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This is Sinn Féin councillor Patricia Ryan’s (56) second time to run in a General Election, after she missed out on a seat by just 10 votes in 2016.
She has been a councillor since May 2019, when she became the first elected representative from the town of Monasterevin in 35 years.
A former trade-union shop steward, she represented the workers in Tyna Knitwear where she worked for 15 years.
She is originally from Ballybrittas in Co Laois, was educated in Portarlington and Abbeyleix, and has a diploma in Design.
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She is married to Michael, and has two sons – Conor (31) and Mitchell (25). Ryan went on holiday during the election campaign, after her children gave her a trip for Christmas.
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