Mary McAleese

Mary McAleese is the President of Ireland. When she was a little girl her family priest told her that she could not be a lawyer because she was a girl. Her mom got so angry, that she pulled the chair out from under the priest. Then her mom screamed at the priest, "YOU,… OUT!!!" She told Mary, "And you, IGNORE HIM!!!"

Mary was born Mary Leneghan on June 27, 1951 in Northern Ireland. She grew up Catholic in an area that was mostly Protestant. She saw lots of battles right in her own neighborhood. Her dad's store was harmed by machine gun fire and her brother was beaten.

Mary was appointed Professor of Law at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland 1975. She married Martin McAleese, a dentist in 1976. They have three children, Emma, and twins Saramai and Justin.

In 1979 she left Trinity College to be a journalist. She came back to law in 1987 when she was appointed Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies.

On November 11, 1997, Mary McAleese became the eighth President of Ireland. Mary asks herself, "Can one person make a difference?" Many people who live in Ireland hope she can.

By Christian & Chris, third grade, 2001