Lucilita Bhreatnach facts for kids

Lucilita Bhreatnach is an Irish republican politician from Ireland. She is a member of the political party Sinn Fein. From 1996 to 1998, Lucilita Bhreatnach was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum. This was an important group that discussed the future of Northern Ireland.

Lucilita Bhreatnach's Political Journey

Early Life and Activism

Lucilita Bhreatnach grew up in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. When she was sixteen, she joined Sinn Féin, a political party that supports a united Ireland.

She was very active in her community from a young age. She helped lead local groups that promoted the Irish language and culture, like Dúchas (part of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann) and Ógras. She also taught Irish to young people.

Lucilita was also involved in groups that worked for fairness and human rights. She was part of the Women's Section of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, which fought against unfair treatment in South Africa. She also worked with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, which protects people's rights in Ireland.

Her parents were also active in important causes. Her father, Deasún Breatnach, was a journalist. Her mother, Lucy Bhreatnach, was a member of Amnesty International and the Irish Council of Civil Liberties.

In 1982, Lucilita started working for An Phoblacht, which is Sinn Féin's newspaper. Later, she worked in the party's international department, dealing with foreign affairs. She also helped organize a union for part-time cleaning workers at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin.

Rising Through the Ranks

In 1986, Lucilita Bhreatnach was elected to Sinn Féin's Ard Chomhairle. This is the party's main decision-making body. Two years later, in 1988, she became the party's General Secretary. This was a very important role, and she helped guide Sinn Féin through many changes.

In 1994, she ran in the European Parliament election for the Leinster area. Although she didn't win, her participation was important.

Serving in the Northern Ireland Forum

In 1996, Lucilita Bhreatnach was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum. This Forum was set up to discuss political issues in Northern Ireland. She was chosen from Sinn Féin's "top-up" list, which means she was elected based on the party's overall vote, rather than winning a specific local area.

She played a key role in important discussions with the British and Irish governments, other political parties, and community leaders. She was part of the Sinn Féin team that worked towards the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. This agreement was a major step towards peace in Northern Ireland.

Later Roles and Focus on Equality

From 1999 to 2002, Lucilita was the Director of Sinn Féin's Electoral Department. In this role, she helped plan for elections, including the 2001 United Kingdom general election.

In 2003, she stepped down as General Secretary. She took on a new role focusing on equality within the party. She worked to improve gender equality and encourage more women to take part in decision-making roles within Sinn Féin. She organized training sessions and helped create new rules for how people are chosen for elections and party positions. In 2003, she also organized a conference called "Engine for Change — Women and Equality."

Lucilita later worked as a freelance journalist, writing for the Irish language newspaper Lá. In 2007, she was appointed to Foras na Gaeilge, an important organization that promotes the Irish language across the whole island of Ireland.

She also worked with the 'IDEAS Institute' and the SIPTU trade union. She helped organize training courses for workers, especially those who lost their jobs during an economic downturn. These courses helped people learn new skills for new jobs.

More recently, Lucilita Bhreatnach became a 'Uniting Ireland Co-Ordinator' for Sinn Féin. In this role, she worked to encourage discussions about the benefits of a united Ireland. She helped organize conferences in cities like Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Derry, where many people from different backgrounds came together to talk about this important topic.

See also

• Breathnach