Mary McAleese at this month's bridge naming in her honour at Oldbridge, Co Meath.

Mary McAleese succeeds Peter Fallon at Boston College

Former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, is to succeed Oldcastle poet Peter Fallon as Burns Library Visiting Scholar at Boston College. Peter, who accepted the invitation to follow a distinguished line of historians, writers and cultural commentators, returned recently to his home in Loughcrew. While at Boston College he taught a course on the work of his friends, Brian Friel and Seamus Heaney (his publishing house, The Gallery Press, publishes much of their work) and conducted a writing workshop. The Burns Chair, one of the most prestigious in Irish Studies in America, is designed to allow the Visiting Professor time for research and to concentrate on his or her writing.  Mary McAleese who has been studying Canon Law in Rome will continue research in the Burns Library.
Meanwhile, on Saturday next, 29th, at 2pm., in the Church of Ireland, Kells, Peter will give a poetry reading with Vona Groarke as part of the Hay Festival Kells.