I didn't set myself the goal of being President of Ireland (laughs). I was very surprised when I was approached by the Labour party, the smaller of the three main parties, and asked would I be their nominee and would I be prepared to go forward. Initially I wasn't enthusiastic, as it's a symbolic and figurehead role, and had been a very restricted role in Irish life. It was partly because there was going to be an election, and therefore the President would draw strength from being a directly elected representative that I began to see the interesting potential of the role.

Her success in the presidential elections was a big surprise - she had been thought least likely to win. She tried to expand the role to become an involved and in-touch President, meeting with women's groups and disadvantaged people from all over the Republic and Northern Ireland. Her most controversial moment came when she shook hands with Gerry Adams, leader of the Irish Republican Party, Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA. According to the Irish press, she was the most popular head of state in the world.