Máire Mhic Ghiolla Íosa: Beathaisnéis charts the fascinating journey of an inspirational woman, on her pilgrimage from Ardoyne to the Phoenix Park. Authorised by the President, it includes excerpts from private diaries and papers from before her Presidency, and interviews with members of her family, colleagues and acquaintances. It tells the real success story of a determined, spirited woman, the first Northerner to hold the office of the President of Ireland. Mary McAleese is a woman who has never been afraid to speak her mind, and has often courted controversy, and her biography is certainly a page-turner. It includes interviews with Fr. Alex Reid, Annie Maguire and Monsignor Denis Faul, among others, as well as extensive interviews with the President. It paints a picture of a woman who has worked incessantly for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, and who stands by her convictions. A riveting read, and a tremendous insight into the life of Mary McAleese up until her inauguration.