Martin McAleese, Irish politician, dentist and accountant who has served as the Chancellor of Dublin City University (DCU) since August 2011, is born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on March 24, 1951. He serves as a Senator from 2011 to 2013, after being nominated by the Taoiseach. He is the husband of the former president of Ireland, Mary McAleese.

McAleese is educated at St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Belfast. He then studies at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), obtaining an honours Bachelor of Science in Physics. He plays Gaelic football for the Antrim Minors and is captain of the team in 1969. In 1972, after he graduates he moves to Dublin and trains there as an accountant with the chartered accountancy firm of Stokes, Kennedy, Crowley. He later works as financial controller for an Aer Lingus subsidiary.

McAleese marries Mary Leneghan in 1976. The couple resides in Scholarstown, Dublin, for a short period, and then for almost twelve years near Ratoath, County Meath. In 1980, he returns to full-time education at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), to study as a dentist, subsequently moving back, with his family, to Northern Ireland, where he practises as a dentist in Crossmaglen and Bessbrook, County Armagh.

While his wife serves as President of Ireland, McAleese initiates a series of meetings with senior Ulster loyalist paramilitary leaders to pursue peace negotiations. These actions do not take place without controversy, but are widely viewed as instrumental in bringing loyalist paramilitary groups to peace talks.

In May 2011, McAleese is appointed as a Senator by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny. In August 2011, he is appointed the Chancellor of Dublin City University, taking over from David Byrne.

On February 1, 2013, McAleese announces his intention to resign as a member of Seanad Éireann.

McAleese accepts an appointment as Chairman of the Inter-Departmental Committee which is set up by the Government of Ireland to investigate the Magdalene laundries. His findings have been criticised by some survivors and researchers from the Magdalene Names project.

On October 18-19, 2014, McAleese attends the One Young World Summit in Dublin as a keynote speaker. Here, he hosts a special session for the One Young World Peace and Conflict Resolution Project alongside former Ulster Defence Association (UDA) prisoner Jackie McDonald and former Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoner Sean Murray. They address young people from 191 countries to share and develop ideas to strengthen efforts at conflict resolution in their own countries.

McAleese and his wife Mary have three children. The family moves to Rostrevor, County Down, in 1987, when he sets up practice in County Armagh.