Deirdre Heenan

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Deirdre Heenan
Deirdre Heenan, January 2012 (cropped).jpg
Heenan in 2012
BornFebruary 1968 (age 57)
Annaclone, Northern Ireland
SpouseRory Heenan
Children3
Academic background
Alma mater Ulster University

Deirdre Heenan is an Irish professor of social policy who was a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University and a former Provost of the University's Coleraine and Magee campuses. Prof Heenan was also appointed to the Council of State by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins in 2012. She was appointed Lecturer in Policy Studies at the University of Ulster in 1995, becoming a Professor in 2007. [1] She is a prominent political commentator in Northern Ireland.

Contents

Early life

Heenan is from Annaclone in County Down and was educated at Banbridge Academy and Ulster University. [2] She started as an undergraduate student and then went on to be a part-time lecturer at the university. [3]

She worked as a Saturday record girl at Woolworths in Banbridge for two years. [4]

Career

Heenan started her career at Ulster University as a lecturer in 1995, before becoming a professor by 2007. In 2001, she received a Distinguished Teaching Award, and by 2006, the Higher Education Academy awarded her with a National Teaching Fellowship. She co-founded the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey in 1998. [5]

She previously served as Provost and Dean of Academic Development at Ulster University’s Magee campus. Heenan was the first female provost of the Magee campus. [6] In 2008, she served as a policy adviser in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland for a nine-month term. In 2011, Heenan was appointed to a five-member panel by the Northern Ireland health minister to lead a major review of health and social care services. The following year, she was named to the Irish President’s Council of State as one of seven personal nominees selected by President Michael D. Higgins. [7]

In addition to her academic and advisory roles, Heenan is currently a director of ILEX, the Derry urban regeneration company, and serves as a school governor at two Derry schools, Foyle College and St. Patrick’s Pennyburn. [8]

She is the Northern Ireland Honorary Consul to Austria. [9]

2025 Irish presidential election speculation

In July 2025, Heenan said she could “neither confirm nor deny” that she had been approached by Fianna Fáil to be the party's candidate for the 2025 Irish presidential election. [10] The party's backbenchers reportedly believed that she "ticks a lot of Mary McAleese boxes." McAleese is a Belfast lawyer and academic who won the 1997 presidential election with the backing of Fianna Fáil. [11] Heenan was considered the preferred choice of Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin. [12] In a social media post on 30 August 2025, Heenan announced she had decided not to seek the presidency. [13]

Personal life

As of 2025, Heenan lives in Derry with her husband Rory and three sons. [14] Her sons are named Jack, Harry and Matthew. [15]

References

  1. ↑ "Council of State nominees unveiled". Irish Times . 6 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Academic Deirdre Heenan in frame for FF Áras bid". 22 July 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "All the best: Deirdre Heenan on her favourite things". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 July 2015. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "All the best: Deirdre Heenan on her favourite things". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 July 2015. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Deirdre Heenan: Ulster University Professor Tipped as Fianna Fáil's 2025 Irish Presidential Candidate". Secret Ireland. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "All the best: Deirdre Heenan on her favourite things". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 July 2015. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  7. ↑ Murphy, Mark. "Ulster University's Deirdre Heenan emerges as frontrunner for Fianna Fáil in presidential election". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  8. ↑ Murphy, Mark. "Ulster University's Deirdre Heenan emerges as frontrunner for Fianna Fáil in presidential election". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Deirdre Heenan". www.ulster.ac.uk. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Ulster University academic Deirdre Heenan looks set to enter race for Irish presidency". 21 July 2025. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Academic Deirdre Heenan in frame for FF Áras bid". 22 July 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Murphy, Mark. "Ulster University's Deirdre Heenan emerges as frontrunner for Fianna Fáil in presidential election". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "Deirdre Heenan on X".
  14. ↑ "Academic Deirdre Heenan in frame for FF Áras bid". 22 July 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  15. ↑ "All the best: Deirdre Heenan on her favourite things". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 July 2015. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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