Profile: Michelle O’Neill, the frontwoman

Factfile

Age:40

Appearance: telegenic, affable and fast-talking republican

Newsworthiness: O’Neill was announced as the new leader of Sinn Féin in the North last week

Michelle O’Neill’s house was, by her own admission, “upside down” when there was a knock on the door last Wednesday evening.

Outside were Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness waiting to accompany O’Neill to a homecoming rally in her local community centre in Clonoe, east Tyrone that evening. “Gerry, sorry ...