Northern Ireland

Alliance councillor and Sinn Féin councillor get engaged

Sinn Fein's Kieran Mulholland is to marry Alliance's Sian O'Neill
Sinn Fein's Kieran Mulholland is to marry Alliance's Sian O'Neill Sinn Fein's Kieran Mulholland is to marry Alliance's Sian O'Neill

AN ALLIANCE councillor and Sinn Féin councillor have received warm congratulations from across the political spectrum after confirming their engagement.

Alliance's Sian O'Neill, who sits on Belfast City Council, is set to marry her partner, Sinn Fein's Kieran Mulholland, a member of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Ms O'Neill, a councillor in east Belfast's Ormiston area and a youth manager for the Oh Yeah Music Centre, announced their engagement on St Patrick's Day.

In a post on Twitter, she shared a picture of a sparkling ring and simply wrote: "I said yes," alongside a pair of heart emojis.

The announcement, which she also shared on Facebook and Instagram, was greeted with many cross-party messages of congratulations.

The couple have been together for several years and have a one-year-old son.

Alliance Party leader and East Belfast MLA Naomi Long wrote on Facebook: "Woo hoo! Congratulations, you two! So happy for you both!"

Sinn Féin city councillor JJ Magee tweeted: "Comhghairdeas," while party colleague and former Belfast deputy mayor Mary Ellen Campbell wrote on Facebook: "Congrats to you three xxx"

SDLP Belfast councillor Dónal Lyons tweeted: "Ah fantastic news Sian, congratulations!"

Ms O'Neill's post received dozens of likes on Twitter including from Green Party campaigners Hannah McNamara and Anthony Flynn.

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw described it as "amazing news", while fellow Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson tweeted: "Congratulations, same day 40 years ago I asked the same question and got a yes."

Ms O'Neill was co-opted onto the Belfast City Council in 2015 after previously working as a constituency caseworker for Mrs Long, while Mr Mulholland was elected to Causeway Coast and Glens in 2014.

It's not the first time politicians involved in different parties have found love together.

Former taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny met his wife Fionnuala O'Kelly at Leinster House in Dublin where she worked as a press officer for Fianna Fáil.

In July last year it emerged that Kezia Dugdale, then Scottish Labour leader, is in a relationship with Jenny Gilruth, an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament.

At the time SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "So love really does conquer all! Wishing every happiness to Jenny Gilruth and Kezia Dugdale."