Mary Patricia McAleese (born June 17, 1951) is the eighth President of Ireland, Uachtarán na hÉireann (1997- ).
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Mary Patricia Leneghan was born on June 27 1951 in Belfast. She was educated at St. Dominic's High School, Queen's University Belfast, and Trinity College Dublin. She is a member of the Bar in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In 1975 she was appointed Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology in Trinity College Dublin, succeeding Mary Robinson (although this pattern would repeat over twenty years later). In 1979 she joined RTÉ as a journalist and a presenter. In 1981 she returned to the Reid Professorship, but continued to work part-time for RTÉ for a furthur four years. McAleese was a member of the Catholic Church Episcopal Delegation to the New Ireland Forum in 1984 and a member of the Catholic Church delegation to the North Commission on Contentious Parades in 1996.
In 1997 McAleese defeated former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds in an election for the Fianna Fáil nomination for the presidency. On November 11 1997 she was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland. This was the first time in history that a woman had succeeded another woman as an elected head of state anywhere in the world
A Northern Ireland nationalist, she is a regular visitor to Northern Ireland, where she has been warmly welcomed by both communities. She is also an admirer of Queen Elizabeth II, whom she came to know when she was Pro-Vice Chancellor of Queens University in Belfast. She hopes to host a royal visit to Ireland during her term of office.
Her first term finishes in November 2004. She has given no indication as to whether she will seek a second term. Given the announcement of the Labour Party that it will run a candidate against her, and the interest expressed by a number of independent candidates, including potential independent candidate Kevin Lee, it would appear unlikely that she would want to seek a second term.
She is married to Martin McAleese. Her official residence is Áras an Uachtaráin, Phoenix Park, Dublin 7, Republic of Ireland.
Previously she was:
- Pro-Vice Chancellor of Queens University Belfast,
- Fianna Fáil candidate, 1987 general election
- Reporter/Presenter, Today Tonight, RTÉ (Radio Telifís Éireann)
- Reid Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin)
- An advisor to the Irish Roman Catholic Bishops during the New Ireland Forum
- Founder with Senator David Norris of the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform.
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Preceded by: Mary Robinson | Presidents of Ireland |
Next Presidential election due in 2004 |
