The issue was hotly debated at the party’s Ard Fheis in Belfast last night, with a clear divide on display within the party on the issue.

For years, Sinn Féin has been criticised by its left colleagues in the Dáil for being on the same side of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on the issue. 

Following a vote last year, where Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil all voted in favour of allowing the blood sport to continue, Mary Lou McDonald told The Journal that supporting fox hunting was the right choice.

Numerous contributors spoke on the subject last night, both for and against.

MEP Lynn Boylan told the party last night that Sinn Féin is the most popular party among young people, stating that it is impossible not to witness the cultural revival that is taking place among young people on this island.

“Part of that cultural revolution is saying no more to the pursuit of the past times of our colonisers,” she said, adding:

Fox hunting on horseback is so archaic that even the Brits themselves have banned it.

“It is time to listen to our young people. It is time to remain relevant and abandon our colonial past once and for all,” said Boylan. 

Another contributor told the party conference: 

“We say we’re different from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We say we will listen. This is our opportunity to prove it. We need to show we can listen on something as clear cut as this where public opinion is so decisive, so people can trust us on the bigger issues.”

Last night, accusations were flying that that the clár for the Ard Fheis, which contained the motions, had been circulated to certain lobby groups before Sinn Féin members had seen it.

‘Undo hard work done’

TD for Cavan–Monaghan Matt Carthy spoke against the motion supporting the ban, stating that it was not about personal views but that supporting the motion would undo all the hard work done on the issue by the party.

TD Matt Carthy speaking against motion 29 last night which argued the party should support a ban on fox hunting.

Despite his argument, the party voted in favour of the motion.

He said the Ard Fheis clár was sent to lobby groups before members.https://t.co/sKb6A9aXhL pic.twitter.com/AAaFIwuaCN

— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) April 25, 2026

This sentiment was repeated by another contributor who said supporting regulation of the sport rather than a ban was “politically sensible”. 

“We need to think really carefully today about how this can damage our party,” said this speaker.

Just before the vote was to take place, the fire alarm went off and attendees were forced to evacuate the ICC building where the conference is taking place in Belfast.

However, upon their return party members voted down a motion from the party’s ard comhairle which noted that “hunting in Ireland dates back thousands of years with mythology and examples such as Cu Chulainn the ‘Hound of Ulster’”.

In an attempt to please both sides of the debate, this motion sought to recognise that there is a “balance to be struck” and noted that a consultation with the party membership in 2022 found that approximately one third supported a ban with two thirds supporting some form of regulation.

In voting down that motion, the party backed the motion which noted Sinn Féin’s unwavering support for rural traditions and the right of farmers to defend their livestock from predators such as foxes and dogs, but ultimately supports “a ban on the practice of fox hunting with dogs for the sole purpose of leisure”.

It mandates the party to now engage with rural communities to ensure that such a ban is introduced in a way that does not unduly impact rural life.

Asked if the voting down of the ard comhairle motion on fox-hunting meant she was losing grip of the party, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said at any Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, the decisions on policy are made by the membership.

“That is a sign of the robust good health of Sinn Fein,” she said.