Irish Independent in 2016 whether she was ‘the power behind the throne,’ Mary said: ‘No. Not at all.’‘There was a time I used to have a lot more involvement.’In 1999, she was referred to as being ‘regarded as a highly political animal’.It was during their time studying in UCC that Mary and Micheál first laid eyes on each other, but it would be several years before they finally got engaged, then married, and started a family.Mary, who is the daughter of Midleton retailers Tom and Mary O’Shea, joined the Fianna Fail Cumann in October 1981 and the pair became friends, the Examiner reported – and Mary apparently initially ruled out a relationship.While Micheál did his Higher Diploma and became a teacher before entering politics, Mary got a job.
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