20 Facts About Conor Murphy

Conor Terence Murphy was born on 10 July 1963 and is an Irish Sinn Fein politician, who has served as a senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel since January 2025.

Conor Murphy previously served as Minister for the Economy of Northern Ireland from 2024 to 2025.

Conor Murphy served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Newry and Armagh from 2015 until 2025, having previously served as the Member of Parliament for Newry and Armagh from 2005 to 2015, observing the Sinn Fein policy of abstentionism.

In 1998, Conor Murphy was elected as one of his party's two Northern Ireland Assembly members for Newry and Armagh.

Conor Murphy was re-elected, with two party colleagues, to the Assembly in 2003.

When Mallon decided not to contest the seat again, Conor Murphy became the clear favourite to win and was elected on 5 May 2005.

Conor Murphy refused to take his seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in line with the abstentionist policy of Sinn Fein.

In 2011, while Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy appointed Sean Hogan, a Catholic, as head of Northern Ireland Water, turning down the applications of four Protestants on the shortlist.

Conor Murphy disputed the finding which he said branded him "sectarian".

Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness defended him, claiming Conor Murphy doesn't have "a sectarian bone in his body".

In December 2012, Conor Murphy appeared as a witness at Belfast High Court in the case of Declan Gormley, whom Conor Murphy had sacked in 2010 from his post as a non-executive director of NI Water.

Breege Quinn said that her son was definitely not involved in criminality and called on Conor Murphy to withdraw his remarks and make a public apology to the Quinn family.

On 6 February 2020 Conor Murphy spoke to RTE and said that he had withdrawn the remarks he had made in 2007 and apologised to the Quinn family.

Conor Murphy said he "should finish off and get justice" for the Quinn family.

Conor Murphy said he should "go and tell the PSNI and the Gardai exactly who he was speaking to" in the IRA after the murder.

Conor Murphy said she would not meet Conor Murphy until he "comes out publicly saying that he is going to the PSNI to give the names of the IRA that he spoke to in Cullyhanna".

Conor Murphy contested the 2025 Seanad election for the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

Conor Murphy confirmed that if elected he would resign from the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Conor Murphy dismissed claims that his candidacy was part of an attempt by the party to bolster its political team in the Republic saying that it was "very much about the constitutional debate [about reunification]".

On 12 February 2025, Conor Murphy was appointed as Leader of Sinn Fein in the Seanad.