Maeve Hillery
Encyclopedia
Mary Beatrice Hillery (née Finnegan) is a retired Irish doctor who is the widow of Patrick Hillery
, President of Ireland
from 1976–90.
Maeve Finnegan was educated at University College Dublin
where she studied medicine. It was here that she met her future husband, Patrick Hillery, who was also studying medicine. The couple married on 27 October 1955. Together they had a son, John, and a daughter, Vivienne, who died after a long illness in 1985, shortly before her eighteenth birthday. Patrick Hillery later served in a number of political roles, including Foreign Minister and European Commissioner
. After the completion of is term as EC Commissioner in 1976 he contemplated leaving politics and returning to medicine. Instead, Hillery was asked to become the sixth President of Ireland
. Patrick Hillery died on 12 April 2008.
Patrick Hillery
Patrick John "Paddy" Hillery was an Irish politician and the sixth President of Ireland from 1976 until 1990. First elected at the 1951 general election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Clare, he remained in Dáil Éireann until 1973...
, President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
from 1976–90.
Maeve Finnegan was educated at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
where she studied medicine. It was here that she met her future husband, Patrick Hillery, who was also studying medicine. The couple married on 27 October 1955. Together they had a son, John, and a daughter, Vivienne, who died after a long illness in 1985, shortly before her eighteenth birthday. Patrick Hillery later served in a number of political roles, including Foreign Minister and European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
. After the completion of is term as EC Commissioner in 1976 he contemplated leaving politics and returning to medicine. Instead, Hillery was asked to become the sixth President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
. Patrick Hillery died on 12 April 2008.