaching Award and this was followed by a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy in 2006. Professor Deirdre Heenan with former US president Bill Clinton At the University of Ulster in 2010. Pic: Paul Faith –Two years later, she secured an ESRC fellowship and spent nine months as policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. In 2011, she was appointed by the health minister to join a five strong panel of experts to oversee a radical review of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland and the following year, she was appointed to the Council of State by President Michael D Higgins. Professor Deirdre Heehan posing for a selfie with former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to Lifford Bridge in 2018. Pic: Liam McBurney – Pool/Getty Images Deirdre is described by Ulster University as a 'distinguished researcher, author and broadcaster'. Many Fianna Fáil sources told that they first came across the 58-year-old when she spoke at a party event in UCD to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. They said: 'I wasn't surprised to hear her name as she ticks a lot of Mary McAleese boxes. She was very impressive when she spoke at the Good Friday event and would fit the mould of what Micheál (Martin) would want. 'She was very impressive, and really challenging about the Good Friday Agreement. She spoke about how too many people sit back and applaud the GFA, when, in her view, it is not yet complete, and that we can't afford to rest on our laurels.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
'I haven't made up my mind': Éamon Ó Cuiv yet to decide on run for presidency
Former Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuiv is the latest name to be touted as a possible Fianna Fáil presidential candidate with the former Galway West TD saying he is waiting for the party to confirm it is running a candidate. Mr Ó Cuiv said he hadn't 'made up his mind' on a run, but indicated he would be interested in the role. He said there needs to be two decisions by Fianna Fáil ahead of his confirmation, one of which is whether or not the party would run a candidate. The second block is whether there would be a candidate selected by the party's leadership or if there would be an open contest. 'Until the process is clear, I haven't made up my mind. It's a way down the road,' Mr Ó Cuiv said. Mr Ó Cuiv, who stood down at the last general election, is the grandson of former Taoiseach, President and Fianna Fáil founder Eamon de Valera. He said grassroots members from across the country have approached him asking him to run. Mr Ó Cuiv said the election itself is 'very unpredictable' and it is hard to get a fix on support levels for the current frontrunners, as the field is not yet complete. At present, the only two candidates confirmed to be running are Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness and independent TD Catherine Connolly. It comes amid speculation that former chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, could be considering a tilt at the presidency and that Fianna Fáil could be interested. One Fianna Fáil TD said the party would be 'mad' to consider running Mr Holohan, while another said there was 'too much baggage' around the former chief medical officer following the covid-19 pandemic. Party sources have said they believe any candidate run by the party must be of high calibre, warning against running a candidate who would only act as 'a sweeper' for Ms McGuinness. Fianna Fáil TDs have said there is not a lot of excitement around some names suggested to be the Fianna Fáil candidate, including Mr Holohan and Derry-based academic Deirdre Heenan – who was suggested on Monday as a possible contender for the party. Catherine Connolly has already secured the 20 Oireachtas votes to get on the ballot paper. File photo: Sasko Lazarov / © Meanwhile, it is understood the Green Party is seeking to meet with Ms Connolly later this week, ahead of any decision to back the independent candidate. While Ms Connolly has already secured the 20 Oireachtas votes to get on the ballot paper, if she secures the Green Party support it would be a third party – alongside the Social Democrats and People Before Profit – to back her campaign. A final decision on whether to back Ms Connolly would come down to a decision by the Green Party's national executive, it is understood. Over the weekend, Lord of the Dance and Riverdance star Michael Flatley said he was 'seriously considering' running in the upcoming election. However, former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte confirmed he is not interested in running for the presidency, saying his comments over the weekend should not have been taken seriously.
The Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Fianna Fáil staying schtum on presidential election, but here's the names in the mix (so far)
FIANNA FÁIL IS keeping its cards close to its chest on who it might run for president, but there are plenty of names in the mix. So far, we have two candidates in the race declared, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness and Independent Galway TD Catherine Connolly, who has the backing from the Social Democrats and other independents. While Fine Gael is out early, Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that his party are still taking soundings, indicating that it will be autumn before any name might be put forward. In an interview with The Journal recently , the Taoiseach said whoever it is should be above party politics. Over the weekend, Fianna Fáiler Mary Hanafin , who has said she is open to being asked to run for the party, said it would be an insult if Fianna Fáil chose not to put someone forward as a candidate. The Journal / YouTube With a vacuum of information, it leaves lots of room for speculation, and indeed, a lot of names have been floated. The latest name mentioned is Derry-based Ulster University professor Deirdre Heenan , who the Irish Independent reports today is understood to be in the final stages of negotiations to contest the presidential election on behalf of Fianna Fáil. Heenan was formerly Provost and Dean of Academic Development at the Magee Campus in Derry and in 2012 she was appointed to the Irish President's Council of State as one of the seven personal nominees of President Michael D Higgins. Advertisement Senior sources told The Journal that such speculation is merely 'rumour' stating that 'nothing' should be made of the reports. There have been lots of names put forward as to who Fianna Fáil might go for, with Hanafin, as mentioned above, coming forward a couple of weeks ago stating she would happily like to be asked to run. Independent senator and businessman Aubrey McCarthy has also been mentioned in the mix. He expressed an interest in a possible bid to become president in March, stating that he had been contacted by a number of people who asked him to consider entering the race for Áras an Uachtaráin. McCarthy, founder of homeless and addiction charity Tiglin, went further last month, telling Virgin Media News that the presidency was 'something to consider'. Peter Power , another former minister from the party who now heads Unicef Ireland, has also been mentioned as a possibility. Power, aged 59, was a TD for the party for Limerick East up until the financial crash. He then began as the head of Unicef Ireland in 2012 and has remained there since. He is a qualified solicitor. Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher has also been mentioned as possible party presidential nomination, with some local reports that grassroots members would like to see him run. Former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has also spoken about possibly being open to becoming the party's candidate for the Irish presidency. However, Martin has said he is not aware of any discussions with Eastwood. The Journal / YouTube Speaking to The Journal at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties over the weekend, he clarified that there has been no discussions with the leadership of Fianna Fáil on the matter. He did state that people within the party had asked him to consider it, which he said he is doing. Related Reads Michael Flatley coy about possible presidential run Catherine Connolly, presidential hopeful, gave her first press conference today — here's what she said Forget the presidency - Joe Duffy is now doing ads for Lidl Eastwood said he believes people want a president to have a vision for the future and ideas on how to heal the island. He acknowledged that he wouldn't be able to vote for himself if he did run, but said there should be nothing stopping anyone from the island of Ireland from running for president. Another name that has been reported is former Irish soccer international Niall Quinn , with The Irish Time reporting recently that he might get the blessing of Fianna Fáil, however there has been no indications, as of yet, that he is pivoting towards run for the presidency. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern , who has long been talked about as a possible candidate, is understood to still be mulling over a potential bid. Other new runners and riders, though not necessarily linked to Fianna Fáil, that emerged over the weekend included former chief medical officer Tony Holohan. The Irish Mail on Sunday reported that 'plans are in progress' for Dr Holohan to announce his candidacy but it remains unclear whether he will be backed by a political party. Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers told RTÉ's This Week yesterday he was 'not aware of any engagements' between Fianna Fáil and Holohan on the matter. Yesterday, Riverdance star Michael Flatley also indicated that he might be open to running for the president. Again, there is no information as to whether he would get backing from a political party. Who will get the final nod from Fianna Fáil? The Taoiseach has said it will be autumn before the party makes its intentions known. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Post
Protest and policing concerns echo past bans
Honorary Professor of Practice at Queen's University Belfast BRIAN DOOLEY reports on a London symposium on human rights Gareth Peirce (image by Martin Gavin) AT A SOLD-OUT event in London, prominent human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce compared the recent crackdown on free speech over Palestine at Glastonbury with the banning of the 1988 Song Streets of Sorrow/The Birmingham Six. Peirce's legal career has involved representing members of the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four — all wrongly sentenced to long years in prison for IRA activity including terrorism — and was part of the legal team representing Kneecap's Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh who was charged under terrorism legislation for allegedly display a flag supporting Hezbollah. The charges were subsequently dropped The event at St Ethelburga's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation also discussed the wider repression of protest in Britain, and the findings of an international panel of experts into British state impunity during the Northern Ireland conflict. Dr Aoife Duffy, Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex and a member of the expert panel explained why, after examining hundreds of cases of killings, torture and collusion, we had concluded in our report Bitter Legacy that there had been 'widespread, systemic and systematic' impunity afforded to British security forces during the conflict. Paul O'Connor of the Derry-based Pat Finucane Centre, briefed on the Sean Brown case, and why holding a full independent public inquiry into the 1997 Loyalist paramilitary murder of the GAA man was now the only sensible option left to find out the truth about what happened. Daniel Holder of the Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice provided context on latest efforts to reform and repeal the controversial Legacy Act, and why many families of the bereaved want the current mechanisms overhauled or scrapped, and replaced with better access to justice. Human rights lawyer Rajiv Menon spoke about the fight for justice for the families of those killed in the Hillsborough football disaster, and emphasised how it was years of campaigning by bereaved relatives of those killed which finally achieved a measure of truth about what happened, a sentiment echoed by Deborah Coles, Executive Director of INQUEST in the context of her work on deaths in police custody in England and Wales. The discussion provided a stark reminder that what happens in Britain has many echoes of the experience of Northern Ireland, in terms of a lack of police accountability, a dismissal of campaigns by bereaved families, and the long, slow struggle for justice. Brian Dooley is a member of the independent panel of experts on British impunity, senior advisor at NGO Human Rights First, and Honorary Professor of Practice at Queen's University Belfast reports on a London event focused on truth and accountability See More: Brian Dooley, Gareth Peirce, Human Rights
Belfast Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
How NI entrepreneur hopes to make a mint from lint: ‘I left my job civil service job after 20 years to follow my passion'
A Derry-based entrepreneur is hoping to make a mint from lint, as she turns discarded fluff into soundproofing and artistic materials, and has plans to use it for home and office interiors.
