While many may be familiar with his political career, they may not know much about the home life behind the political figure.
Following recent reports that the Tánaiste plans to contest the presidency in 2025, here’s a look inside his family life.
Early life
The Fianna Fáil party leader originally hails from Co Cork and has previously worked as a teacher, a city council member, Lord Mayor of Cork and as a TD in Dáil Éireann.
He was born on August 1, 1960, to parents Paddy Moran and Eileen Lana Corbett. Micheál is the third child in a family of five and has a twin brother named Padraig.
The former Taoiseach was raised in the Turners Cross area of Co Cork alongside his two brothers and two sisters.
College days
For his education, Micheál attended Colaiste Chriost Ri and went on to study Arts at University College Cork. This is where he joined Ógra Fianna Fáil.
He went on to complete a Masters in Political History before doing a H. Dip and working as a history teacher at Presentation Brothers College in Cork.
However, the teaching was short-lived, as after just one year Martin quit to become a full-time politician after being elected to Cork Corporation as a Fianna Fáil candidate.
Micheal Martin pictured here in 2003. (RollingNews.ie)
Wedding bells
Martin married his college sweetheart Mary O’Shea in 1990. The pair had a stunning New Year’s Eve engagement and were married the following summer.
Together they brought into the world five children; Micheál Aodh, Aoibhe, Cillian, Léana, and Ruairí, much like Micheál’s own family growing up.
The pair welcomed their first son, Micheál Aodh, four years after they married, with their daughter Aoibhe having been born two years later.
Their second son Ruairí was born in 1999 but tragically died at just five weeks from cot death, a loss Micheál has spoken openly about in the past.
The couple went on to have two more children, Cillian and Léana, but sadly this wasn’t the end of loss for the Martin family.
Léana died unexpectedly at the age of seven after developing a cardiac condition just weeks before her eighth birthday.
February 9, 2020: Micheál Martin and his wife Mary after he was elected in Ireland's 2020 General Election. (Getty Images)
Future presidency?
Several sources this past weekend said the Fianna Fáil leader plans to stand aside next year to allow a younger generation to take the party forward.
Details of the planned maneuvers at the top of Fianna Fáil emerged in the wake of the appointment of Jack Chambers as deputy leader and Finance Minister, replacing party heavyweight and former leadership contender Michael McGrath, who is heading to Europe as Ireland’s new EU Commissioner.
And powerful figures within the party say they are not only ‘convinced’ Mr Martin – who has served in the Dáil for 35 years – will run for Arás an Uachtaráin but also that he will win.
Micheál Martin with President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. (RollingNews.ie)
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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