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Cynthia Ní Mhurchú

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Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
17 July 2024
ConstituencySouth
Personal details
Born
Cynthia Murphy

1966 (age 57–58)
Carlow, Ireland
Political party
SpouseJohn Kavanagh[1]
Children2
Education
Occupation
  • Barrister
  • radio host
  • journalist
  • teacher
  • politician

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (Irish pronunciation: [n̠ʲiː ˈwʊɾˠəxuː]; born 1966) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, barrister and former radio host with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) who has served as a Member of the European Parliament for the South constituency since July 2024. She presented Eurovision Song Contest 1994 in Dublin along with Gerry Ryan.

Early life

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Cynthia Murphy was born in Carlow. Her parents were Brendan Murphy and Columba Murphy (née Brophy). Her mother was involved in local Fine Gael politics in Carlow. She adopted the Irish language version of her surname, Ní Mhurchú, at the age of fifteen.[1] She attended Holy Family Askea Girls School, St Leo's College and Carysfort College, where she trained as a primary school teacher.[1]

Career

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Ní Mhurchú initially worked as a teacher in an Irish language school in Carlow and then spent ten years working as a journalist and presenter in RTÉ, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and as a freelancer. During the 1990s, she presented RTÉ's Lotto draw and the Irish language current affairs broadcast, Cúrsaí.[2] She has also been a web columnist for several years and has written extensively on education, training and careers.

She became a barrister after leaving RTÉ.[3]

Political career

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Ní Mhurchú joined Fianna Fáil as she felt it supported the Irish language.[4] In 1992, Ní Mhurchú was approached by the party to run in Dublin South-East in the 1992 Irish general election but declined the offer as she wanted to study for the bar.[1]

She was selected by Fianna Fáil to contest the South constituency at the 2024 European Parliament election.[5] Ní Mhurchú received 55,209 (8.0%) first preference votes and was elected on the 20th count.[6]

Ní Mhurchú has described her political views as "centrist, slightly left of centre."[7]

Personal life

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Ní Mhurchú is married to John Kavanagh and has two children.[1] She is a fluent Irish speaker.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Slater, Sarah (17 March 2024). "Former RTÉ presenter Cynthia Ní Mhurchú to contest Euro elections". Carlow Nationalist. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ Bannon Ward, Shauna (2 April 2024). "RTE star Cynthia Ni Mhurchu's new life with childhood sweetheart as she turns to politics". RSVP Live. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  3. ^ Murphy, Catherine (16 October 2011). "Female TV Presenters: There is only one Queen Bee". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 16 October 2011. Other female faces from the 1990s also moved on from their TV careers — among them Ciana Campbell who now works in PR in the west of Ireland, and Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, now a barrister.
  4. ^ Sheridan, Kathy. "'Celebrity' election candidates: On the campaign trail with Ciaran Mullooly, Nina Carberry and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  5. ^ Horgan-Jones, Jack (7 March 2024). "Former RTÉ presenter Cynthia Ní Mhurchú to run for Fianna Fáil in European elections". The Irish Times.
  6. ^ "European Elections: South". RTÉ News. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Fianna Fail's Ni Mhurchu 'humbled' with vote lining her up for MEP seat". www.limerickleader.ie. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  8. ^ O'Connell, Hugh (7 March 2024). "From Eurovision to the European elections – a familiar RTÉ face has been recruited to run for Fianna Fáil". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
[edit]
Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest presenter
(with Gerry Ryan)
1994 		Succeeded by
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