Irish president to speak at Mt. Holyoke

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (AP) - Irish President Mary McAleese will deliver the keynote address at Mount Holyoke College's commencement.

McAleese, a Belfast native first elected in 1997, will also receive an honorary degree from the women's college during the May 24 ceremony.

College President Joanne Creighton said in a statement Monday that McAleese's "leadership and a commitment to purposeful engagement" are what Mount Holyoke students strive for.

McAleese will speak at the college as part of a visit to Massachusetts organized with the support of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, a Mount Holyoke trustee who has played a major role in U.S.-Ireland relations.

The 57-year-old McAleese is the country's first president from Northern Ireland and grew up at a time of violence and turmoil.