Building Ireland’s future

At Sinn Féin’s ard fheis, party leader Mary Lou McDonald TD told delegates that “a better future can be won”. Gareth Hamill attended the ard fheis and reports.

The 2026 ard fheis was Sinn Féin’s first since the 2024 general election, its first in the North since 2019, and took place one-year prior to scheduled Assembly and local elections in the North, as well as imminent byelections for the Dáil.

The ard fheis took place on 24 and 25 April 2026 in the International Convention Centre in Belfast, with this year’s theme being ‘Building Ireland’s Future’.

With around 700 delegates in attendance, Mary Lou McDonald TD began her address by reflecting on the anniversary of the ending of 1970 Falls Curfew, comparing the actions of Falls Road residents to recent fuel protesters who “challenged those in
power and put them [the Government] on notice that workers and families cannot take anymore”.

She criticised the Government’s response to the protest, accusing them of attempting to “buy off workers with half-measures”.

McDonald’s support for the protests received little reaction from the crowd, perhaps suggesting a lack of enthusiasm for support on the issue.

McDonald continued her criticism of the Government, saying “Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s October budget of €9.4 billion left working people worse off”, before dubbing them “an out-of-touch government with a surplus of billions”.
To tackle the cost-of-living crisis, McDonald called for an emergency budget and outlined several measures her party wants enacted:

• the complete removal of carbon tax on home heating oil and green diesel;

• the provision of electricity credits worth €400;

• a €500 cost of disability payment;

• additional support for social welfare, pensioners, child benefit, and fuel allowance; and

• a permanent cut in universal social charge for every worker.

McDonald was also critical of the Government’s record on housing which she claimed “robs [young people] of the start they deserve”, saying: “Their housing policy is for big developers, vulture funds, and corporations. We need a housing plan for workers and families. That means cutting rents and an emergency ban on rent increases.”

In line with the ard fheis theme of ‘Building Ireland’s Future’, McDonald turned her attention towards Irish unity.

She began by criticising her party’s rivals, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael: “We take no lecture from you, who believe Ireland stops at Dundalk. No lecture from you, who abandoned the six counties for over a century. And in case you do not know, Westminster does not give a damn about the north of Ireland.”

McDonald believes that unity referendums could be achieved by 2030, adding that preparations must begin now to make this a reality.

The Sinn Féin president added that her party “will bring forward legislation before the summer, compelling the Irish Government to publish a green paper, a detailed discussion on the process of Irish unity”.

Foreign policy was a key tenet of McDonald’s address, saying her party “oppose this dangerous ‘might is right’ philosophy”, referring to “Netanyahu’s genocide in Gaza, Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine, Trump’s war on Iran, and von der Leyen’s billions for the arms industry”.
McDonald called for the Occupied Territories Bill to be passed in full and for plans to scrap the ‘triple lock’ to be put to a vote as “neutrality belongs to the people”.

Unsurprisingly, condemnation of Israel was a consistent theme among other speakers across the weekend, with particular focus on Israel’s two upcoming football matches against Ireland in the UEFA Nations League in September and October 2026, with many speakers calling on the FAI to refuse to play.

International speakers

Cuban ambassador to the UK Ismara Vargas Walter and Palestinian activist Arab Barghouti also addressed delegates. Vargas Walter spoke about the effect US blockades are having on her country and thanked the party for their solidarity with Cuba.

Barghouti spoke about the imprisonment of his father, Marwan Barghouti, and Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Marwan Barghouti, who has been referred to as ‘the Nelson Mandela of Palestine’, has been imprisoned for 24 years.

During the Second Intifada in 2000, Barghouti was the leader of Tanzim, a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.

He was also considered to be the leading candidate to replace Yasser Arafat as the President of Palestine.

Barghouti was arrested and sentenced by an Israeli military court in 2002 to five consecutive life sentences for orchestrating attacks on Israelis, which he has consistently denied.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union heavily criticised the trial and found that Barghouti had been subjected to “numerous breaches of international law”.

Arab Barghouti also thanked Sinn Féin for its “unwavering support for justice, freedom, and dignity” and told delegates: “The day will come when you will visit a free Palestine.”

While both speakers were warmly received with standing ovations, Barghouti’s words appeared to resonate more with the crowd, who erupted into chants of “free, free Palestine” following his address.

Fox hunting ban

While, as usual, nearly all motions were passed without opposition, there was a contentious vote over a motion to support a ban on fox hunting, which was eventually carried following extensive debate which included a passionate speech by Cavan-Monaghan TD Matt Carthy, who argued against the motion.

In addition, the party’s Ard Comhairle submitted a motion to recognise that “hunting in Ireland dates back thousands of years with mythology and examples such as Cú Chulainn the ‘Hound of Ulster’”.

McDonald, who said she backed Sinn Féin’s support of fox hunting in December 2025, said: “The decisions on policy… are made by the membership. That is a sign of the robust good health of Sinn Féin.”

Analysis

Much of the pre-conference discussion focused on McDonald’s future as Sinn Féin leader, but she was quick to dismiss those rumours and committed to leading the party into the next general election.

This ard fheis proved to be little more than a successful rallying of the troops. In spite of speculation published by The Times prior to the ard fheis, McDonald is likely to be secure in her leadership position for the time being.

While the landslide victory of the Sinn Féin-endorsed Catherine Connolly in the presidential election in October 2025 will have increased party confidence, the upcoming byelections in Dublin Central and Galway West may provide a more accurate picture of the party’s popularity.

In her address, McDonald directly appealed to voters in those constituencies, perhaps highlighting an understanding of the importance of the races in building momentum for Sinn Féin.