Mark Ward (politician)


Mark Ward is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid-West constituency since the by-election in November 2019.

Early life

Ward grew up in Harelawn, north Clondalkin and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. He is a qualified behavioural therapist, having diplomas from NUI Maynooth and University College Dublin and a B.A. in Community Development and Addiction Studies from Carlow IT.

Political career

Ward was co-opted onto South Dublin County Council on 14 March 2016, representing the Clondalkin LEA. He was elected Mayor of South Dublin in June 2018, serving until June 2019. He was reelected to the council in the May 2019 election, this time for the Palmerstown–Fonthill LEA. On 30 November 2019, he was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2019 Dublin Mid-West by-election. Despite predictions that he would lose his seat, he retained it in the 2020 February general election alongside his running mate Eoin O'Broin.

Personal life

Ward has three children. He is an avid fan of Dublin Gaelic footballers, having a full back tattoo of the Dublin GAA crest. From November 2016 until 2017, he was homeless, and this experience has resulted in him vowing to focus on housing as his main priority in politics.