Lynn Boylan

Lynn Boylan
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
Assumed office
May 2014
Constituency Dublin
Personal details
Born Lynn Boylan
(1976-11-29) 29 November 1976
Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party  Irish:
Sinn Féin
 EU:
GUE/NGL
Spouse(s) Eoin Ó Broin
Alma mater University College Dublin
Website Official website

Lynn Boylan (Irish: Lynn Ní Bhaoighealláin; born 29 November 1976) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician. She has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Dublin since the election in May 2014.[1]

Early life

Boylan grew up in the Kilnamanagh area of Tallaght.[2] Initially studying journalism and gaining a certificate, she went on to earn post-graduate qualifications from University College Dublin in Environmental Impact Assessment and European Environmental Conservation Management.[2]

Career

In 2005, Boylan moved to County Kerry while working as a coordinator for the Irish Wildlife Trust at Killarney National Park. That same year she joined Sinn Féin.

Under her Irish-language name Lynn Ní Bhaoighealláin,[3] she stood at the 2007 general election as the Sinn Féin candidate in the Kerry South constituency.[4] With only 3.5% of the first-preference votes, she was eliminated on the first count.[4] At the 2009 local elections, she stood for the Killarney electoral area of Kerry County Council, but was again unsuccessful.[3] She attributed her defeats to being an outsider: "As a Dub in Kerry the odds were stacked against me", she told the Irish Times in 2014.[3]

Dublin

Boylan returned to Dublin in 2011 to work in Ballymun[2][5] for the Global Action Plan, an environmental initiative funded by Ballymun Regeneration.[6] In 2010, she was appointed as chair of the advisory board of Safefood.[5][6]

In September 2013, Boylan was selected as the Sinn Féin candidate for the Dublin constituency at the European Parliament election in May 2014.[7] She then left her job, and as a candidate was paid a wage by Sinn Féin while she went canvassing three or four times a day.[3]

Boylan began her campaign "practically anonymous", according to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.[7] By April, Boylan was still described by the Irish Independent newspaper as a "political unknown".[8] Instead of raising her media profile, Boylan's campaign concentrated on canvassing, mostly door-to-door rather than the busier shopping centres.[7]

Despite the lack of media exposure, by late May the polls showed Boylan in the lead.[3] After voting on 23 May, Boylan won 23.6% of the first preference votes, and was elected on the third count.[4]

As the election count pointed towards Boylan's win, the Fianna Fáil candidate Mary Fitzpatrick asked: "Who could have said somebody would come from nowhere, no track record in Dublin, and still take the lead and steal the first seat and probably have a surplus?"[6]

MEP

Boylan has been one of the most prominent campaigners[9] for the release of Ibrahim Halawa, an Irish citizen from Firhouse in South Dublin who has been imprisoned in Egypt since 2013,[10] and been adopted by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience.[11] In March 2015, Boylan described Halawa as an "Irish-speaking, GAA-playing Dublin lad", and asked if the Irish Government would do more if his name was "Paddy Murphy".[12] In December 2015, Boylan sponsored a motion in the European Parliament calling Halawa's release. She introduced his two sisters to the Parliament before the vote, which passed by over 560 votes to 11.[10]

Personal life

Boylan is the partner of Eoin Ó Broin, who has been the Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West since 2016.[13]

References

  1. ↑ McGee, Harry (26 May 2014). "Lynn Boylan is first MEP to be elected in Dublin". Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2014. (subscription required (help)).
  2. 1 2 3 Moloney, Mark (2 January 2014). "Running for an all-Ireland team in Europe - Dublin EU candidate talks to An Phoblacht". An Phoblacht. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Lord, Miriam (22 May 2014). "The Sinn Féin candidate who is making a name for herself". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Lynn Boylan". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Lynn Boylan". Sinn Féin website. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Caroline, O’Doherty (22 May 2014). "Opposition finds Boylan's victory hard to swallow". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Clifford, Michael (22 May 2014). "Lynn Boylan: The new Mary Lou?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Drennan, John (27 April 2014). "'Cinderella girl' looks likely to claim capital as respectable face of Sinn Fein Nua". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  9. ↑ Brennan, Colin (2 June 2016). "Irishman Ibrahim Halawa reveals 'gruesome tortures' in Egyptian prison hell". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  10. 1 2 "MEPs pass resolution seeking Halawa release". RTÉ News. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Free Ibrahim Halawa". Amnesty International. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  12. ↑ McGreevy, Ronan (27 March 2015). "Halawa family call for public support to get brother released". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  13. ↑ Holland, Kitty (27 February 2016). "Profile: Eoin Ó Broin (SF)". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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