http___www.president.ie_ga_an-tuachtaran_michael-d-higgins_1.xml
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Michael D. Higgins - Biography On 11 November 2011, Michael D. Higgins was inaugurated as the ninth President of Ireland. A passionate political voice, a poet and writer, academic and statesman, human rights advocate, promoter of inclusive citizenship and champion of creativity within Irish society, Michael D. Higgins has previously served at almost every level of public life in Ireland, including as Ireland’s first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Michael D. Higgins was born on 18 April 1941 in Limerick city and was raised in County Clare. He was a factory worker and a clerk before becoming the first in his family to access higher education. He studied at the University College Galway, the University of Manchester and Indiana University. Michael D. Higgins is married to Sabina Higgins, and they have four children. Sabina Higgins attended the Stanislavsky Studio of acting in Dublin and was a founding member of the Focus Theatre. As a lecturer in political science and sociology in National University of Ireland, Galway, and in the United States, Michael D. Higgins was a passionate proponent for the extension of access to third level education beyond the walls of established Universities. He was centrally involved in the development of extra-mural studies at National University of Ireland, Galway, and he travelled extensively across the West of Ireland to provide accessible evening classes for interested citizens. A desire to work more directly for equality and justice led Michael D. Higgins to enter public life and he went on to serve as a public representative at many levels from Councillor and Mayor to 9 years in the Seanad and 25 in Dáil Éireann. As Ireland’s first Minister for the Arts in 1993-97, Michael D. Higgins’ achievements included the reinvigoration of the Irish film industry, the establishment of Teilifís na Gaeilge, now TG4, and the repeal of censorship under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Acts. He also established a rich network of local arts and cultural venues which brought a crucial access to citizens across Ireland to these facilities. Moreover, he drove the revitalisation of Ireland’s canal network, resulting in over 1,000 kilometres of navigable waterways, supporting thousands of jobs, and creating wealth in many rural and economically-deprived areas of the State. Michael D. Higgins has, like many in Ireland, seen generations of his family emigrate. He has a strong interest and solidarity with the Irish abroad and has been a regular visitor to Irish Centres in Britain. Throughout his life, Michael D. Higgins has campaigned for human rights and for the promotion of peace and democracy in Ireland and in many other parts of the world, from Nicaragua and Chile to Cambodia, Iraq and Somalia. In 1992, Michael D. Higgins was the first recipient of the Seán MacBride Peace Prize from the International Peace Bureau in Helsinki, in recognition of his work for peace and justice in many parts of the world. Michael D. Higgins is also a writer and poet, contributing to many books covering diverse aspects of Irish politics, sociology, history and and culture. He has published two collections of essays — ‘Causes for Concern — Irish Politics, Culture and Society’ and ‘Renewing the Republic’. He has also published four collections of poetry — ’The Betrayal; The Season of Fire; An Arid Season’ and ‘New and Selected Poems’. Among the other appointments Michael D. Higgins has held are: - Member of Dáil Éireann for 25 years; - Member of Seanad Éireann (the Irish Senate) for 9 years; - Ireland’s first Cabinet Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht 1993-97; - As Minister, he had direct responsibility for the promotion of the Irish language and for the economic and social development of Irish-speaking areas in the State; - Labour Party Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs in the Irish Parliament and founder member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs; - Lord Mayor of Galway on two occasions; - Honorary Adjunct Professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway; - Regular columnist for the popular ‘Hot Press’ magazine over the period 1982—1992, during which he engaged a young audience in the social issues of the day.
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Micheál D. Ó hUigínn Micheál D. Ó hUigínn Insealbhaíodh Micheál D. Ó hUigínn ina naoú Uachtarán ar Éirinn ar an 11 Samhain 2011. Guth díograiseach polaitíochta, file, scríbhneoir, fear léinn, tacadóir chearta an duine, duine a chuireann an tsaoránacht chuimsitheach chun cinn agus seaimpín na cruthaitheachta i sochaí na hÉireann, tá Micheál D. Ó hUigínn tar éis a chion tairbhe a dhéanamh ag beagnach gach leibhéal i saol poiblí na hÉireann, agus áirítear ansin a phost mar chéad aire Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta na hÉireann. Rugadh Micheál D. Ó hUigínn ar an 18 Aibreán 1941 i gcathair Luimní agus tógadh i gContae an Chláir é. Bhí sé ina oibrí monarchan agus ina chléireach sula ndeachaigh sé i mbun an ardoideachais, an chéad duine dá mhuintir a raibh teacht aige air. Chuaigh sé i mbun staidéir i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh, in Ollscoil Mhanchain agus in Ollscoil Indiana. Tá Micheál D. Ó hUigínn pósta le Saidhbhín Uí Uigínn agus tá ceathrar clainne acu. D’fhreastail Saidhbhín Uí Uigínn ar stiúideo aisteoireachta Stanislavski i mBaile Átha Cliath agus bhí sí ar dhuine de bhunaitheoirí an Focus Theatre. Mar léachtóir sa pholaitíocht agus sa socheolaíocht in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh agus i Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, thacaigh Micheál D. Ó hUigínn go paiseanta le teacht ag an ngnáthphobal, atá taobh amuigh de bhallaí na nOllscoileanna bunaithe, ar an oideachas tríú leibhéil. Bhí sé páirteach go lárnach i bhforbairt an staidéir sheachtraigh in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh agus thaistil sé ar fud iarthar na hÉireann chun ranganna oíche a chur ar siúl a mbeadh fáil orthu ag saoránaigh ar shuim leo iad. Bhí fonn ar Micheál D. Ó hUigínn tabhairt faoi obair níos dírithe ar an gcomhionannas agus ar an gceartas agus dá bharr sin shocraigh sé dul i mbun oibre sa saol poiblí agus rinne sé fónamh mar ionadaí pobail ag roinnt leibhéal, mar Chomhairleoir agus Méara, mar Sheanadóir ar feadh 9 mbliana agus mar Theachta Dála ar feadh 25 bliain. Bhí Micheál D. Ó hUigínn ina chéad Aire Ealaíon idir 1993 agus 1997, agus i measc na nithe a bhain sé amach bhí athspreagadh thionscal scannánaíochta na hÉireann, bunú Theilifís na Gaeilge, TG4 anois, agus aisghairm na cinsireachta faoi Alt 31 de na hAchtanna Craolacháin. Bhunaigh sé gréasán torthúil d’ionaid áitiúla ealaíon agus cultúir, gníomh tábhachtach a thug teacht ar na saoráidí seo do shaoránaigh ar fud na hÉireann. Chomh maith leis sin, chuir sé athbheochan ghréasán canálacha na hÉireann chun cinn, gníomh a raibh níos mó ná 1,000 ciliméadar d’uiscebhealaí inseolta mar thoradh air, a thug taca do na mílte jabanna agus a chruthaigh rachmas i gcuid mhaith ceantar tuaithe agus ceantar díothach ó thaobh an gheilleagair de sa Stát. Ach an oiread le cuid mhaith de mhuintir na hÉireann, chonaic Micheál D. Ó hUigínn glúine dá mhuintir ag imeacht ar imirce. Tá an-suim aige i muintir na hÉireann thar lear agus comhbhá aige leo agus tugann sé cuairt go rialta ar Ionaid Éireannacha sa Bhreatain. Ar feadh a shaoil, bhí Micheál D. Ó hUigínni mbun feachtais ar son chearta an duine agus ar son chur chun cinn na síochána agus an daonlathais in Éirinn agus in go leor ceantar eile ar domhan, ó Nicearagua agus an tSile go dtí An Chambóid, An Iaráic agus an tSomáil. In 1992, ba é Micheál D. Ó hUigínn an chéad duine ar bronnadh Duais Síochána Sheán Mhic Giolla Bhríde air, ón mBiúró Síochána Idirnáisiúnta in Helsinki, mar aitheantas ar a chuid oibre ar son na síochána agus an chirt in áiteanna go leor ar domhan. Is scríbhneoir agus file é Micheál D. Ó hUigínnchomh maith, agus tá píosaí scríofa aige in a lán leabhar ina bpléitear gnéithe éagsúla de pholaitíocht, de shocheolaíocht, de stair agus de chultúr na hÉireann. Tá dhá chnuasach aistí foilsithe aige — ‘Causes for Concern — Irish Politics, Culture and Society’ agus ‘Renewing the Republic’. Tá ceithre chnuasach filíochta foilsithe aige chomh maith — The Betrayal; The Season of Fire; An Arid Season agus New and Selected Poems. I measc cheapacháin eile Micheál D. Ó hUigínn bhí: Teachta i nDáil Éireann ar feadh 25 bliain; Ball de Sheanad Éireann ar feadh 9 mbliana; An chéad Aire Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta i Rialtas na hÉireann, 1993-97; Mar Aire, bhí freagracht dhíreach air an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus geilleagar agus sochaí na Gaeltachta sa Stát a fhorbairt; Urlabhraí Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre sa Dáil ar Ghnóthaí Eachtracha agus duine de bhunaitheoirí An Chomhchoiste Oireachtais um Ghnóthaí Eachtracha; Méara na Gaillimhe ar feadh dhá théarma; Ollamh Taca Oinigh in Ionad na hÉireann um Chearta an Duine in Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh. Colúnaí rialta san iris mhóréilimh ‘Hot Press’ le linn na tréimhse 1982—1992, nuair a rinne sé plé go fóinteach le lucht léitheoireachta óg maidir le ceisteanna sóisialta an lae.