SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald said that the next president of Ireland must back and advance the reunification of Ireland.

McDonald addressed crowds gathered in Belfast today to commemorate the ten Irishmen who died while on hunger strike in 1981: Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty, Thomas McElwee, and Michael Devine.

Within her address, McDonald said that the momentum for Irish unity “is growing all the time” and both Irish and British governments must catch up.

🇮🇪Irish republicans march in Belfast today, honouring the courage and sacrifice of the hunger strikers.

For them, we continue the fight for Ireland united and free. pic.twitter.com/4mQXJ1NBAw

— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) August 24, 2025

“Partition has failed all of our people. It has failed Ireland. So, the planning and preparation for democratic constitutional change must start now. The planning and preparations for Unity referendums must start now,” she said.

The Sinn Féin leader said it is a “disgrace” that Irish citizens living in the north of Ireland cannot vote in the upcoming presidential election, a sentiment shared by former party member and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, who has been campaigning for change in the area.

McDonald continued: “This politics of exclusion is beneath the dignity and importance of the office of Uachtarán na hÉireann. The first citizen of all Ireland, for all Irish citizens.

“Whoever is elected to this important office must understand and honour their duties to Irish citizens living in this part of Ireland.

“And must understand also that the days of saying ‘yes to Unity but not now’ are over.”

McDonald said that it was time to “shed the harness of partitionism” and become leaders for the reunification of Ireland. 

“That’s what a government with real vision would do. That’s what a patriotic government would do. That’s what Micheál Martin should do. These are the values that the Irish President must advance.

“The day is coming when the people will have their say on unity. Our job is to build the most positive campaigns possible. To win those referendums and to win well. I say we can do it. I say we must do it. I say we will do it.”

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Both McDonald’s name and that of NI’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill have arisen in discussion of Sinn Féin’s potential candidate for the election. The party has remained tight-lipped on its plans for the election.

McDonald said yesterday that the party would make a call on whether to run its own candidate or back another next month. 

Sinn Féin have been called upon by other left-leaning parties to back Independent TD Catherine Connolly’s bid, who is the only formally ratified candidate.

The Dublin Central TD also slammed what she described as “the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Lowry Government in the South”, and said that both Taoiseach and Tánaiste have shown “they are about defending the status quo”.

“A government on the side of the golden circles, the insiders, the big landlords and the wealthy property funds.”

She said that Britain, the US, and the EU were enabling and financing genocide, and expressed support for the people of Palestine. 

“As our long walk to nationhood continues, we never forget other peoples who yearn for freedom. We stand in unwavering support of Palestine and the people of Gaza as Israel’s barbaric genocide continues.”