Mary McAleese
![McAleese in 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Mary_McAleese%2C_President_of_Ireland_%28cropped%29.jpg)
McAleese graduated in law from Queen's University Belfast. In 1975, she was appointed Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin, and in 1987 she returned to her alma mater, Queen's, to become director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. In 1994, she became the first female pro-vice-chancellor of Queen's University. She worked as a barrister and as a journalist with RTÉ. She is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge. She has also earned a doctorate in Catholic canon law.
McAleese used her time in office to address issues concerning justice, social equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism and reconciliation. She described her presidency's theme as "Building Bridges". This bridge-building materialised in her attempts to reach out to the unionist community in Northern Ireland. These steps included celebrating the Twelfth of July at Áras an Uachtaráin and taking Communion in a Church of Ireland cathedral in Dublin, for which she incurred some criticism from some of the Irish Catholic hierarchy. Though a Catholic, McAleese holds liberal views on homosexuality and women priests. She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders and was ranked the 64th most powerful woman in the world by ''Forbes''. In spite of some minor controversies, McAleese remained popular, and her presidency is regarded as successful. Provided by Wikipedia
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Published: 2019.
Superior document: Studies in Religion, Secular Beliefs and Human Rights; volume14