Cynthia Ní Mhurchú facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
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Ní Mhurchú in 2024
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| Member of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 17 July 2024 |
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| Constituency | South |
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Cynthia Murphy
1966 (age 58–59) Carlow, Ireland |
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| Spouse | John Kavanagh |
| Children | 2 |
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Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, born in 1966, is an Irish politician. She is a member of the Fianna Fáil political party. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a barrister (a type of lawyer) and a radio host for RTÉ. Since July 2024, she has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the South area of Ireland. Many people remember her for co-hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 in Dublin with Gerry Ryan.
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About Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
Early Life and Education
Cynthia Murphy was born in Carlow, Ireland. Her parents were Brendan and Columba Murphy. When she was fifteen, she changed her surname to the Irish version, Ní Mhurchú.
She went to Holy Family Askea Girls School and St Leo's College. Later, she studied at Carysfort College. There, she trained to become a primary school teacher.
Career Before Politics
Ní Mhurchú started her career as a teacher. She taught at an Irish language school in Carlow. After teaching, she spent ten years working in media. She was a journalist and presenter for RTÉ and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. She also worked as a freelancer.
During the 1990s, she presented the RTÉ Lotto draw. She also hosted Cúrsaí, an Irish language news show. A big moment in her career was co-hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. She presented the show with Gerry Ryan. She has also written online articles about education and careers.
After leaving RTÉ, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú became a barrister. This means she became a lawyer who represents people in court.
Political Journey
Joining Fianna Fáil
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú joined the Fianna Fáil political party. She felt the party strongly supported the Irish language. In 1992, Fianna Fáil asked her to run in an election. This was for the Dublin South-East area. However, she decided not to run at that time. She wanted to focus on her law studies instead.
Becoming an MEP
Fianna Fáil chose Ní Mhurchú to run in the 2024 European Parliament election. She ran for the South constituency. This is a large area in Ireland.
She received 55,209 first preference votes. She was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) on the 20th count. She officially started her role in July 2024.
Ní Mhurchú describes her political views as "centrist." This means her views are generally in the middle, not too far left or right. She says she is "slightly left of centre."
Personal Life
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is married to John Kavanagh. They have two children together. She is also a fluent speaker of the Irish language.
See also
- List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters
