Carrickmore solicitor Órfhlaith Begley has been selected by Sinn Féin to contest the upcoming West Tyrone by-election.

Ms Begley, 26, currently practices in both civil and criminal law and describes herself as a “passionate human rights advocate”.

She studied Law with Politics and Queen’s University Belfast and subsequently at the Institute of Professional and Legal Studies.

Ms Begley said: “I am proud to have been selected by my party colleagues to contest the West Tyrone by election. I hope to be a new voice for the constituency and look forward to working with the Sinn Féin team in West Tyrone to regain the Westminster seat and build on the first-class representation Sinn Féin provides for all.”

A by-election will soon take place in West Tyrone following the resignation of incumbent MP Barry McElduff in the middle of January.

The former Sinn Féin MP resigned while on a temporary suspension from the party over a video he posted on social media which was widely interpreted as a joke referring to the 1976 Kingsmills massacre.