Sinn Féin's Liadh Ní Riada 'relieved' to leave 'vicious game' of politics 

Forner Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada: 'Your private life is no longer your own.' Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Former Sinn Féin MEP and presidential candidate Liadh Ní Riada has described her decision to leave the “vicious game” of politics as a “huge relief” after stepping down as the party’s general election hope for Cork North West.

Ms Ní Riada said online abuse of politicians is “dreadful and getting worse”, with female representatives “targeted very unfairly”.

“It’s not only the women but their partners, the extended family. Nothing is off the table,” she said. “Your private life is no longer your own. I think that’s grossly unfair and it wouldn’t happen in any other position except politics. It’s open season.” 

The youngest daughter of composer Seán Ó Riada, she was elected MEP for Ireland South in 2014, losing her seat in 2019 having made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency the previous year.

After a period as an Irish language planning officer, she is now employed as director of the Ionad Cultúrtha arts centre near her Baile Mhic Íre home. 

Ms Ní Riada, 56, said she “didn’t really want to go back into the pit of politics” despite selection by Sinn Féin as a Dáil candidate.

 “I’m at an age where I’ve had to re-evaluate what my priorities are and spending time at home with family is important to me and that’s why I made the decision to leave.”

A mother of three, she said her family was “hugely supportive”, but “when I left for Europe my youngest was only seven and that was really tough on them and tough on me.

“When I lost the seat that’s when I realised how tough it actually had been on them that I wasn’t at home for four nights of the week. Even when you are at home your head is still in a different space because you’re constantly looking at news, getting briefs, and looking at policies so you’re not really there.” 

'I am still a Sinn Féin supporter'

Weighing Sinn Féin’s chances of breaking Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael’s Dáil stranglehold in Cork North West, she said: “It’s a very conservative constituency but I certainly think there’s a seat there for a strong female candidate and hopefully a Sinn Féin candidate.”

She said her decision to leave frontline politics was “a huge relief and a weight lifted off my shoulders”.

“I’m still a Sinn Féin supporter but I think that politics has become quite a vicious game,” she said, adding that online abuse has become part of politics and she was adept at blocking ‘trolls’.

“I wouldn’t even repeat what some of these trolls have said but they weren’t very nice. That’s just the nature of these keyboard warriors that they think they can say anything,” she said.

“We need women in politics but it’s a really tough place for anyone to be in and you have to go into it with your eyes wide open.”