Sinn Fein’s fresh start

MARY Lou McDonald took over as leader of the Sinn Fein party Saturday with a sweeping speech that touched on everything from abortion to Brexit and promised a united Ireland “in our time”.

McDonald, 48, is the first woman to lead the party, and the first Sinn Fein leader with no direct connection to Ireland’s period of violence known as the Troubles.

Her confirmation as leader, taking over from Gerry Adams, came at a conference Saturday attended by some 2000 delegates in Dublin.