Editing Mary McAleese (section)

==Background and family life==
Born '''Mary Patricia Leneghan''' ({{langx|ga|Máire Pádraigín Ní Lionnacháin}}), in [[Ardoyne]], north [[Belfast]] to Paddy Leneghan from Croghan, County Roscommon and Claire McManus from County Antrim.<ref name=IT/><ref name="Father Of Former President To Be Buried Tomorrow">{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news|title=Father Of Former President To Be Buried Tomorrow|date=18 August 2013|access-date=10 January 2014|work=[[Irish Times]]|archive-date=9 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509090002/http://www.irishtimes.com/news}}</ref> She is a [[Catholic Church in Ireland|Catholic]] but grew up in a largely Protestant neighbourhood.<ref name="Irishwomen Find Niche (And It's Not in Kitchen)">{{cite news|first=James F.|last=Clarity|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/26/world/irishwomen-find-niche-and-it-s-not-in-kitchen.html|title=Irishwomen Find Niche (And It's Not in Kitchen)|date=26 September 1997|access-date=13 December 2009|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=13 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113092851/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/26/world/irishwomen-find-niche-and-it-s-not-in-kitchen.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FW%2FWomen|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ulster loyalism|Loyalists]] forced her family to leave the area when [[the Troubles]] broke out.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.belfastmedia.com/features_article.php?ID=1027 |title=Unfinished business with North Belfast |work=Belfastmedia.com |access-date=16 September 2010 |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314104219/http://www.belfastmedia.com/features_article.php?ID=1027 |url-status=live }}</ref> She was educated at [[St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls|St Dominic's High School]], an all-girls [[Catholic school|Catholic]] [[grammar school]] in Belfast.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NFr9NteKEagC&q=%22Mary+McAleese%22+%22St.+Dominic%27s+High+School%22&pg=PA160|title=The A to Z of the Northern Ireland Conflict|last=Gillespie|first=Gordon|date=24 September 2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7045-1|language=en}}</ref> She studied law at [[Queen's University Belfast]], graduating in 1973 with a [[Bachelor of Laws]] (LLB Hons) degree.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-high-achieving-northern-catholic-1.115077|title=A high-achieving Northern Catholic|last=Cleary|first=Catherine|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stmartin.ie/mary-mcaleese-and-the-catholic-church/|title=Mary McAleese and the Catholic Church – BLOG|date=21 November 2019|website=St Martin Apostolate|language=en-GB|access-date=7 February 2020|archive-date=7 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207142526/https://www.stmartin.ie/mary-mcaleese-and-the-catholic-church/|url-status=live}}</ref> She was called to the [[Bar of Northern Ireland]] in 1974,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://businessandfinance.com/former-president-mary-mcaleese-receive-2018-tk-whitaker-award/|title=Former President Mary McAleese to receive 2018 TK Whitaker Award|date=5 July 2018|website=Business & Finance|language=en-GB|access-date=30 January 2020|archive-date=30 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130170950/https://businessandfinance.com/former-president-mary-mcaleese-receive-2018-tk-whitaker-award/|url-status=live}}</ref> and was later called to the [[Irish Bar]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-high-achieving-northern-catholic-1.115077|title=A high-achieving Northern Catholic|last=Cleary|first=Catherine|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref>

In 1976, she married [[Martin McAleese]], an accountant and dentist.<ref name=aras>{{cite web|title=Mary McAleese Biography|work=Áras an Uachtaráin|url=http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=30&lang=eng|access-date=1 August 2010|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605015205/http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=30&lang=eng|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Honorary degree for Martin McAleese">{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0613/mcaleesem.html|title=Honorary degree for Martin McAleese|date=13 June 2007|access-date=21 December 2009|work=[[RTÉ News]]|archive-date=13 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113222904/http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0613/mcaleesem.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He assisted his wife with some of her initiatives as president.<ref name="Heartbroken town salutes as Robbie 'gets transfer home'">{{cite news|first=Brian|last=McDonald|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/heartbroken-town-salutes-as-robbie-gets-transfer-home-1707375.html|title=Heartbroken town salutes as Robbie 'gets transfer home'|date=14 April 2009|access-date=21 December 2009|work=[[Irish Independent]]|archive-date=17 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417041909/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/heartbroken-town-salutes-as-robbie-gets-transfer-home-1707375.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Martin McAleese fails in plan to deliver UDA guns">{{cite news|first=Vincent|last=Kearney|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8419471.stm|title=Martin McAleese fails in plan to deliver UDA guns|date=17 December 2009|access-date=21 December 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|archive-date=11 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911084040/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8419471.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="McAleese puts UVF guns out of commission">{{cite news|first=Alan|last=Murray|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mcaleese-puts-uvf-guns-out-of-commission-1782342.html|title=McAleese puts UVF guns out of commission|date=21 June 2009|access-date=21 December 2009|work=[[Irish Independent]]|archive-date=2 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102132151/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mcaleese-puts-uvf-guns-out-of-commission-1782342.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They have three children: Emma, born in 1982, who graduated as an engineer from [[University College Dublin]] and graduated as a dentist from Trinity College Dublin; and twins born in 1985, Justin, an accountant with a master's degree from University College Dublin, and SaraMai, who obtained a master's degree in [[biochemistry]] at the [[University of Oxford]].<ref name="A very private affair">{{cite news|first=Richie|last=Taylor|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/a-very-private-affair-1703743.html|title=A very private affair|date=9 April 2009|access-date=21 December 2009|work=[[Irish Independent]]|archive-date=13 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413054644/http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/a-very-private-affair-1703743.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Ahead of the [[Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|2015 marriage equality referendum]], Justin spoke publicly about growing up gay.<ref>{{cite news|first=Fionnan|last=Sheahan|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/exclusive-mcaleeses-son-talks-of-growing-up-as-gay-man-as-he-calls-for-yes-31152459.html|title=Exclusive: McAleese's son talks of growing up as gay man as he calls for Yes|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=18 April 2015|access-date=17 May 2015|archive-date=19 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419021647/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/exclusive-mcaleeses-son-talks-of-growing-up-as-gay-man-as-he-calls-for-yes-31152459.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Every year she spends some time with the [[Poor Clares]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/president-tells-of-days-spent-living-with-nuns-in-ennis-1.938689|title=President tells of days spent living with nuns in Ennis|last=Deegan|first=Gordon|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nndb.com/people/219/000111883/|title=Mary McAleese|website=nndb.com|access-date=7 February 2020|archive-date=30 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130162143/https://www.nndb.com/people/219/000111883/|url-status=live}}</ref>