Mary Davis (activist)
| Mary Davis | |
|---|---|
Mary Davis in September 2011
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| Member of the Council of State | |
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In office 11 November 2004 – 10 November 2011 |
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| Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
6 August 1954 Kinaffe, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Julian Davis |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater |
Leeds Trinity University University of Alberta |
| Profession |
Chief Executive Officer Special Olympics |
| Website | marydavis |
Mary Davis (née Rooney; born 6 August 1954) is an Irish social entrepreneur and long-term campaigner for the rights and inclusion of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. She is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics International. She is also the managing director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE) with the responsibility of overseeing the growth and development of Special Olympics across 58 countries in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Davis also serves as Chairperson of Special Olympics Ireland.
She is well known for serving as CEO of 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Dublin, Ireland. This was the first time the event was staged outside of North America since Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the movement in 1968 and the largest sporting event in the world that year. Davis was awarded a Person of the Year Award in 2003, for her work for this event as well as for her years of service with Special Olympics Ireland.
In November 2004 Davis was appointed by President Mary McAleese to serve on the Irish Council of State. In 2006 Davis was made chairperson of the newly created Taskforce on Active Citizenship. She also co-chairs the North South Consultative Conference for the Irish government.
Davis was a candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election having received the required nominations from thirteen county councils. In a number of media columns and speeches, Davis expressed how as President of Ireland she could represent Ireland on an international stage, promote communities and community development, and support the values of fairness, equality and respect. She came last in the election receiving 48,657 (2.7%) first preference votes.
Mary Rooney grew up in Kinaffe, Swinford, County Mayo, and attended St Louis Convent School, Kiltimagh. She claimed that the seeds of her success were sown in her upbringing in East Mayo saying "there was always a prevailing attitude of looking after your neighbour, of taking care of each other". After finishing secondary school, Davis trained as a Physical Education teacher from Leeds Trinity University, United Kingdom, a women's teacher training college affiliated to the University of Leeds. From there she won a scholarship to the University of Alberta where she completed her academic studies. After returning to Ireland, she became PE co-ordinator with St Michael's House in Ballymun, Dublin, an organisation catering for people with intellectual disabilities. It was then that she first volunteered for Special Olympics Ireland.
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