Jennifer McCann

Jennifer McCann MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast West
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 March 2007
Preceded by	Diane Dodds
Junior Minister at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
In office 12 June 2012 – 25 June 2016 Serving with Jonathan Bell, Michelle McIlveen and Emma Pengelly
Preceded by	Martina Anderson
Succeeded by	Megan Fearon
Personal details
Born	(1960-03-01) 1 March 1960 Twinbrook, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin
Spouse(s)	Rab Kerr
Children	3
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Jennifer McCann MLA

Jennifer McCann MLA (born 1 March 1960) is an Irish republican politician in Northern Ireland, who was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Sinn Féin member for Belfast West.

McCann was born in the Twinbrook area of Belfast, and was friends with Bobby Sands and his sister Bernadette. She joined the republican movement as a schoolgirl, becoming a member of Cumann na mBan then joining the Provisional Irish Republican Army aged 17. McCann was arrested aged 20, after shooting a Royal Ulster Constabulary police officer, and subsequently sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

McCann was released from prison after serving just over ten years of her sentence, and began working for Sinn Féin in the POW Department and Women's Department. She is active on a number of projects in her community, including the Sally Gardens Community Centre Committee, the Safer Neighbourhoods Project, the Colin Community Festival, and the Falls Community Council's Community Drugs Programme.

McCann is married to former IRA prisoner Rab Kerr, with whom she has three children.

Sources

• 'Bobby Sands was a great role model – he was never arrogant'
• Northern Ireland Assembly West Belfast MLAs

Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by Diane Dodds	MLA for Belfast West 2007 –	Succeeded by Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Martina Anderson	Junior Minister 2012 -	Succeeded by Incumbent