SINN Féin has selected Siobhán McCallin to replace outgoing councillor Clíodhna Nic Bhranair to represent the Colin area at Belfast City Hall.
Ms Nic Bhranair is stepping down as a Belfast City Councillor to focus on her role as Special Adviser to First Minister Michelle O'Neill.
From West Belfast, Siobhán McCallin was educated at St Catherine’s Primary School, St Dominic’s Grammar School and St Mary’s University College, completing a History degree in 2003.
Siobhán is mother to Eoin, Aoife, Lorcan and Caolan. The McCallin family are members of Naomh Eoin GAA club.
Siobhán taught in Christ the Redeemer Primary school in Lagmore from 2003 to 2016 when she medically retired due to a life-threatening sepsis ordeal and subsequent diagnosis of ME/CFS, which resulted in long periods in hospital and multiple surgical interventions.
Siobhán with former councillor Clíodhna Nic Bhranair
Since her medical retirement Siobhán has been a local activist campaigning on sepsis, ME/CFS and mental health. She is a member of Glór na Móna’s 'Scríbhneoirí an tSléibhe' writing group, and her debut poetry collection,‘Awakening M.E’, was published during Féile an Phobail in 2023.
Siobhán is determined to represent all her constituents and says she will be a strong voice for those with health issues and disabilities.
“It’s a huge honour to be selected to serve as the new Sinn Féin councillor for the Colin area, replacing Clíodhna Nic Bhranair on Belfast City Council," she said.
‘Clíodhna has been a fantastic representative for the people of the Colin, working hard to deliver on the issues that matter to them.
“I am excited to begin this new role and look forward to working with councillors from across the city to drive transformative change for workers, families and communities.”
We will have a full interview with Cllr Siobhán McCallin in this week's Andersonstown News/North Belfast News.
