Jennifer McCann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer McCann
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| Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister | |
| In office 12 June 2012 – 25 June 2016 Serving with Jonathan Bell, Michelle McIlveen and Emma Pengelly
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| Deputy FM | Martin McGuinness |
| Preceded by | Martina Anderson |
| Succeeded by | Megan Fearon |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast West |
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| In office 7 March 2007 – 6 December 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Diane Dodds |
| Succeeded by | Órlaithí Flynn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1960 Twinbrook, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Rab Kerr |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Jennifer McCann MLA |
| a. Served alongside Emma Pengelly until 25 May 2016 | |
Jennifer McCann (born 1 March 1960) is a former politician from Northern Ireland. She was a member of the Sinn Féin political party. From 2007 to 2016, she served in the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is the government for Northern Ireland. She represented the area of Belfast West.
Early Life and Activism
Jennifer McCann was born in the Twinbrook area of Belfast. As a young girl, she was friends with Bobby Sands, who later became a well-known figure in Irish history.
When she was a teenager, McCann became involved in the Irish republican movement. This was a group of people who believed that all of Ireland should be one independent country, separate from the United Kingdom. Because of her activities during a time of conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, she was sent to prison at the age of 20. She was released after serving about ten years.
Political Career
After her release, McCann began working for the Sinn Féin party. She focused on helping former prisoners and supporting women's issues.
In 2007, she was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belfast West. An MLA is like a representative who helps make laws and decisions for their region. She held this role until she resigned in December 2016.
From 2012 to 2016, she also served as a Junior Minister. In this job, she helped the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness.
Community Work
McCann was also very active in her local community. She worked with several groups to improve her neighborhood. These included the Sally Gardens Community Centre and the Falls Community Council. She helped with projects to make neighborhoods safer and organized community events.
Personal Life
Jennifer McCann is married to Rab Kerr, who was also involved in the republican movement. They have three children together.
