In June 2009, McDonald faced criticism after it emerged her campaign office was selling IRA souvenirs and memorabilia.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sheahan|first1=Fionnan|title=IRA souvenirs sell well in McDonald HQ|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ira-souvenirs-sell-well-in-mcdonald-hq-26540510.html|accessdate=29 May 2016|publisher=Irish Independent|date=2 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sinn Fein VP Mary Lou Mcdonald slammed for allowing sale of IRA souvenirs|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/sinn-fein-candidate-mary-lou-mcdonald-under-fire-for-selling-ira-trinkets-46733127-237645141.html|accessdate=29 May 2016|publisher=Irish Central|date=2 June 2009}}</ref>
In December 2015, McDonald initially backed convicted criminal [[Thomas Murphy (Irish republican)|Thomas "Slab" Murphy]] as a "good republican" despite being found guilty on nine charges of tax evasion, following a trial held in an anti-terrorism court after the last person to testify against Murphy in a court was bludgeoned to death after a 1999 court case in Dublin.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Moriarty|first1=Gerry|title=Gerry Adams had little choice but to stand by ‘Slab’ Murphy|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/gerry-adams-had-little-choice-but-to-stand-by-slab-murphy-1.2473143|accessdate=21 December 2015|publisher=The Irish Times|date=20 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=O'Connor|first1=Niall|last2=Doyle|first2=Kevin|last3=Cusack|first3=Jim|title=Now Mary Lou backs ‘good republican’ Slab|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/now-mary-lou-backs-good-republican-slab-34306975.html|accessdate=29 May 2016|publisher=Irish Independent|date=22 December 2015}}</ref> She later failed to back party leader [[Gerry Adams]]' assertion that Thomas Murphy is a "good republican" after a [[Spotlight (BBC News)|BBC Spotlight]] investigation accused Murphy of being a "mass murderer".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ó Cionnaith|first1=Fiachra|title=Mary Lou McDonald stays silent on support for Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mary-lou-mcdonald-stays-silent-on-support-for-thomas-slab-murphy-380139.html|accessdate=29 May 2016|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=5 February 2016}}</ref>
