Mary McAleese

A road trip today across the Mary McAleese bridge which brings road users in county Meath or County Louth which ever way one is traveling, had me thinking about Ireland’s second female President. Serving two terms, Mary McAleese was President of Ireland from 1997-2011, and ably followed in the footsteps of her predecessor, Mary Robinson. Perhaps the most significant day of her two terms came on 17 May 2011 when as President, McAleese welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland.

Her Presidency came during a time of peace in Ireland following the Good Friday Agreement and it was one of the corner stones on which her campaign was ran. The historians and others have still to write the history of presidency but the INA provides the first reports of when it was announced.

Here the Irish Examiner reports on the first mention of McAleese’s presidential campaign in June 1997:

QUEEN'S University Vice Chancellor and human rights campaigner Mary McAleese will declare herself a Presidential candidate.

She will run for office on a peace and reconciliation platform her director of elections announced last night.

Like Mary Robinson Belfast-born McAleese, in her mid 40s, has served as Professor at Law in Trinity College and stood for Fianna Fail in Dublin South West in the 1987 general election.

Last night her political advisor, Harry Casey, confirmed that Ms Aleese "has indicated she is willing to go forward in a Presidential election if she received the necessary nominations.

"She has already received the support of a large number of multi-denominational organisations who believe she would play an important role in the peace process," Mr. Casey said.

As vice chancellor of Queen's Ms. McAleese was instrumental in removing the British National anthem, Good Save the Queen from graduation ceremonies at the College.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )