Mary Lou McDonald ‘never considered’ stepping down as Sinn Féin leader

Earlier this year, Ms McDonald announced that Sinn Fein had conducted an internal review after performing well below its own expectations in the local and European elections.

She revealed senior figures in Sinn Fein were "disappointed" with her engagement with the party's base.

On a personal level, Ms McDonald took several months off last year while recovering from hysterectomy surgery.

A short time later, her husband became seriously ill while on a family holiday in France. He went through surgery and was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Also, the Sinn Fein leader's father died almost two months ago.

During an interview on RTE's The Week In Politics, Ms McDonald said she had not considered stepping down.

"I never considered that for a moment, absolutely not."

Asked if that belief had never wavered 'even on the hardest day' of her difficult professional and personal year, she added: "Even on the hardest day – and some of the days were very hard – no.

"Because I know in my heart of hearts that quitting actually isn't an option.

"I know in my heart of hearts that we can make incredible progress. We can make this country even better than it is."

Pressed on whether she would step down if the party does not win the next general election, Ms McDonald said she had just been re-elected as party president at the Ard Fheis on Saturday.

"I carry this role mindful of its responsibility – and responsibilities can be onerous – but very proudly as the Uachtarain of Sinn Fein.

"I'm here for the long haul, I'm not a quitter.

"I'm at this a while now, I'll be at it a while longer, and we'll be at it until we get to a position where Ireland is transformed to an equal and full republic – and, in time, a 32-county one at that."

Ms McDonald has defended a remark in which she said former taoiseach Leo Varadkar had discovered his "inner Shinner".

The former Fine Gael leader recently called for politicians in the Republic to back the establishment of a forum to set out plans for Irish unity.

In response, the Sinn Fein leader described the comments as welcome but belated, adding: "I'm glad that as he's exited the position of taoiseach, that he's found his inner Shinner and his appetite for reunification."

SDLP politicians have described the comments as petty, with Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole posting on social media: "Sinn Fein does not own the aspiration to Irish unity and this kind of stuff is frankly pathetic and offensive."

On Sunday, Ms McDonald described her comment as "simply a quip".

Speaking on BBC's Sunday Politics Northern Ireland, she added: "I imagine Leo would have enjoyed that, actually.

"Anybody listening to that would understand that when Leo was in office as Taoiseach, he didn't adopt this position.

"I'm really pleased that he has and, of course, the issue of the future of our country belongs to all of us."

Ms McDonald said she hoped public discourse would always have room for levity, irony and "even a bit of fun between public figures".

"Leo and I know each other very well and I imagine that he laughed when he heard that."

Pressed on whether Alliance voters in Northern Ireland would have found the comments funny, Ms McDonald said: "I imagine that Alliance voters have a sense of humour too.

"Certainly, any of them that I have met at election counts and so on have been of really broad mind and open for conversation - and also to have a bit of craic."

She dismissed criticism of the comment as "making a mountain out of a molehill".

She said the conversation on unification will involve republicans, unionists and people "who fall somewhere in between".

"This conversation and project belongs to all of us and along the way we're going to challenge each other and come with our own ideas.

"We can also have, at times, moments of levity. We don't have to have our sense of humour taken from the entire conversation."