John O'Dowd

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For the 19th-century politician, see John O'Dowd (Sligo MP).

John O'Dowd
MLA
John O'Dowd 2021.jpg
O'Dowd in 2021
Minister for Education
In office
16 May 2011 – 25 May 2016
Preceded byCaitríona Ruane
Succeeded byPeter Weir
Acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
In office
20 September 2011 – 31 October 2011
Serving with Peter Robinson
Preceded byMartin McGuinness
Succeeded byMartin McGuinness
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Upper Bann
Assumed office
26 November 2003
Preceded byDara O'Hagan
Personal details
Born
John Fitzgerald O'Dowd

(1967-05-10) 10 May 1967 (age 54)
Tullylish, Northern Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partySinn Féin
Spouse(s)Mary O'Dowd
Children3
OccupationPolitician

John Fitzgerald O'Dowd (born 10 May 1967) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician. He was the Minister for Education in the Stormont Executive from 2011 to 2016 and the Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann since 2003. He briefly took on the duties of deputy First Minister in 2011 while Martin McGuinness ran in the 2011 Irish presidential election.

Early career[]

O'Dowd was born in 1967 in Tullylish, a rural community between Lurgan and Banbridge.[1] He had trained as a chef before engaging in politics.[2] He began his political career serving for 14 years as a councillor on Craigavon Borough Council and previously served as a school governor.[3] O'Dowd has served as Chair of Upper Bann Sinn Féin and a member of the party's Six County Executive, O'Dowd was leader of the Sinn Féin group on Craigavon Council.[3] In 2003 he was elected as MLA for Upper Bann and in 2005 unsuccessfully contested the same-named Westminster constituency. Between 2007 and 2011 he was Sinn Féin group leader in the Assembly and served as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee before becoming a member of the Education Committee in 2008.[1]

Acting deputy First Minister[]

Following the decision by Sinn Féin to nominate Martin McGuinness as its candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election, it was announced on 16 September 2011 that O'Dowd would fulfil the duties of deputy First Minister on a temporary basis.[4]

Personal life[]

O'Dowd is married and has three children.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Minister for Education". Department for Education, Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Remarkable year for new deputy first minister John O'Dowd". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Upper Bann – John O'Dowd | Sinn Féin". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  4. ^ John O'Dowd. "UTV News – O'Dowd ready for acting DFM role". UTV. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Upper Bann
2003–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Education
2011–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Acting deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
2011 		Succeeded by
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