Michelle O’Neill’s right-hand man moves South to guide strategy for Mary Lou McDonald

Stephen McGlade is an accomplished Sinn Féin backroom operative with vast experience and a talent for looking to the futureSinn Fein adviser Stephen McGlade with party president Mary Lou McDonald, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Ms McDonald's chief of staff Dawn Doyle.

The emphasis was all about the future; O’Neill acknowledged different and changing identities and aspirations and, addressing unionists directly, pledged to be “inclusive and respectful” toward them., he has modernised and professionalised the party’s approach and has been credited with softening O’Neill’s image after she took over from McGuinness and helping her grow into the role of deputy first minister from 2020 to early 2022.

From a republican family in west Belfast, 44-year-old McGlade is married with two young children and lives in Carrickmore, Co Tyrone. Eoin Ó Broin, the Sinn Féin TD and the party’s spokesman on housing, is believed to have been responsible for recruiting McGlade into Sinn Féin Youth in 1997. McGlade became involved in community and political activism and joined the party staff in 2007 as special adviser to the then regional development minister, Conor Murphy.

For Tonge, it demonstrates the party’s priorities are “very much focused on the election down South” and preparing for what the party hopes will be a spell in government for Sinn Féin. The pool of experience built up in the North, where it has been in government since 2007, means it has the capacity to draft in reinforcements.

Michelle-O-Neill Mary-Lou-Mcdonald Martin-Mcguinness Belfast Stormont-Assembly Northern-Ireland

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