Profile

Irish republican politician from Northern Ireland and a senior member of Sinn Féin. He has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim since 2016 and was a Junior Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive from 2020 to 2022. He is active on issues such as workers’ rights, EU affairs, and Irish unity. In 2024, he spoke in Johannesburg at a global anti-apartheid conference for Palestine, calling for a campaign similar to what ended apartheid in South Africa, and addressed a solidarity rally in Belfast calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.  In November 2022, Kearney publicly urged the Irish government to formally recognize the State of Palestine.