John Finucane (Sinn Féin politician)


John Finucane is an Irish lawyer, footballer, and Sinn Féin politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Belfast North constituency of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom since the 2019 general election.

Early life

He is the son of the Irish human rights lawyer Pat Finucane who was murdered in 1989 at his family home by loyalist paramilitaries, a murder that BBC News called "one of the most controversial killings during The Troubles."

Political career

In the 2017 United Kingdom general election Finucane contested the Belfast North parliamentary constituency on behalf of Sinn Féin, Finucane secured Sinn Féin's highest vote share ever gained in the constituency but failed to unseat Nigel Dodds.
In 2019 Finucane ran for Belfast City Council in the Castle DEA. He ran against his former St Malachy's College classmates Mal O'Hara of the Green Party and Carl Whyte of the SDLP. Finucane won 1,650 placing him second in the poll behind Nuala McAllister of the Alliance Party.
He was elected Lord Mayor of Belfast in May 2019. Shortly after being elected Lord Mayor at Belfast City Hall, he was informed by Police Service of Northern Ireland that loyalists had made credible threats to his life and planned to attack his family home. Finucane remarked "I am committed to serving and representing all the people of this city and I will not be deterred from that by threats from anyone." The next day, he welcomed Charles, Prince of Wales to the city whilst he was on an official visit.
In the 2019 United Kingdom general election Finucane again contested Belfast North, winning the seat with 23,078 votes to Dodds' 21,135. He is the first Irish nationalist MP in the history of the constituency.

Personal life

Finucane currently serves as goalkeeper and captain of GAA's Lámh Dhearg GAC. He has four children.