page_title: Maynooth University
section_title: Government, politics, law and public policy
hierarchical_section_title: Maynooth University / Notable alumni and faculty / Government, politics, law and public policy
caption_attribution_description: en:Éamon de Valera
context_page_description: The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, commonly known as Maynooth University, is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. It was Ireland's youngest university until Technological University Dublin was established in 2019, as it was founded by the Universities Act, 1997 from the secular faculties of the now separate St Patrick's College, Maynooth, which was founded in 1795. Maynooth is also the only university town in Ireland, all other universities being based within cities.
  The university consists of two connected campuses: an older southern campus, with 19th-century buildings, shared with St Patrick's College, and, across a public road, a modern northern campus, occupying circa 100 acres.
  With over 13,000 students enrolled, and over 900 staff from over 20 different countries, it is Ireland's smallest, yet fastest growing, university. In 2009, Maynooth University was listed as a Top500 university in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings.
context_section_description: Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has been appointed as Honorary Adjunct Professor of Mediation and Conflict Intervention in the School of Business and Law.
  Joe Costello, TD (Dublin Central)
  Noel Dempsey, TD and Cabinet Minister
  Éamon de Valera, President of Ireland, lectured in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics at Maynooth in 1912 
  John Blake Dillon the Irish nationalist, Young Ireland member, who co-founded The Nation newspaper spent two years in Maynooth.
  Paddy Gormley Nationalist Member of the Northern Ireland parliament.
  Mary Hanafin TD, Former Minister for Social and Family Affairs (BA, HdipEd)
  Brian Hayes, TD (Dublin South West)
  Joe McHugh, TD (Donegal North East)
  John O'Brennan, political scientist
  Ruth Coppinger HDipEd, Socialist TD (Dublin West) 2014-2020
  Kevin O'Higgins, MP, TD
  Mary O'Rourke, Former TD, Sen. (BA, HdipEd)
  Joe O'Toole(HdipEd), former president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions(ICTU) and Independent NUI Senator
  Richard Lalor Sheil MP, and playwright, an associate of Daniel O'Connell and a founder of the Catholic Association attended the lay college in Maynooth, and strongly spoke in favour of the Maynooth Grant.
  Stephen Woulfe who became a barrister, and Attorney General and the first catholic to be Chief Barron of the Irish Exchequer also attended the lay college at Maynooth.
  Brigadier General Maureen O'Brien – First woman to attain the rank of Lt Colonel (Army Line), Colonel and Brig Gen in the Irish Defence Forces
caption: Éamon de Valera (c 1922), Taoiseach and President of Ireland lectured at Maynooth
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