Inside the life and career of Mary Hanafin amid Presidential bid
The Tipperary woman told Brendan O'Connor on his RTÉ Radio 1 show over the weekend that she had spoken to An Taoiseach Micheál Martin about her desire to run for the party.
Current president Michael D Higgins cannot run for re-election, having served 14 years in the role. Former Fianna Fáil TD Mary Hanafin is one of the only people who has confirmed their desire to be put forward for the upcoming Presidential Election later this year. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins
With speculation as to when the election is set to take place and questions about who is going to run, we take a look at the life and career of potential Fianna Fáil ticket, Mary Hanafin.
Mary was born in Thurles, County Tipperary to parents Des and Mona Hanafin. Her father Des was a Fianna Fáil councillor in his day, and also served as a Senator on a number of occasions between 1969 and 2002.
Her brother John was also a Senator from 2002 to 2011. Mary Hanafin was born in Thurles, County Tipperary to parents Des and Mona Hanafin. Her father Des was a Fianna Fáil councillor in his day, and also served as a Senator on a number of occasions between 1969 and 2002. Pic: Gareth Chaney Collins
Prior to her political career, Hanafin was a secondary school teacher, teaching Irish and History in Blackrock, Co Dublin.
In 1985, Mary wed Eamon Leahy. Leahy died in July 2003 at the age of 46 years old
Mary has been involved in politics since she was just 15 years old, joining Ógra Fianna Fáil in her teenage years. She was elected to Dublin City Council in 1985 but failed in her bid for Dáil Éireann four years later.
The now-66-year-old got into the Dáil on her second attempt in the 1997 general election where she represented the Dún Laoghaire constituency.
She appeared on a number of Oireachtas committees and in 2000 got her first ministerial job, Minsiter of State for Children. Throughout her political career, Mary Hanafin has served as Minister of State; Minister for Education and Science; Minister for Social and Family Affairs; Minister for Enterprise and Minister for Tourism. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin.
Throughout her political career, Hanafin has served as a Minister of State; Minister for Education and Science; Minister for Social and Family Affairs; Minister for Enterprise and Minister for Tourism.
In 2011, Hanafin was appointed deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. She had put her name forward for the leader role following the resignation of Brian Cowen. In the same year, she lost her Dáil seat.
Following a three-year hiatus, Hanafin became a councillor for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
In recent years, Hanafin has had a number of political upsets — she wasn't chosen for Fianna Fáil for the 2016 general election or the 2019 European Parliament election and was also unsuccessful in the 2020 general election.
Speaking to Brendan O'Connor over the weekend, Ms Hanafin expressed her desire to be picked as the Fianna Fáil candidate for the upcoming Presidential Election, noting she had '30 years of public service at local and national level.'
She confirmed she had spoken to An Taoiseach about her hopes, adding that he 'knows me well and knows my records in Government.'
Ms Hanafin told presenter Brendan: 'I would like Fianna Fáil to run a candidate but ultimately the decision is his to make.'
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