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Saoirse McHugh

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Irish politician

Saoirse McHugh
McHugh in 2024
Born (1990-06-23) June 23, 1990 (age 34)
United States
EducationUniversity College Dublin
Lancaster University
Political partyIndependent (since 2020)
Green Party (before 2020)
PartnerColm Cafferkey

Saoirse McHugh (born 23 June 1990) is an Irish environmentalist and former Green Party politician. From Achill Island in County Mayo, she holds degrees in genetics and sustainable agriculture. McHugh was a Green Party candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election in Ireland, the 2020 Irish general election and 2020 Seanad election. She was unsuccessful in each case.

She has described herself as "an environmentalist, a democratic socialist, and a grower", and her political goal as "some beautiful eco-socialist utopia". She left the Green Party in July 2020.

Personal life

Born in the United States, McHugh moved aged two to her father John's native village of Dooagh on Achill Island, where she was raised. As of 2020, she lived on Achill with her partner Colm Cafferkey, also an Achill native.

She holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in genetics from University College Dublin and a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security from Lancaster University.

She has spoken publicly about her difficulty with bulimia, which began when she was 13 years old. She did not seek medical assistance for the bulimia until she was in her twenties, and described her first meetings with doctors as "awful experiences".

Political career

2019 European Parliament election

McHugh first stood for political office at the 2019 European Parliament election, as a Green Party candidate in the Midlands–North-West constituency. She was motivated to stand by her view of the need to combat climate change, saying that "we are running out of time". Her aunt's home in Achill had been destroyed by a storm in 2014, and McHugh began lobbying politicians of all parties to take action. However, when she lamented to Green Party leader Eamon Ryan that her efforts had little effect, Ryan persuaded her that the remedy was stand for election herself. Ryan later took a bet on her election, staking €50 on odds of 50/1.

McHugh had only recently joined the Green party, and made little impact in the election until an RTÉ television debate in the final days of the campaign, when she challenged independent candidate Peter Casey. "Millionaires blaming migrants is an old trope and it's boring," said McHugh. She also jokingly advised Casey to "go on Dancing with the Stars if you want attention that much."

On election night, opinion polls showed McHugh having 12% of the first-preference vote; this was described by the media as "unexpected", because McHugh was a first-time candidate. This opinion polling was associated with a "Green Wave", which saw increased support for the Green Party at the time. In the election itself, McHugh received 51,019 (8.58%) first-preference votes, placing her sixth out of seventeen candidates.

2019 Seanad by-election

There was speculation from some party members that McHugh would run for the Seanad seat on the Agricultural Panel which fell vacant in May 2019 when Green Party senator Grace O'Sullivan won a seat in the European Parliament. Several senior Greens praised her ability to "attract cross-party support", and believed that a seat in the Seanad would help her to win a seat in Dáil Éireann at the next general election.

McHugh had support from party leader Eamon Ryan, who said he would "love it" if she was elected. He described her as "hugely talented and committed particularly around the issues of rural development, farming and food policy".

However, Pippa Hackett, a councillor on Offaly County Council, received the party's nomination to compete for that position, and was elected unopposed. Later in 2019, McHugh stated that she was opposed to a coalition government between the Green Party and Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

2020 elections

McHugh was nominated in the Mayo constituency for the Green Party at the 2020 general election. She finished seventh in the four-seat constituency, receiving 6.5% of the first-preference vote. She also contested the March 2020 Seanad election as the only Green Party candidate on the five-seat Cultural and Educational Panel, polling second on the first count, but was not elected. In December 2020, she recalled how some Green Party Teachtaí Dála (TDs) had refused to vote for her, while people from other parties had promised her a lower preference vote.

Resignation from Green Party

In June 2020, the party leadership proposed the draft programme for government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to a vote of the membership. McHugh opposed the proposal, stating that it was not "Greener business as usual", and that "a true Green New Deal recognizes that action to combat climate change will not be successful unless it simultaneously ushers in social and economic reforms that will distribute opportunity more fairly and tackle inequality".

McHugh left the Green Party the following month, along with other young members. She stated on Twitter that it would "turn my stomach" to remain in the Green Party. The Irish Times reported that while McHugh had a lot of support from younger Greens, she "irritated" others who portrayed her as "big on rhetoric". Her departure coincided with the party's leadership election, and the party's deputy leader Catherine Martin, who had narrowly failed in her leadership challenge, asked "Why are we losing good people, and what can we do to change that? Maybe we have to reform the party in some way". Later in 2020, other prominent younger Greens also left the party.

Described by TheJournal.ie as one of the most high-profile former members of the Green Party, McHugh has remained critical of the coalition government's environmental policies. In December 2020, she told TheJournal.ie, "When you look at what the government is coming out with in terms of climate, they may as well be climate change deniers". She continued environmental activism since leaving party politics, including writing on the benefits of rewilding.

She unsuccessfully contested the 2024 European Parliament election as an independent candidate in the Midlands–North-West constituency.

Political views

McHugh is an eco-socialist who has expressed interest in Green Anarchism. McHugh has argued that capitalism, particularly neoliberal capitalism, is causing environmental degradation, rising inequality, and social instability. McHugh is critical of the incremental approaches to climate change, such as urging individuals to make small lifestyle changes like reducing meat consumption or opting for eco-friendly alternatives. McHugh maintains that such actions cannot address the root cause of the crisis, which she sees as the economic system itself. McHugh has argued the solution lies in dismantling capitalist structures altogether, which puts her a odds with the majority of the Green Party. She has expressed disappointment with the Greens’ gradualist stance, particularly when the party chose to enter a coalition government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil following the 2020 general election.

McHugh identifies as a feminist but criticises the focus on having more women in power without addressing systemic issues. She argues that true feminism cannot support capitalism, as women bear a disproportionate burden under it, and that it must oppose policies that allow suffering, such as tax avoidance and migrant deaths. McHugh believes feminism should focus on collective action to dismantle patriarchy, not just individual opportunities. She has emphasised what she feels are the greater challenges faced by migrants and women of colour in accessing reproductive healthcare, stressing that feminism must uplift all disadvantaged groups together.

References

  1. McHugh, Saoirse (22 June 2021). "Anyways I'm 31 tomorrow" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 23 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Mcconnell, Daniel (5 June 2019). "Green Party candidate Saoirse McHugh may contest Seanad seat". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Saoirse McHugh - About". saoirsemchugh.ie. Saoirse McHugh. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020.
  4. ^ Murphy, Adrienne (5 February 2020). "Rider on the Storm: Interview with Saoirse McHugh". Hot Press. Dublin. ISSN 0332-0847. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Green Party candidate Saoirse Mchugh may contest Seanad seat". Kildare Nationalist. 6 June 2019. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  6. ^ McGreal, Edwin (22 January 2019). "Achill woman running for Europe". The Mayo News. Westport. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019.
  7. ^ Horan, Niamh (31 January 2021). "Saoirse McHugh: I weighed myself four times a night, I would binge for days and purge until my blood vessels burst - I was obsessed". Sunday Independent. Dublin. ISSN 0039-5218. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Saoirse McHugh speaks out on 'awful experiences' while seeking help for bulimia". Newstalk. 28 January 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  9. "Candidates for European election". Mayo Returning Officer. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  10. "Eamon Ryan on Saoirse McHugh". Newstalk. 25 May 2019. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022 – via YouTube.
  11. Calnan, Denise (25 May 2019). "'I had a bet on Saoirse McHugh at 50/1' - Eamon Ryan hopeful for Green's future in Europe". Irish Independent. Dublin. ISSN 0021-1222.
  12. Staines, Michael; White, Barry (25 May 2019). "Saoirse McHugh – 'Green Wave' voters demanding "top-down change" on climate". NewsTalk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  13. Kelly, Aoife (22 May 2019). "'Pass Casey the aloe vera' - Green Party's Saoirse McHugh impresses debate viewers in clash with Peter Casey". Irish Independent. Dublin. ISSN 0021-1222. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  14. McGee, Harry (22 May 2019). "Green Party's Saoirse McHugh unexpected star of European election debates". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  15. Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra (25 May 2019). "Newcomer McHugh set for shock seat in Midlands North-West". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  16. Fitzgerald, Cormac (25 May 2019). "Green Party surge". TheJournal.ie. Dublin. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  17. Loughlin, Elaine; Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra (12 July 2019). "Eamon Ryan wants Saoirse McHugh to run for Greens in Seanad by-election". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  18. Commins, Michael (24 September 2019). "Ballindine native looks set to secure Senate seat". The Mayo News. Westport. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020.
  19. "Green Party's Pippa Hackett elected to the Seanad". RTÉ News. 1 November 2019. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  20. Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra. "Green Party's Saoirse McHugh warns against going into coalition". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  21. "Mayo: 2020 General Election". Irelandelection.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  22. McNulty, Anton (31 March 2020). "Chambers elected to Seanad, McHugh misses out again". The Mayo News. Westport. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  23. ^ Ryan, Órla (26 December 2020). "Interview: Saoirse McHugh on why being able to say 'I told you so' gives her no comfort whatsoever". TheJournal.ie. Dublin. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  24. O'Halloran, Marie (20 June 2020). "Saoirse McHugh and three others appeal to Green members to reject deal". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  25. "Four Green Party members sign open letter opposing Programme for Government". Irish Examiner. Cork. 20 June 2020. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  26. Wall, Eva (16 June 2020). "Former Fianna Fail deputy leader Eamon O Cuiv and Green Party candidate Saoirse McHugh to vote against programme for Government". extra.ie. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  27. "Catherine Martin urges party unity after leadership bid defeat". Irish Examiner. Cork. 24 July 2020. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  28. McHugh, Saoirse (23 July 2020). "Thread on leaving the greens: I have left the Green Party. I doubt that's a surprise to most people" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 23 July 2020 – via Twitter.
  29. McHugh, Saoirse (23 July 2020). "The @JTG_ie are an affiliate group that has been set up. While I am not involved with them anymore (I couldn't stomach being affiliated with the greens) I support and understand what they are doing" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 23 July 2020 – via Twitter.
  30. Leahy, Pat (23 July 2020). "Ex-election candidate Saoirse McHugh quits Greens saying electoral politics alone doesn't work". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  31. McGee, Harry (23 July 2020). "Green Party leadership decided but fault lines exposed". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  32. McGee, Harry; Leahy, Pat (24 July 2020). "Green Party deputy leader urges younger members to 'stick with us'". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  33. Moore, Aoife (21 October 2020). "Greens risk being sunk by two unforeseen icebergs". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
  34. McHugh, Saoirse (16 August 2021). "Rewilding is one of the best solutions we have in fight against climate collapse". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  35. Murray, Daniel (2 May 2021). "Saoirse McHugh's Five Degrees of Change: 'I couldn't in good conscience continue to take flights'". Sunday Business Post. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  36. Crosson, Kayle (28 May 2021). "Saoirse McHugh on rural Ireland & climate action". Green News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  37. "Nominations for European Election". Galway City Returning Officer. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  38. McGrath, Pat (12 June 2024). "McHugh excluded in Midlands-North-West as count continues". RTÉ News. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  39. Whyte, Barry J (24 January 2021). "Saoirse McHugh interview: Talking 'bout her generation". Business Post. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

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