During its February 2015 meeting, the Board of Directors endorsed a motion that its Chairman should formally invite Mr Michael D Higgins, President of Ireland, to be Patron of the Military Heritage of Ireland Trust (CLG). In August 2015, the Trust was advised that Michael D. Higgins acknowledged the Chairman’s letter, and, as President, he has pleasure in accepting the Trust’s kind invitation to be our Patron. Up to the end of her term of office as Uachtarán na hÉireann, Dr. Mary McAleese was Patron of the Trust.
On 11 November 2011, Michael D. Higgins was inaugurated as the ninth President of Ireland. As President, he exercises supreme command over the Defence Forces. Born in Limerick city, he is married to Sabina Higgins and they have four children. He studied at the University College Galway, the University of Manchester and Indiana University.
Michael D. Higgins was a lecturer in Political Science and Sociology in the National University of Ireland, Galway. Throughout his life, he 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, he 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 was a member of Dáil Éireann for 25 years, a member of Seanad Éireann for 9 years, and from 1993 to 1997 was the first Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht.
Michael D. Higgins is also a writer and poet, contributing to many books covering diverse aspects of Irish politics, sociology, history and culture.
