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Proposal to name university building after Mary McAleese

BBC Ms McAleese is wearing a light blue coat and is standing in a church. She's wearing pearl earrings and has short brown hair. There are candles and a biblical image behind her.BBC
McAleese graduated from the School of Law at QUB in 1973

One of Queen's University Belfast's (QUB) main buildings could be named after the former Irish President Mary McAleese.

A proposal has been made to name the university's School of Law after Prof McAleese.

However, in a statement, a university spokesperson said it currently had "no plans to name the Law Tower at the Lanyon Building after any individual".

"We can confirm a proposal originated by the Law School – but not commissioned by the university – has been developed but has not yet been submitted to the University Management Board for approval," they continued.

Getty Images A grand building with red Victorian brick and towers. Two students are walking towards grass and bushes are planted around the building.Getty Images
The university said it had no plans to name the building after an individual

"Any proposal brought forward will be subject to a rigorous and lengthy progress and will have to meet our naming policies and criteria which includes final approval by the University Senate."

The School of Law is housed in a tall building called the Main Site Tower which is behind the main Lanyon building at Queen's.

Born in Belfast, Prof McAleese served two terms as President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011.

She graduated from the School of Law at QUB in 1973 and later became QUB's first female pro vice chancellor, a leading position in the university.

The proposal that the tower is named after Prof McAleese followed a consultation with staff at the School of Law.

A bridge over the M1 motorway near Drogheda was renamed as the Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge in 2013.

'Not normally used'

Getty Images Mr Trimble is looking into the camera. He's wearing glasses and has brown hair. His coat is navy and he's wearing a blue patterned tie and a blue stripped shirt.Getty Images
The David Trimble chair in Leadership and Organisational Transformation will also be based in the school

The university has a process by which it can "honour individuals for achievement or distinction" by naming buildings after them.

Some other buildings on its campus are named after individuals.

"Names of current or former staff, students or lay-members of the university should not normally be used to name buildings, facilities, posts, or programmes, unless this is related to exceptional service or achievement," the policy states.

The university has, though, established two senior academic positions named after Prof McAleese and the former first minister, Lord Trimble.

The Mary McAleese chair in Connected Leadership will be based in the university's business school.

The David Trimble chair in Leadership and Organisational Transformation will also be based in the school.

Like Prof McAleese, Lord Trimble was also a graduate of the School of Law and was later a law lecturer at the university.

After moving from academia into politics, he led the Ulster Unionist Party between 1995 and 2005, and was instrumental in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement.

For that, he won the Nobel Peace Prize along with SDLP leader John Hume.

He was the first person to serve in the role of first minister in the new Northern Ireland Executive established as part of the Agreement.

He later sat in the House of Lords and died aged 77 in 2022.