Michelle Gildernew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Gildernew
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Official portrait, 2014
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| Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development | |
| In office 8 May 2007 – 4 May 2011 |
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| First Minister | |
| Preceded by | Bríd Rodgers |
| Succeeded by | Michelle O'Neill |
| Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone |
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| In office 8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Tom Elliot |
| Succeeded by | Pat Cullen |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ken Maginnis |
| Succeeded by | Tom Elliott |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Fermanagh and South Tyrone |
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| In office 5 May 2016 – 9 June 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Bronwyn McGahan |
| Succeeded by | Colm Gildernew |
| In office 25 June 1998 – 1 July 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Bronwyn McGahan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 March 1970 Dungannon, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Jimmy Taggart |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Colm Gildernew (brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Ulster |
Michelle Angela Gildernew, born on March 28, 1970, is an Irish former politician from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She was a member of the Sinn Féin political party.
She served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone from 2017 to 2024. Before that, she held the same seat from 2001 to 2015.
Michelle Gildernew was also a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. She held this role from 1998 to 2012 and again from 2016 to 2017. She also served as the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive.
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Early Life and Education
Michelle Gildernew was born in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. She went to St Catherine's College Armagh for her schooling. Later, she studied at the University of Ulster in Coleraine.
After finishing university, she traveled a lot. She explored different countries in Europe, the United States, and Australia. She even worked in Australia for a year.
Michelle comes from a large family with ten siblings. Her family has a history of being involved in politics. In the 1960s, her family were important figures in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. They took part in a protest in 1968 about unfair housing.
Political Journey
Michelle Gildernew returned to Northern Ireland in 1996. She became a representative for Sinn Féin in London. She was part of the first Sinn Féin group to visit Downing Street.
In 1998, she was elected as an MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. She kept this seat in elections held in 2003 and 2007. Michelle has always supported women's and mothers' rights in her campaigns.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In the 2001 UK general election, Michelle Gildernew was elected to the UK Parliament. She became the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. She was the first woman from her party to be elected to the House of Commons in over 80 years.
Like other Sinn Féin MPs, she followed a policy called abstentionism. This means she did not take her seat in Westminster, even though she was elected five times.
She was re-elected in 2005, winning by a larger number of votes. In the 2010 election, she won her seat by a very small margin of just four votes.
In 2015, she lost her seat to Tom Elliott. However, she won it back in the 2017 election. In 2019, she was re-elected again. This time, she won by only 57 votes, making it the closest election result in the UK.
Minister for Agriculture
During her time as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle Gildernew worked on important issues. She helped deal with problems like an outbreak of bluetongue disease. She also worked to improve cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on farming matters.
European Parliament Election and Retirement
In January 2024, Michelle Gildernew was announced as a candidate for the 2024 European Parliament election in Ireland. She ran for the Midlands–North-West area.
In May 2024, she announced that she would step down as an MP. This allowed her to focus on her campaign for the European elections. In the election, she received many votes but was not elected.
In May 2025, Michelle Gildernew was one of five Sinn Féin employees who lost their jobs. This happened because the party made big changes to its structure.
Family Life
Michelle Gildernew is married to Jimmy Taggart. They have two sons and one daughter.
