Presidency of Mary McAleese

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Mary McAleese
Presidency of Mary McAleese
11 November 1997 – 11 November 2011
Election

Mary McAleese began her first term as President of Ireland on 11 November 1997, following her inauguration at Saint Patrick's Hall in the State Apartments in Dublin Castle. McAleese was first elected as president in 1997, having received the nomination of Fianna Fáil. She succeeded Mary Robinson, making her the second female president of Ireland, and the first woman in the world to succeed another woman as an elected head of state.[1]

She nominated herself for re-election in 2004 and was returned unopposed for a second term.[2] McAleese was the first, and to date, only president of Ireland to have come from either Northern Ireland or Ulster.[3]

Background[edit]

Main article: 1997 Irish presidential election
McAleese in 2003

In 1997 McAleese defeated former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and former minister Michael O'Kennedy in an internal party election held to determine the Fianna Fáil nomination for the Irish presidency. After the first count none of the candidates met the vote threshold, and Reynolds has received the most votes. O'Kennedy was eliminated, and all but one of his voters then changed their preference to McAleese, winning her the candidacy.[4]

Her opponents in the 1997 presidential election were Mary Banotti, nominated by Fine Gael, Adi Roche nominated by the Labour Party, Democratic Left and the Green Party, and two candidates standing as Independents nominated by local authorities: Dana Rosemary Scallon and Derek Nally. McAleese won 45.2% of first preference votes.[5] In the second and final count, McAleese was elected having obtained 55.6% of votes against Banotti.[citation needed]

First term (1997–2004)[edit]

Inauguration and first months[edit]

On 11 November 1997 she was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland. Within weeks of this, she made her first official overseas trip to Lebanon.[6]

McAllese described the theme of her presidency as "building bridges". The first individual born in Northern Ireland to become President of Ireland, President McAleese was a regular visitor to Northern Ireland throughout her presidency, where she was on the whole warmly welcomed by both communities, confounding critics who had believed she would be a divisive figure. People from Northern Ireland, indeed people from right across the nine-county Province of Ulster, were regular and recurring visitors to Áras an Uachtaráin while she was president.[7] She is also an admirer of Queen Elizabeth II, whom she came to know when she was Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University of Belfast.

Twelfth of July celebrations[edit]

In March 1998 President McAleese stated that she would officially celebrate the Twelfth of July as well as Saint Patrick's Day, recognising the day's importance among Ulster Protestants.[citation needed]

Criticism from Catholic Church[edit]

She also incurred some criticism from some of the Irish Catholic hierarchy by taking communion in a Church of Ireland (Anglican) Cathedral, in Dublin, on 7 December 1997, although 78 percent of Irish people approved of her action in a following opinion poll. While Cardinal Desmond Connell called her action a "sham" and a "deception", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said it was ironic that "the Church was condemning an act of reconciliation and bridge-building between the denominations".[8]

Comments from Archbishop of Boston[edit]

In 1998 she met the Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, on an official visit to the United States. In an interview in 2012, she said that Law told her he was "sorry for Catholic Ireland to have you as President" and went on to insult a Minister of State, who was accompanying President McAleese. "His remarks were utterly inappropriate and unwelcome," she said. McAleese told the cardinal that she was the "President of Ireland and not just of Catholic Ireland". At this point, a heated argument ensued between the two, according to McAleese.[9]

2004 presidential election[edit]

Main article: 2004 Irish presidential election

McAleese's first seven-year term of office ended in November 2004, but she stood for a second term in the 2004 presidential election. Following the failure of any other candidate to secure the necessary support for nomination, the incumbent president stood unopposed, with no political party affiliation,[10] and was declared elected on 1 October 2004. Her successor, Michael D. Higgins, indicated his interest in contesting the 2004 presidential election for the Labour Party. The party decided on 16 September 2004 against running a candidate in the election, seeing McAleese as unbeatable.[11]

Second term (2004–2011)[edit]

Second inauguration[edit]

McAleese was re-inaugurated at the commencement of her second seven-year term on 11 November 2004. McAleese's very high approval ratings were widely seen as the reason for her re-election, with no opposition party willing to bear the cost (financial or political) of competing in an election that would prove difficult to win.[12]

Auschwitz liberation ceremony[edit]

On 27 January 2005 following her attendance at the ceremony commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, she created friction by referring to the way some Protestant children in Northern Ireland had been raised to hate Catholics, just as European children "for generations, for centuries" were encouraged to hate Jews.[13][14][15] These remarks provoked outrage among unionist politicians. McAleese later apologised,[16] conceding that her comments had been unbalanced because she had criticised only the sectarianism found on one side of the community.[citation needed]

Commencement speaker[edit]

She was the Commencement Speaker at Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania, on 22 May 2005. The visit prompted protests by conservatives because of the president's professing heterodox Catholic views on homosexuality and women in priesthood. She was the commencement speaker at the University of Notre Dame on 21 May 2006. In her commencement address, among other topics, she spoke of her pride at Notre Dame's Irish heritage, including the nickname the "Fighting Irish".[17]

Funeral of Pope John Paul II and papal inauguration of Benedict XVI[edit]

She attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II on 8 April 2005, and the papal inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI on 24 April 2005.[citation needed]

Canonisation of Charles of Mount Argus[edit]

McAleese attended the canonisation by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome of Charles of Mount Argus on 3 June 2007.[18] She was accompanied by her husband, Martin, Cardinal Desmond Connell, Mary Hanafin, the Minister for Education and Science, together with bishops and other pilgrims.[19] She later met the Pope and embarked on other official duties, including a trip to St. Isidore's College, a talk at the Pontifical Irish College and a Mass said especially for the Irish Embassy at Villa Spada chapel.[20]

Speaking out against homophobia[edit]

In August 2007 she spoke out against homophobia at the International Association of Suicide Prevention 24th Biennial Conference.[citation needed]

Visit to Hollywood and California[edit]

She paid a seven-day visit to Hollywood in December 2008, alongside Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Film Board on a mission to promote the Irish film and television industry.[21] A reception held in her honour was attended by Ed Begley, Jr. and Fionnula Flanagan.[21] She later met the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.[21]

"The 100 Most Powerful Women" poll by Forbes[edit]

In 2009 Forbes named her among the hundred most powerful women in the world later that year.[22]

Visit to London and Belfast[edit]

McAleese undertook an official two-day visit to London on 28–29 February 2010, where she visited the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics, and was guest of honour at the Madejski Stadium for a rugby union match between London Irish and Harlequin F.C.[23] On 13 May 2010, she attended the Balmoral Show at the Balmoral Showgrounds, which includes the King's Hall, in south Belfast. Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness and Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew gave her breakfast and walked around with her during the day.[24]

Visit to New York City[edit]

She began an official visit to New York City for several days, on 16 May 2010. She began by appearing at an Irish Voice event in honour of life science.[25] She then addressed business leaders at the New York Stock Exchange to say Irish people were "as mad as hell" over the Irish banking crisis,[26] and opened the An Gorta Mór (Great Famine) exhibition with a speech promising that Ireland's foreign policy focussed on global hunger.[25] She was also present at St. Patrick's Cathedral for a Famine mass and went to the Battery Park City's Irish Hunger Memorial to see the official New York commemoration of the 19th-century Irish Famine.[25] On 22 May 2010, she delivered the keynote address at Fordham University's 165th Commencement.

Opening the Bloom Festival[edit]

She opened the Bloom Festival, Ireland's largest gardening show, on 3 June 2010, acknowledging an improved interest in gardening in Ireland, particularly among younger people.[27]

State visit to China[edit]

On 13 June 2010, McAleese began an official visit to China. She met with Vice President of China Xi Jinping and the pair spoke for 35 minutes over lunch.[28]

McAleese in discussion with US President Barack Obama at Áras an Uachtaráin on 23 May 2011

State visit to Russia[edit]

McAleese meets with President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev in 2010

She made an official visit to Russia, with Minister of State, Billy Kelleher, for four days in September 2010, and met with President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.[29][30] She spoke kindly of Mikhail Gorbachev, officially invited Medvedev to Ireland, and addressed students at a university in Saint Petersburg. She called for warmer relations between the European Union and Russia.[31][32][33] On her state tour to Russia, highlighting the importance of competence, she launched an unprecedented attack on the Central Bank of Ireland, for their role in the financial crisis which resulted in tens of thousands of people in mortgage arrears.[34][35]

Grand Marshal invitation[edit]

The President turned down an invitation to be Grand Marshal at the 250th New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade planned for 2011. The parade organisers refused to allow gay people to march under their banner, and there was media speculation that this was the reason for the refusal. A spokesperson for the President's office stated that, while honoured by the invitation, she could not attend because of "scheduling constraints".[36]

Elizabeth II's state visit to Ireland[edit]

Main article: State visit by Elizabeth II to the Republic of Ireland

In March 2011, President McAleese invited Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom to make a state visit to Ireland. The Queen accepted, and the visit took place from 17 to 20 May 2011, the first state visit by a British monarch since Ireland had gained independence.[37] McAleese had been eager to have the Queen visit Ireland, and the event was widely welcomed as a historic success.[38][39][40]

Barack Obama's state visit to Ireland[edit]

In May 2011 McAleese and Taoiseach Enda Kenny hosted US President Barack Obama during a state visit to Ireland.[41] Notable events include McAleese hosting President Obama in Áras an Uachtaráin for a private meeting in the Drawing Room.[citation needed]

Reflecting on her presidency[edit]

In past media interviews, prior to the Queen's visit, President McAleese had stated on several occasions that the highlight of her presidency to date was the opening ceremony of the 2003 Special Olympics World Games, which she describes as "a time when Ireland was at its superb best".[42] While opening the National Ploughing Championships in County Kildare in September 2011, she spoke of her sadness that she would soon no longer be president, saying: "I'm going to miss it terribly … I'll miss the people and the engagement with them".[43][44]

Second visit to Lebanon[edit]

Mary McAleese made her final overseas visit as head of state to Lebanon in October 2011, the location of her very first official overseas visit in 1997.[45][46] While there she met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.[47] Before her trip to Lebanon she visited Derry, on one of her last official engagements to Northern Ireland, becoming the inaugural speaker at the first Conversations Across Walls and Borders event in First Derry Presbyterian Church.[48] She voluntarily donated more than 60 gifts given to her over the 14 years, and worth about €100,000, to the Irish state.[49]

Final days in office[edit]

On 10 November 2011, one day before she left office, she thanked Ireland for her two terms in an article in The Irish Times.[50] She performed her last official public engagement at a hostel for homeless men in Dublin in the morning and spent the afternoon moving out of Áras an Uachtaráin.[51]

McAleese left office on 11 November 2011; she was succeeded by Michael D. Higgins, who had been elected in the presidential election held on 27 October 2011.[52] Higgins was inaugurated on 11 November 2011, marking the end of McAleese's presidency.[citation needed]

Council of State[edit]

Main article: Council of State (Ireland)

Meetings[edit]

No. Article Reserve power Subject Outcome
1. 1999 meeting Address to the Oireachtas The new millennium Address given
2. 2000 meeting Referral of bill to the Supreme Court Planning and Development Bill 1999
Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Bill 1999 		Sections of both bills referred
(Both upheld)
3. 2002 meeting Referral of bill to the Supreme Court Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2001 Bill not referred
4. 2004 meeting Referral of bill to the Supreme Court Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2004 Bill referred
(Struck down)
5. 2009 meeting Referral of bill to the Supreme Court Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009
Defamation Bill 2006 		Bills not referred
6. 2010 meeting Referral of bill to the Supreme Court Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010 Signed without referral[53]

Presidential appointees[edit]

First term

Second term

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ "Biography – Mary McAleese". Aarhus University. 3 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Mary McAleese". Council of Women World Leaders. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Irish president's journey from Belfast's Ardoyne to the Aras". Belfast Telegraph. 20 May 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012.
  4. ^ Mac Mánais 2004, p. 330-331.
  5. ^ McCarthy 1999, p. 216.
  6. ^ "President revisits Lebanon on her final foreign trip in office" Archived 16 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Irish Times, 15 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Honorary degree for Martin McAleese". RTÉ News. 13 June 2007. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  8. ^ Vanderwilt, Jeffrey Thomas (2003). Communion with Non-Catholic Christians: Risks, Challenges, and Opportunities. Liturgical Press. p. 51–53. ISBN 9780814628959.
  9. ^ "McAleese reveals 'attack' by disgraced cardinal". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  10. ^ "McAleese to serve second term in office". 1 October 2004. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Michael's rise from humble beginnings to first citizen – Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  12. ^ "President would defeat Higgins, poll shows". The Irish Times. 7 February 2004. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2004.
  13. ^ "Interview with President McAleese, Morning Ireland". president.ie. 27 January 2005. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  14. ^ "McAleese row over Nazi comments". BBC News. 28 January 2005. Archived from the original on 29 June 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
  15. ^ "McAleese: Protestant children taught to hate Catholics". BreakingNews.ie. 27 January 2005. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  16. ^ "McAleese 'sorry' over Nazi remark". BBC News. 29 January 2005. Archived from the original on 20 February 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
  17. ^ "Mary McAleese 2006 Commencement address". Notre Dame News. 24 May 2006. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  18. ^ Wood, Kieron (27 May 2007). "Charles of Mt Argus to be canonised in Rome next weekend". The Sunday Business Post. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  19. ^ "Dublin gets new saint". RTÉ News. 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  20. ^ "Pope canonises Blessed Charles". Irish Examiner. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  21. ^ a b c Palmer, Caitriona (17 December 2008). "Star's welcome as President drops in". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  22. ^ "The 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes.com. 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  23. ^ "McAleese to view 2012 Olympics site". Irish Independent. 22 February 2010. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  24. ^ "President hails 'profound transformation'". RTÉ News. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  25. ^ a b c "President opens famine exhibition in NY". RTÉ News. 22 May 2010. Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  26. ^ "McAleese: Irish 'mad as hell' over bank crisis". RTÉ News. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  27. ^ "60,000 expected to visit Bloom Festival". RTÉ News. 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  28. ^ "Mary McAleese on visit to China". RTÉ News. 13 June 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  29. ^ "Trade on agenda for President's Russia trip". RTÉ News. 3 September 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  30. ^ "President McAleese begins Russian visit". RTÉ News. 7 September 2010. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  31. ^ "McAleese pays tribute to Gorbachev". RTÉ News. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  32. ^ "President invites Medvedev to Ireland". RTÉ News. 9 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  33. ^ "More regulation needed, says McAleese". RTÉ News. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  34. ^ "Irish President Mary McAleese's astonishing attack over slump". Belfast Telegraph. 11 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
  35. ^ Melia, Paul (13 September 2010). "McAleese hails 'milestone' Medvedev talks". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  36. ^ Black, Fergus (23 September 2010). "McAleese turns down role in NY St Patrick's parade". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  37. ^ "Queen to make first state visit to Irish Republic". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  38. ^ Riegel, Ralph; Hand, Lise; Brady, Tom (21 May 2011). "Queen's historic visit hailed as a massive success". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  39. ^ "The Queen in Ireland: visit hailed a 'great success'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 19 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  40. ^ Burke-Kennedy, Eoin (20 May 2011). "Queen leaves Ireland after historic four-day State visit". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  41. ^ "Barack Obama's visit to Ireland". RTÉ. 24 May 2011.
  42. ^ Bradyand, Fiona (3 November 2007). "Her bridges built, McAleese reflects on a decade in office". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  43. ^ "McAleese: I'll miss the people aspect of Presidency". Irish Examiner. 20 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  44. ^ "McAleese admits she will be sad at end of term". Newstalk. 20 September 2011.
  45. ^ "Mary McAleese concludes final overseas tour". RTÉ News. 16 October 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  46. ^ "Last official trip abroad for Mary McAleese". Irish Examiner. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  47. ^ "McAleese to meet Irish troops in Lebanon on final official trip". TheJournal.ie. 15 October 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  48. ^ "Irish President Mary McAleese to visit Londonderry". BBC News. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  49. ^ "President McAleese to donate gifts to State". RTÉ News. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  50. ^ "My personal thanks to Ireland". The Irish Times. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  51. ^ "Mary McAleese 'loved every day' as President". RTÉ News. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  52. ^ "It's official: Michael D Higgins is elected as Ireland's next president with over 1m votes". Irish Independent. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  53. ^ "President signs Credit Institutions Bill". Irish Examiner. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2010.

Sources[edit]

  • Mac Mánais, Ray (2004). The Road From Ardoyne: The Makings of a President. Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland: Brandon. ISBN 0-86322-333-8.
  • McCarthy, Justine (1999). Mary McAleese: The Outsider. An Unauthorised Biography. Tallaght, Dublin 24: Blackwater Press. ISBN 1-84131-441-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
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