Jennifer McCann

Jennifer McCann
Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister
In office 12 June 2012 – 25 June 2016 Serving with Jonathan Bell, Michelle McIlveen and Emma Pengelly[a]
Deputy FM	Martin McGuinness
Preceded by	Martina Anderson
Succeeded by	Megan Fearon
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast West
In office 7 March 2007 – 6 December 2016
Preceded by	Diane Dodds
Succeeded by	Órlaithí Flynn
Personal details
Born	(1960-03-01) 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 an Irish republican former politician in Northern Ireland, who was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Sinn Féin member for Belfast West. She resigned from the Assembly in December 2016.

Early life

McCann was born in the Twinbrook area of Belfast, and was friends with Bobby Sands and his sister Bernadette. She joined the republican movement as a schoolgirl, becoming a member of Cumann na mBan then joining the Provisional Irish Republican Army aged 17. McCann was arrested aged 20, after shooting a Royal Ulster Constabulary police officer, and subsequently sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment.

Political career

McCann was released from prison after serving just over ten years of her sentence, and began working for Sinn Féin in the POW Department and Women's Department. She is active on a number of projects in her community, including the Sally Gardens Community Centre Committee, the Safer Neighbourhoods Project, the Colin Community Festival, and the Falls Community Council's Community Drugs Programme.

Personal life

McCann is married to former IRA prisoner Rab Kerr, with whom she has three children.

Sources

• Bobby Sands was a great role model – he was never arrogant Sunday Tribune (archived), 12 November 2007
• Northern Ireland Assembly West Belfast MLAs Stratagem NI