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Emma McAleese, Chelsea Clinton, and Justin McAleese at Áras an Uachtarain in 2000. Gareth Chaney/Photocall Ireland!

"All I wanted to do was fit in": Son of Mary McAleese on growing up gay in Ireland

McAleese – who is now a Ryanair executive – is campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in next month’s same-sex marriage referendum.

Updated 6pm

JUSTIN MCALEESE, SON of the former President, has written a moving article for today’s Irish Independent on his experience growing up gay in Ireland.

McAleese (30), who is a Ryanair executive, came out to his family when he was 21.

He writes that “at 14 I couldn’t tell anyone that I suspected I was gay because society didn’t let me.

When I was 16 a girl, who I didn’t know, asked me directly: “Are you gay?” The panic, the shame, the fear. How did she know? What did I say or wear that made me gay.

McAleese is campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in next month’s same-sex marriage referendum, as part of the ‘Yes Equality’ group in south Dublin.

In an interview this week, his mother made her first public comments on the upcoming vote. Speaking to Newstalk’s George Hook, she said she and her husband had been watching the debate closely, and believed it was a human rights issue.

“It is a debate about children,” McAleese said.

“People have been saying it’s about children – and we believe it to be about Ireland’s gay children and about their future, and about the kind of future we want for Ireland.

“We want – in the words of the Proclamation – ‘the children of the nation to be cherished equally’… The adult children, the children yet unborn, the gay children yet unborn.

“We want them to be born into a world where if they fall in love with someone they can express that love fully, and that they can live the life that Martin and I have had – we’re coming up to 40 years married now.”

Michael Barron, founding director of BeLonG To, the national organisation for LGBT young people, said:

Justin’s mother, Mary, has been a long-term supporter of BeLonG To, and we are very grateful for the backing she has given our organisation down through the years.
His words are brave and inspiring, and I have no doubt they will provide comfort and hope for young people throughout the country who are feeling isolated because of their sexuality.

Read: Mary McAleese says the same-sex referendum is about children – gay children >

Read: ‘Should we allow mothers to marry their daughters?’ >

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261 Comments
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    Mute TravellingTheWorld
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    Sep 9th 2017, 1:24 PM

    Sure who hasn’t depression these days?

    Not feeling too bad today myself.

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    Mute Coner Willis
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    Sep 9th 2017, 1:29 PM

    @TravellingTheWorld: You obviously don’t know what depression is.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Sep 9th 2017, 1:40 PM

    @Coner Willis: Actually that’s exactly what someone with depression would say. ‘Obviously’ You dont know what depression is.

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    Mute Coner Willis
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    Sep 9th 2017, 1:53 PM

    @Louis Jacob: Ehh.. what?

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    Mute Anthony Halpin
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    Sep 9th 2017, 2:28 PM

    Extremely long articles about depression make me depressed.

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    Mute TravellingTheWorld
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    Sep 9th 2017, 4:49 PM

    @Coner Willis: It’s just a coincidence she is flogging a book.

    Watching the dweep asking her questions on the TV would be enough to drive anyone to despair.

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    Mute Larry Kavanagh
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    Sep 10th 2017, 12:30 AM

    @Anthony Halpin: Then avoid reading them for the sake of your mental health.

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    Mute Fiona deFreyne
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    Sep 9th 2017, 2:09 PM

    It was a good interview and insightful.

    Best of luck. She has vanquished her demons and depression and seems to know the precipitating factors. It may be an encouragement for others.

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    Mute Paul Devlin
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    Sep 9th 2017, 3:00 PM

    Can she not open her mouth for once without going on about having been a bit fond of the vino and being depressed? She’s desperate

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    Mute Larry Kavanagh
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    Sep 10th 2017, 12:33 AM

    @Paul Devlin: She also discussed other topics but that appears to have gone over your head, you must have fixations about alcoholism and depression.

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    Mute Andi Black
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    Sep 10th 2017, 12:33 AM

    Marian, I have read some of your books and have enjoyed them. You, believe it or not have take the weight of our shoulders ,with your words. Thank you!!

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    Mute Andi Black
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    Sep 10th 2017, 1:23 AM

    @Andi Black: taken

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    Mute Paul Jennings
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    Sep 9th 2017, 8:59 PM

    “Dying is easy, it’s living that scares me to death.” (Annie Lennox. “Cold.”)

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    Mute Peadar O'Grady
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    Sep 12th 2017, 12:44 PM

    Textbook description of a panic attack by Marian Keyes. Fear not mentioned enough when discussing suffering and mood states. Fear, anger, depression, excitement, shame, guilt etc. We need to talk about more than just one feeling and more than just feelings. Experiences still matter even if they seem not directly connected. Past and current experiences of stress from finances, work, relationships etc. Alien mood from nowhere cured by pill is a shallow and overrehearsed theme in mental health discussions. One important difference between alcoholism and depression is that mainstream medical advice is to try to deal with stress without chemicals with one but to try using chemicals to deal with stress and breakdowns in coping with the other.

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