Rose Conway-Walsh

Rose Conway-Walsh (née Conway; born 1969/1970) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo constituency since the 2020 general election. She previously served as a Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad and a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2016 to 2020.^[2][3]

Rose Conway-Walsh TD
Conway-Walsh in 2024
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2020
Constituency	Mayo
Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad
In office 8 June 2016 – 9 February 2020
Leader	Gerry Adams Mary Lou McDonald
Preceded by	David Cullinane
Succeeded by	Niall Ó Donnghaile
Senator
In office 8 June 2016 – 8 February 2020
Constituency	Agricultural Panel
Personal details
Born	Rose Conway 1969/1970 (age 55–56)[1] Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland
Political party	Sinn Féin
Spouse	Noel Walsh ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	2
Education	Our Lady's, Belmullet
Alma mater	NUI Galway
Website	roseconwaywalsh.ie

Early life

Conway-Walsh grew up in Ballycroy, County Mayo and is one of nine children. She attended primary school in Ballycroy before attending Our Lady's Secondary School in Belmullet.^[4] She moved to London when she was 19. On returning to Ireland, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in public management and a Master's degree in Local Government from NUI Galway.^[5] Prior to entering politics, she worked in community development.^[6]

Political career

Conway-Walsh has been a member of Sinn Féin's Ard Comhairle since 1990.^[6] She founded the Sinn Féin Mayo Women's Movement in response to the lack of women in politics.^[7]

In 2009, she was elected to Mayo County Council for the Belmullet local area, becoming the first female councillor ever elected in Belmullet.^[6] She was re-elected in 2014, topping the poll and being elected on the first count.^[8]

She was elected to the Seanad in 2016, topping the poll in the Agricultural Panel and being deemed elected on the first count.^[9]

She was an unsuccessful candidate for the Mayo constituency at the 2011 and 2016 general elections,^[10] before winning election in 2020. Conway-Walsh is the first Sinn Féin TD to represent County Mayo in almost 100 years; the last Sinn Féin TD to be elected in Mayo was John Madden in June 1927.^[11]

In July 2021 she attracted criticism for comparing segregated reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic to the segregation of the American South and the struggle of Rosa Parks, for which she later apologised.^[12][13]

She is the party's spokesperson on Higher Education, Innovation, and Science.

At the 2024 general election, Conway-Walsh was re-elected to the Dáil. She was subsequently appointed Cathaoirleach of the Committee on Defence and National Security.^[14]

Personal life

Conway married Noel Walsh in 2000. They live in Belmullet with their two sons.^[4]