Eóin Tennyson
MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Upper Bann
Assumed office
5 May 2022
Preceded byDolores Kelly
Member of
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
In office
7 May 2019 – 5 May 2022
Preceded byCarol Black
Succeeded byJessica Johnston
ConstituencyLagan River
Personal details
Born (1998-05-17) 17 May 1998
Maghery, Northern Ireland
Political partyAlliance
EducationSt. Patrick's Academy
Alma materQueen's University Belfast (BSc)
University College Dublin (MAcc)
OccupationPolitician

Eóin Tennyson (born 17 May 1998) is a Northern Irish Alliance Party politician who has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann since the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.[1]

He is the youngest member of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Early life and career

Tennyson attended St. Patrick's Academy, a Catholic grammar school in Dungannon, County Tyrone. He studied accounting at Queen's University Belfast, graduating with bachelor of science degree in 2019. While at university, he was elected chair of Alliance Youth.[2] In 2020, he obtained a Master of Accounting from the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School at University College Dublin. He subsequently joined Deloitte in Belfast as an auditor and began training as a chartered accountant.[3][4]

Political career

Early career

Tennyson was elected to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in the 2019 local elections, representing the Lagan River district electoral area. He polled 10.81% of the first-preference votes, and gained a seat at the expense of the Ulster Unionist Party.[5]

In December, he contested the 2019 general election in Upper Bann, placing third with 13% of the vote.[6] Though unsuccessful, he obtained a swing of 8.4% and polled ahead of Doug Beattie of the UUP and Dolores Kelly of the SDLP.[7]

Member of the Legislative Assembly

Tennyson was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann in the 2022 Assembly election, outpolling the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and gaining a seat at the expense of the SDLP's Dolores Kelly. He polled 6,440 (11.5%) first-preference votes, increasing Alliance's share by 6.2% on the previous Assembly election. Tennyson became the first non-designated politician to be elected for the Upper Bann constituency.[8] At 23-years-old, he also became the youngest MLA elected to the Assembly, and gained the unofficial title of Baby of the House.[9] He is the third openly gay MLA to serve, joining his party colleagues John Blair and Andrew Muir.[10]

During the course of the 2022 campaign, Tennyson faced abuse and intimidation. On one occasion, he was verbally abused and told to leave a 'Protestant area' when canvassing in Lurgan.[11]

At a sitting of the Assembly on 30 May 2022, Tennyson accused the Democratic Unionist Party of treating the public as "leverage", after the party refused to assent to the election of a Speaker and blocked formation of an Assembly in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol.[12] He subsequently called on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to stop the salaries of MLAs who refused to enter the Assembly in order to incentivise the DUP to "get back to work".[13]

Personal life

Tennyson came out as gay at age 19.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Upper Bann result - Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Both praise and ridicule after Foster and O'Neill pose for picture together". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Eóin Tennyson". LinkedIn. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Breen, Suzanne (24 November 2019). "Constituency profile: 'Force of nature' Carla Lockhart looking runaway favourite to hold seat for DUP in Upper Bann". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Local Council Election Results". The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  6. ↑ McCormack, Jayne (26 November 2019). "Upper Bann constituency profile: Five-party target but two-party choice?". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Upper Bann Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Winners and losers of historic Northern Ireland Assembly election 2022". Belfast Telegraph. 7 May 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  9. ↑ O'Carroll, Lisa; Carroll, Rory (7 May 2022). "'A lifetime waiting for this day': crowds celebrate historic Sinn Féin victory". The Guardian. Magherafelt. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  10. 1 2 Moore, Steven (22 April 2022). "Eóin Tennyson hopes to be first openly gay MLA". Sunday World. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  11. 1 2 Campbell, Niamh (24 April 2022). "Alliance candidate Eóin Tennyson told to leave 'Protestant area' when canvassing in Lurgan". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  12. ↑ Macauley, Conor (30 May 2022). "Northern Ireland Assembly fails to elect speaker". RTÉ. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  13. ↑ Campbell, Niamh (21 June 2022). "Brandon Lewis 'currently exploring' options to cut MLA salaries while Jim Allister pledges percentage of pay to 'fighting protocol'". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
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