On Monday 29th April, the University of Glasgow will welcome Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland.

Speaking in conversation, Mary will reflect on her personal memories of Donald Dewar, his legacy and her own within the realms of civic leadership, building bridges and social justice.

About Mary McAleese

Dr. Mary McAleese was President of Ireland from 1997 until 2011. She was the first President to come from Northern Ireland. Born in Belfast in 1951, the eldest of nine children she grew up in Ardoyne, a sectarian flashpoint area of the city and experienced first-hand the violence of The Troubles.

The theme of her presidency was Building Bridges and her work for peace and reconciliation begun long before becoming President, culminated in the historic state visit to Ireland by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in May 2011.

A barrister, author and broadcast journalist she was Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin, Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies and first female pro-Vice Chancellor at the Queen's University of Belfast.

On retiring from office in 2011 she became a full-time student of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome obtaining a Licenciate and Doctorate in Canon Law. She researches and writes on human rights and childrens’ rights in the Catholic Church. She was Professor of Children, Law and Religion at the University of Glasgow, 2018-2022 and is currently Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin.

About the Donald Dewar Memorial Lecture

Donald Dewar steered the 1998 Scotland Act on to the statute book and became Scotland's first First Minister following the elections to the new Scottish Parliament in 1999. He died suddenly in October 2000. More information about Donald Dewar can be found on the University of Glasgow website.

Mr Dewar was an alumnus of the University of Glasgow. Following Mr Dewar’s death, the University set up the Donald Dewar Memorial Lecture to commemorate him.

Mary McAleese, served as the eighth president of Ireland from 1997 to 2011 and was a contemporary of Donald Dewar.

Donald Dewar Memorial Lecture with Mary McAleese